A furry tale: On the tail of the ‘shtreimel’s’ origins
This colorful account is often retold, and was recorded by the early scholar of hassidism Ahron Marcus (1843-1916).
In Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s ‘The Beggars’ (1568) the tails pinned to the backs of characters are likely an indication of their status as social outcasts.(photo credit: WIKIPEDIA)
