Hershel of Ostropol

Hershel of Ostropol is a prominent figure in Jewish humor. Hershel was a badchen from Ostropol, Crown Poland, who lived in poverty and targeted the rich and powerful, both Jew and Gentile. Common folks were not safe from his shenanigans, either, but usually got off lightly. He is also remembered by Ukrainian Gentiles as something of an ethnic folk hero, who could take on establishment forces much larger than himself with nothing but his humor.