R. Yochanan b. Zakkai was once riding a donkey, his disciples walking behind, when he noticed a young girl gleaning barley-corn from under the hooves of the beasts of the Arabs. When she saw him, she covered herself with her hair, stood before him, and said to him: "My master, feed me." He asked: "Whose daughter are you?" She answered: "I am the daughter of Nakdimon ben Gurion.
Do you not remember that you signed my kethubah?" R. Yochanan to his disciples: "I signed this one's kethubah, and I read 'one million golden dinars from her father's house, aside form those of her father-in-law.' Her entire household would not enter the Temple mount to bow down until they spread out soft sheets for them, after which they entered, bowed down, and returned to their houses, whereupon the paupers came and rolled them up (for themselves).
All of my days I had read this verse — 'If you do not know, O fairest of the women, then go out in the footsteps of the sheep, and graze your kids ("gediyothayich") by the dwellers of the shepherds' — Read it not "gediyothayich," but "geviyothayich" ("your cadavers"). For as long as Israel does G-d's will, no nation can dominate them. But when they do not do G-d's will they are delivered into the hands of a lowly nation. And not that alone — but under the hooves of their beasts!"