Part 20

CHANZI-GINENDEL. (_Thut a Schmēichel._) Hm! Hm! Ihr frägt, zi bin ich noch a Mamzell! Jā! Gläubt mir, me hāt mir schōn übergeredt Schiduchim ohn' an Eck. Die Schadchonim schlāgen āb die Thüren bei mein Schwester. Ēiner hāt mich gewollt nehmen, asō wie ich stēh' un' gēh'. Er hāt mich gewollt beklēiden vun Kopp bis Fuss, wāren er allēin is' sēhr reich, un' bei mir will er nit ēin Pitak; abi die Schwester soll nor araussāgen 'Jā.' Nor ich hāb' sich betracht, wās hāb' ich sich dā zu eilen, zi ich bin dā schōn asa-n-alte Māid? Erst heuntigen Summer is' mir gewor'en fufzehn Jāhr. (_Sie tracht._) Sieben un' neun un' neun is fufzehn.

SOSIE. Well, my dear children! Sit here a little while! Talk to each other! I must go away! You are young people, but we have grown to be old. Our head is filled with worries of all kind. I must look after the household. Sit down! I shall be back after a while. (_She starts away, but calls back from the door._) Darling Chanzi-Ginendel, my dear! Just for a minute! (_Chanzi-Ginendel goes to her._)

SOSIE. (_In a whisper._) Do not lose your head and do not forget where you are in the world. Be sure you say the right thing to him,--above all, don't talk too much. (_She goes out, but peeps in through the door._)

FIFTH SCENE

(_Silberseid and Chanzi-Ginendel take their chairs and seat themselves near each other._)

SILBERSEID. (_Aside._) I declare! May I know of something evil if ever I know in what language to begin to speak to her! Well, let us try. (_To Chanzi-Ginendel, loud._) Et comment vous portez-vous, mademoiselle?

* * * * *

CHANZI-GINENDEL. (_Smiling._) Hm! Hm! You want to know if I am still a Miss! Yes, believe me, they have been making matches for me without end. The go-betweens have been tearing down the doors of my sister's house. There was one who wanted to take me just as I am. He wanted to dress me up from head to foot, for he is himself very rich, and he does not ask for a nickel of mine; he is only waiting for my sister to give her consent. But I have thought over the matter; I thought there was no hurry yet, that I was not yet an old maid. I am fifteen years this summer. (_She thinks._) Seven and nine and nine is fifteen.

SILBERSEID. (_Die ganze Zeit verwundert, bei der Seit._) No, no! A gut Min Franzoesisch! Lā-mir prüwen weiter! (_Hōch._) Haben Sie nicht ein Bändchen Saphir?

CHANZI-GINENDEL. Wās täug' euch a safirn Bändele? Awade auf a Halstüchel! Wēiss ich, heunt is' der Kolir schōn araus vun der Mode. Heunt trāgt män Havana oder Bismarck. Ich hāb' erst nit lang a Jungermann geschenkt asōns! Willt ihr? Känn ich euch schenken.

A. GOLDFADEN.

VIII. SEMER LE-SSIMCHAS TŌRE

('Ssichas Chulin,' pp. 30-34)

1

Lechajim, Brüder, lechajim, lechajim! Heunt senen mir die Tōre messajim, Heunt hēben mir sie ān noch a Māl wieder;-- Drum lechajim ulescholem, liebe Brüder! Seid froehlich un' dankt dem Gott dem lieben Far die hēilige Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben!

2

Die hēilige Tōre, geschrieben auf Parmet, Is' doch unser Trōst in unser Armut! All's auf der Welt hāben mir verloren: Der Bees-hamikdesch is' chorew gewor'en, Chorew dās Land, wu mir senen gesessen, Afile unser Loschen hāben mir vergessen; Nit dā unser Meluche, nit dā unser Kehune, Nor uns is' geblieben unser Emune. Gott in Harzen, die Tōre in der Hand, Senen mir gegangen vun Land zu Land, Viel Zores gelitten, doch leben geblieben, Durch die hēilige Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben.

