Tyll

Daniel Kehlmann’s “Tyll” begins with a bravura opening chapter reminiscent of Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Lottery.” The setting is a small village in Central Europe, early in the 17th century. One morning a covered wagon arrives in town carrying a legendary jester, Tyll Ulenspiegel, and his troupe of performers. They put on a play; they dance and sing; and then Tyll walks a high tightrope. The show captivates the townsfolk, transporting them from their dreary provincial lives. “We understood what life could be like for someone who really did whatever he wanted, who believed in nothing and obeyed no one; we understood what it would be like to be such a person, and we understood that we would never be such people.” They throw coins at the jester, but he repays them by instigating a brawl among the spectators. While they fight, Tyll and his troupe slip away with the money.