Chapter 4 Summary

After the period of mourning is over, Gimpel is visited by the Spirit of Evil, telling him that the whole world has deceived him and that he should now deceive the world by accumulating a bucket of urine and putting it in the bread at night so the vicious people of the village will eat filth. Gimpel is concerned about the judgment of God, but the Spirit says there will be no judgment and that there is no God. When asked what there is, then, the Spirit answers, "A thick mire." So he lets himself be persuaded and does it - he urinates on the bread.

He sits beside the warm oven while the bread bakes and, falling asleep, sees Elka in a dream. She calls him a fool and tells him that everything is not false just because she was false and...