SILBERSEID. (_Wondering all the time, aside._) Well, well! That's a fine kind of French! Let us try again! (_Loud._) Haben Sie nicht ein Bändchen Saphir?

* * * * *

CHANZI-GINENDEL. What do you want with a sapphire ribbon? Oh, I suppose for a tie! I declare, that color has now gone out of fashion. Now they wear Havana or Bismarck. I just lately gave a young man such a ribbon. If you want, I will give you one.

VIII. SONG OF THE REJOICING OF THE LAW

1

Your health, brethren, your health! Your health! To-day we finish the Law, to-day we begin to read it anew; hence, may you prosper in peace, dear brethren! Be merry and thank the kind Lord for the holy Law written upon parchment!

2

The holy Law written upon parchment has been our consolation in our poverty! All in the world we have lost: the Temple has been laid in ruins, in ruins the land which we have inhabited; even our tongue we have forgotten,--we have lost our kingdom and our priesthood, only our faith is left to us. God in our hearts, the Law in our hands, we went from land to land, suffered many tribulations, yet have lived through it all by means of the Law written upon parchment.

3

Kummt, liebe Brüder, kummt aher gicher! Kummt, lā' mir öffenen die historische Bücher! Wās derzaehlt die Geschichte? Wās schreiben die Chronikes? Nor Raübergeschichten, Maisses vun Rasbojnikes! Unser Geschichte, asō grōss wie die Erd', Is' nit mit a Feder, nor mit a Schwert, Nit mit Tint' geschrieben, nor mit Blut un' Trähren, Nit in Leipzig gedruckt, nor in Goles dem schweren, Nit in Goldschnitt gebunden, nor in Kētten un' Eisen. Lās mir chotsch Einer kummen un' weisen, Wu hāt men uns nit verfolgt un' vertrieben Far die hēilige Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben?

4

Noch gār in Ānhēb, var ganz langer Zeit, As mir senen gewesen noch Stücklech Leut, Wie Balebatim in der Hēim nor gesessen Un' in fremde Haüser kēin Täg' nit gegessen, Densmāl noch, ach! soll dās nit treffen Kēinem Wās mir hāben ausgelitten vun unsere Schcheenim! Wer red't schōn dernāch, wēh unsere Jāhren! As die Schcheenim seinen Balebatim gewor'en.... Un' mir hāben gemust nit geren, beōnes, Areinziehen wōhnen bei see in Schcheenes Wie hāben mir gelebt, wie senen mir gelegen? Ach, ihr wollt't schōn besser gār nit frägen! Wie Köpplech Kraut, wie a Haufen Rüben, Mit der hēiliger Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben.

5

Zwēitausend Jāhr, a Klēinigkeit zu sāgen! Zwēitausend Jāhr gemattert, geschlāgen!

3

Come, dear brethren, come quickly! Come, let us open the historical books! What does history tell? What do the chronicles write? Nothing but tales of robbers, stories of highwaymen! Our history, as large as earth, has been written, not with a pen, but with a sword; not with ink, but with blood and tears; has been printed, not in Leipsic, but in heavy exile; is bound, not in gold carving, but in chains and iron. Let a man come and show me where they have not persecuted us and expelled us for the holy Law written upon parchment!

4

In the very beginning, a long time ago, when we still were of some importance, when we were sitting at home and did not lodge in strangers' homes--alas, may that not befall any one, what we have suffered from our neighbors! Not to mention later--woe unto our years!--when our neighbors became our masters.... And we were compelled against our will to take lodgings in their homes. How did we live, how did we rest? Oh, you had better not ask at all! Like cabbage heads, like turnip heaps, with our holy Law written upon parchment.

