A rabbi’s big black hat blew off. A young man
ran after it and returned it. The rabbi thanked the man and added, “May God
bless you.” I’ve been blessed by a rabbi, thought the man. This must be my
lucky day. He headed for the racetrack and put his money on a horse named
Stetson with 20-to-one odds. He won. In the second race, he bet on a horse
named Fedora at 30-to-one. He won again. At the end of the day, the man
returned home and told his wife about the rabbi and betting his money on
horses named after hats. “So where’s the money?” she asked. “I lost it
all in the ninth race,” he explained. “I bet on a horse named Chateau --
it lost.” “You fool!” the wife screamed. “Chateau is a house -- chapeau
is a hat!” “It doesn’t matter, “he said. “The winner was some Japanese
horse named Yarmulke.” Readers Digest (I guess we all know now what
“hat” is in Japanese)