This Jewish Joke Is 100 Years Old, At Least

This happened 100 years ago in Czarist Russia:

An Orthodox Jew and a Russian Anti-Semite are sharing a compartment on a train traveling through Russia, when suddenly the Russian asks, "Why are you Jews so smart?"

The Jew is quiet for a moment and then says "its because of all the herring we eat."

A few hours later the Jew takes out some herring and starts to eat it.

The Russian asks "how much herring do you have?" and the Jew answers "a dozen pieces".

"And how much do you want for a piece?"

"20 kopecks" (a lot of money).

The man hands the money over and the Jew gives him a piece of herring.

The Russian takes a bite and says "I could have bought this same herring in Moscow for a few kopecks".

To this the Jew responds "see... you're getting smarter already."