5

Two thousand years, no small matter that! Two thousand years of torture and vexation! Seventy-seven

Sieben un' siebezig finstere Dōres Gestoppt mit Zores, gefüllt mit Gseeres! As ich wollt' nehmen derzaehlen jede Gseere, Wollt' heunt nit gewe'n Ssimchas-Tōre; Nor dās darf ich gār nit, es is' sēhr gut Bei Jedem eingeschrieben in sein March, in sein Blut. Mir hāben All's ausgehalten, All's aweggegeben, Unser Geld, unser Kowed, unser Gesund, un' Leben, Wie a Māl Chane ihre Kinder, die sieben,-- Far die hēilige Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben.

6

Un' itzt? Is' schōn besser? Lāst män uns zufrieden? Hāt män schōn a Māl derkennt, as mir Jüden Senen äuch Menschen asō wie die Andern? Wellen mir nit mehr in der Welt arumwandern? Wet män sich auf uns mehr nit beklāgen? Dās wēiss ich nit, dās känn ich euch nit sāgen. Ēins wēiss ich, es lebt noch der alter Gott ōben, Die alte Tōre unten un' der alter Gläuben; Drum sorgt nit un' hofft auf Gott dem lieben Un' auf die hēilige Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben!

7

Lechajim, Brüder, lechajim, lechajim! Heunt senen mir die Tōre messajim, Heunt hēben mir sie ān noch a Māl wieder:-- Drum lechajim, lescholem, liebe Brüder! Sorgt nit un' hofft auf Gott dem lieben Un' auf die hēeilige Tōre, auf Parmet geschrieben! J. L. GORDON.

IX. DIE KLATSCHE

('Die Klatsche,' Odessa, 1889, pp. 17-20)

Auf dem Feld, seh' ich, füttern sich panske Zapes, Ēslen, ganze Tabunes Ferd, wās hāben a Jiches-brief,

gloomy generations surfeited with sorrows, filled with misfortunes! Were I to begin to tell all the persecutions, we should not have the Rejoicing of the Law to-day; but I need not do that, it is too well written in each man's marrow, in his blood. We have suffered all, given away all, our money, our honor, our health, our lives, as Hannah once her seven children,--for the holy Law written upon parchment.

6

And now? Is it better? Do they leave us in peace? Have they come to recognize that we Jews are also men like all others? Shall we no longer wander about in the world? Will they no longer complain of us? That I do not know, that I cannot tell you. Thus much I know, there still lives the old God above, the old Law below, and the old faith; therefore do not worry, and hope in the kind Lord and in the holy Law written upon parchment!

7

Your health, brethren, your health! To-day we finish the Law, to-day we begin to read it anew; hence, may you prosper in peace, dear brethren! Do not worry, and hope in the kind Lord and in the Law written upon parchment!

IX. THE DOBBIN

In the field I see feeding noble goats, asses, whole herds of horses who have genealogies that prove their

as see stammen araus vun ēdle Eltern. Ēinems Seede is' an englischer Oger, wās hāt varzeitens, durchfāhrendig durch dem Land Kenoan, Chassene geha't mit an arabischer Schkape. Dem Anderens Babe wachst vun a berühmter Mischpoche, wās hāt in Leben genug Pulwer geschmeckt, un' Jenems Älter-bābe hāt genossen a gute Erziehung, a Edukazje, ergez in a berühmten Sawod, is' gewesen a Melumedes un' hāt in ihr Zeit gegeben Konzert in Tanzen un' Springen in-ēinem mit noch assach gebildete, gelernte Ferd. Denn ihr musst wissen, as bei Ferd spielt Jiches a grōsse Rolje, bei see kuckt män stark auf ēdel Blut, un' die wās fun a guten Sawod hēissen ēdel oder wōhlgeborene. Die dāsige ēdele Ferd hāben sich gefüttert frank un' frei, senen äuch gegangen in Schāden, kalje gemacht die Twues, welche āreme Pauern hāben gesaet mit Schwēiss nebech, un' män hāt sich nischt wissendig gemacht, see nischt gesāgt kein umtarbisch Wort. Die Ferd hāben gesprungen, gehirset, gedriget mit die Füss'. Sejer Kōach, sejer Starkkeit, un' sejer Wildkeit is' gewe'n "schelo kederech hatewa"! Plutzlim hör' ich vun der weitens a schrecklich Geschrēi, a Rasch vun Menschen un' a Billen vun Hünd'. Ich hāb' tchilas gemēint, dās hāben die Pauern sich zunaufgenummen un' läufen mit a Geschrēi, arauszutreiben die panske Zapes, die Ferd vun sejere Twues; nor āber nein. Die Kōles hāben sich alls derweitert un' sich vartrāgen gār in ein ander Seit'. Ich bin gewe'n zikawe un' gegangen nāch dem Kol, gegangen bis ich bin gekummen zu a ganz grōssen Platz varwachsen mit Grās. Dort hāt var meine Äugen sich vürgestellt a schreckliche Scene. Jünglech, Kundeessim, hāben vun alle Seiten sich gejāgt nāch a darer, a māgerer Klatsche, geworfen Stēiner un' āngerēizt auf ihr a ganze Tschate

