Гершеле Острополер הערשעלע אסטראפאלער

Hershel of Ostropol (1757–1811) is a prominent figure in Jewish humor. A badchan from Ostropol (now Ukraine) who lived in poverty, he aimed his pranks at the rich and powerful, Jew and Gentile alike; ordinary folk usually got off lightly. His stories and jokes have been told for over two centuries, and he is remembered even by Ukrainians as a folk hero who outwitted forces far larger than himself.