GEN797 Deception is one of the ways marginal people imagine themselves improving their situation at the expense of those with greater power, as in the many underdog tales of Genesis or the Afro-American tradition of trickster-tales (Niditch, 1987: 44 – 50). The sons of Jacob use their own wits to succeed. God’s help is not mentioned. And yet, their success is of an unstable variety as are all tricksters’ victories. Abram deceives Pharaoh only to be thrown out of town [this verse], Jacob deceives Esau and suffers exile and the prospect of again confronting his brother, and so on. The old trickster himself, Jacob, warns his hot-headed suns at genesis 34:30: “you have brought trouble upon me by making me hated among the inhabitants of the land… they will gather against me, strike me, and I shall be destroyed, myself and my household.” The suns have the last word, again an appeal to honor based upon the man’s capacity to protect his women.” Should he be allowed to treat our sister like a harlot?!” The victory, how are, is not neat or final as the Karen text would have it. This tale of war comes from the time and people who enjoy and find relevant the image of Israelites as tricksters who defy those who would control them or there is. They do not defy the enemy directly, but employee with, while, and deception and assume that no victories are final or neat. Theirs is a world-review it Differs strongly of the bardic text NIDITCH 110-1