descent from aristocratic parents. The grandfather of one had been an English steed who once, during a journey through the country of Canaan, had been married to an Arabian mare. Again, the grandmother of another was descended from a famous family, and had smelled much powder in her lifetime, while the great-grandmother of still another had been well educated in some famous stud, and had, in her time, given performances in dancing and jumping in company with many other educated, well-trained horses. For you must know that with horses breed is of great importance; much attention is paid to noble blood, and those who come from a good stud are called noble or well born. These noble horses were grazing at their will; now and then they did some damage by ruining the standing grain which poor peasants had sown in the sweat of their brows, and no one noticed that, or said a harsh word to them. The horses jumped about, neighed, kicked. Their strength, their power, and their wildness were out of the common. Suddenly I heard from afar a terrible noise, a hollowing of men and barking of dogs. At first, I thought that the peasants had come together and were starting on a run with a noise, in order to drive out the noble goats and the horses from their corn; but no!... The voice grew more distant, and could be heard from an entirely different direction. I became curious, and followed the noise until I came to a very large place overgrown with grass. There a frightful scene presented itself to my eyes. Street urchins were pursuing from all sides a thin, lean dobbin; they threw stones at her, and urged on against her a whole pack of dogs of all kinds. Some of these dogs were whining, barking, gnashing their teeth; others again were biting her as best they could. I could not stand there looking

Hünd' vun allerlēi Minim. A Thēil Hünd' hāben gār geheult, gebillt, gekrizt die Zaehn', a Thēil āber hāben äuch take gebissen, wie nor see hāben gekännt. Ich hāb' nischt gekännt stēhn un' zusehn asa Majsse-ra vun der weitens. Ēinmāl is' doch glatt a Rachmones, dās Menschlichkeit derlāst nischt zuzusehn asa Achsorjes, un' zwēitens, awekgenummen schōn Rachmones, hāt doch die Schkape auf mir take a grōss Recht geha't, ich soll ihr helfen, machmas ich bin eingekäuft in der Chewre "Zar-bal-hachaim," wās ihr is' nischt niche, män soll peinigen, ānthon Leid lebedige Beschäffenisch, wārim see senen äuch Bossor-wedom, Flēisch un' Blut, un' hāben äuch dās Recht zu leben auf Gotts Welt wie mir. Ich will mich dā nischt areinlāsen in dem alten un' sēhr tiefen Schmues mikōach dem Menschen un' die Beheemes. Lās sich sein chotsche wie Jene sāgen, as ich, Mensch, bin der Tachles, der Zimmes, der Antik vun alle Beschäffenisch; nor zu lieb mir, Tachschit, zu lieb mein Bederfenisch un' mein Vergenügen leben see alle auf der Welt; lās sich sein chotsch, as ich, Tachschit, bin der Meelach, der Ōberharr über alle Beheemes, wās musen mir dienen, wās musen gēhn in Joch un' makriw sein far mir sejer Leben,--vun destwegen, dacht sich mir, wie bald afile a Klatsche, asa proste Podane, hāt auf mir eppes a Recht, mus ich al-pi Din, wenn nischt al-pi Menschlichkeit, akegen ihr jōze sein....

"Kundeessim!" sāg' ich, zugēhendig zu die weisse Chewre, "Wās hā't ihr, ich bett' euch, zu der Schkape nebech?"

A Thēil vun die Kundeessim hāben mich gārnischt gehört, andere hāben jä eppes wie gehört un' gelacht mit Ases. A Thēil Hünd' hāben mich eppes varwundert āngekuckt, etliche hāben gebillt vun der weitens,

quietly at such misdeeds. In the first place it is a question of pity--humanity does not permit to look unmoved at such wrong-doing. Secondly, leaving pity out, the mare had a great right to my protection, for I am a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which is opposed to vexing and torturing any living being, for they, too, are flesh and blood, and have the same right to live in God's world that we have.... I shall not enter here into the old and profound discussion in regard to man and beast. Let it be as they say that I, man, am the highest aim, the perfection of all creation, that only for me and for my wants and pleasures they all live upon this world. Let it be that I, man, am the king, the supreme lord of all the animals who must serve me, must walk under the yoke and sacrifice their lives for me, nevertheless, it seems to me that even to that dobbin, who is my lowest subject, I have certain duties, and I must, in accordance with the law if not with humanity, do what is right by her....

* * * * *

"Urchins!" I said, as I approached the crowd of wild boys, "what have you, I pray, against that mare?"

* * * * *

Some of the urchins paid no attention at all to me; others did hear me, but they laughed at me with brazen faces. Some of the dogs looked at me somewhat astonished; others barked at me from afar, while others

noch etliche hāben ausgeschtschiret die Äugen, gekuckt schrecklich boes, senen gewe'n berēit ānzufallen auf mir vun hinten un' zureissen mich auf Stücker.

"Kundeessim!" ruf' ich mich noch a Māl ān. "Wās jāgt ihr un' peinigt Gotts Beschäffenisch, die Klatsche nebech?"

"A schoener Nebech!" hāben see mit Gespött geëntwert. "Far wās füttert sie sich dā? Far wās füttert sich die schoene Klatsche dā?"

"Steutsch!" thu' ich a Sāg, "dā is' doch a Pasche, dā fütteren sich doch alle Stādt-beheemes vun ēbige Jāhren!"

"Die Stādt-beheemes," hāben see geëntwert, "senen eppes andersch, see mögen un' sie tor nischt."

* * * * *

"Far wās nischt sie?" ruf' ich mich ān, "sie hāt denn nischt kēin Neschome wie alle Stādt-beheemes?"

"Efscher take nischt!" hāben see a Sāg gethan.

"Schkozim!" sāg' ich zu see, "āber sie hāt doch sicher a Balebos, wās zāhlt in der Stādt Zinsen un' alle andere Ābgāben. Sie is' doch äuch a Stādt-beheeme!"

"Ot dās take wēissen mir nischt!" entwern see mir mit a Gespött. "Ōb sie is' äuch a Stādt-beheeme, dās is' erscht a Schaile!"

"Es mäg sein, wie es will sich," hāb' ich gesāgt, "āber die Klatsche is' doch derweil hungerig, sie will doch nebech essen!"

"Lās sie essen Werem, Kränk', Makes!" sāgen see zurück. "Wās hāt sie zu uns? Far wās soll a sölche auffressen un' zunehmen bei die Stādt-beheemes?"

* * * * *

"Gaslonim!" hāb' ich schōn mehr nischt gekönnt mich einhalten un' a Geschrēi gethān mit Kas. "Far

again opened their eyes wide open, scanned me in great anger, and were ready to fall upon me from behind, and to tear me to pieces.

"Urchins!" I cried out again. "Why do you pursue and torture one of God's creatures--the miserable dobbin?"

"Miserable indeed!" they cried out scoffingly. "Why does she graze here? Why does that fine-looking mare graze here?"

"How is that?" I exclaimed, "is this not a pasture, and have not all the animals of the town grazed here from time immemorial!"

"The animals of the town," they answered, "are an entirely different matter; they may, but she may not."

"Why not she?" I called out, "has she not a soul like all the animals of the town?"

"Maybe she has not!" they retorted.

"Urchins!" I said to them, "but she certainly has a master who pays all the taxes of the town and other duties. She is a town animal like all the others!"

* * * * *

"That's exactly what we do not know!" they answered in scorn. "Whether she is a town animal, that's the question!"

"Let it be as it may," I said, "but in the meanwhile the mare is hungry and wants to eat!"

* * * * *

"Let her eat worms, get sick and die!" they replied. "What does she want of us? Why should such a creature eat up that which belongs to the town animals?"

"Murderers!" I could no longer hold myself and cried out in anger. "Why do you not pay any attention

wās kuckt ihr nischt, wās dort gēhen arum panske Zapes, ganze Tabunes Ferd zwischen die Twues un' fressen auf ārem Blut, ārem Schwēiss nebech? Dā vargünnt ihr nischt a bidner Schkape a Haufen Grās un' es art euch klal nischt, as dort thuen Ferd ān a Jam Heskejes un' machen umglücklich viel Menschen. Dās nor allēin, wās see zutreten, wās see machen kalje glatt asō, wollt' genug gewe'n der Klatsche bis Kinds-kinds-kinds-kinder! Kundeessim, ihr hā't nischt kein Jōscher afile auf a Hāar, ihr sent Kēinem nischt getreu un' ihr hāt noch a Hose sich arauszustellen klomerscht far die Stādt-beheemes!"

"He, he!" hāben die Kundeessim sich āngerufen, "er is' gār in Kas, er frägt gār eppes Kasches! Kummt Chewre! Wās täug' uns die Taines? Lās er sich schreien! Wer hört ihm? Kummt, Chewre, kummt!"

Ēin Kundas hāt a Feif gethān un' bald hāben die weisse Chewre mit sejere Hünd' sich gelāst nāch der Klatsche un' auf ihr wieder āngefallen. A lange Zeit hāt män sie getrieben, gerissen un' gebissen, bis män hāt sie zum Ssof vartrieben in a tiefer Grub un' dort hāt sie sich eingegrisnet in Blote.

S. J. ABRAMOWITSCH.

X. TUNEJADEWKE

('Binjāmin ha-Schlischi,' pp. 6-9)

Tunejadewke, dās klēine Städtel, is' a varworfen Winkel, ān der Seit' vun dem potschtowen Trakt, kimat ābgerissen vun der Welt asō, as wenn a Māl macht sich, Ēiner kummt ahin zufāhren, öffent män die Fenster, die Thüren, un' män kuckt varwundert ān dem frischen Parschōn; Schcheenim frägen Ēiner beim Andern, arauskuckendig vun die offene Fenster, assach mehr wie vier Kasches: Ha, wer soll es asōns sein?

to the noblemen's goats, the whole herds of horses who run around in the grain and eat up the blood and the sweat of the poor? Here you begrudge the poor dobbin a handful of hay, and do not at all care that there the horses are doing no end of damage and making many people unhappy. That alone which they trod under foot, which they simply destroy, would be enough for the mare and her future generations! You, urchins, have no sense of justice, not a hair's-breadth of it, you are not true to anybody, and yet you take it upon yourself to take the part of the town animals!"

* * * * *

"Ho, ho!" the urchins exclaimed, "he is getting angry, and he asks questions of us! Come, boys! What is the use of discussing? Let him cry! Pay no attention to him! Come, boys, come!"

An urchin blew his whistle, and the rude company started with their dogs to attack once more the dobbin. They drove her for a long time; she was bitten and torn until at last she was driven into a deep ditch where she sank down in the mud.

X. PARASITEVILLE

The small town of Parasiteville is a forgotten corner of the earth, to one side of the highway, almost torn away from the world. When by accident some one visits it, the windows and doors are opened and people look in astonishment at the stranger; neighbors ask of each other, as they look out of the open windows, more than the usual four questions: I wonder who he may be? How did he all of a sudden get here? What may