Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) JEWISH CHILDREN TRANSLATED FROM THE YIDDISH OF "SHALOM ALEICHEM" BY HANNAH BERMAN NEW YORK ALFRED . A . KNOPF MCMXXII COPYRIGHT, 1921, BY ALFRED A. KNOPF, INC. _Published January, 1922_ _Set up and printed by the Vail-Ballou Co., Binghamton, N. Y. Paper furnished by W. F. Etherington & Co., New York, N. Y. Bound by the H. Wolff Estate, New York, N. Y._ MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CONTENTS A PAGE FROM THE "SONG OF SONGS" PASSOVER IN A VILLAGE. AN IDYLL ELIJAH THE PROPHET GETZEL A LOST "L'AG BEOMER" MURDERERS THREE LITTLE HEADS GREENS FOR "_SHEVUOUS_" ANOTHER PAGE FROM THE "SONG OF SONGS" A PITY FOR THE LIVING THE TABERNACLE THE DEAD CITRON ISSHUR THE BEADLE BOAZ THE TEACHER THE SPINNING-TOP ESTHER THE POCKET-KNIFE ON THE FIDDLE THIS NIGHT A Page from the "Song of Songs" Busie is a name; it is the short for Esther-Liba: Libusa: Busie. She is a year older than I, perhaps two years. And both of us together are no more than twenty years old. Now, if you please, sit down and think it out for yourself. How old am I, and how old is she? But, it is no matter. I will rather tell you her history in a few words. My older brother, Benny, lived in a village. He had a mill. He could shoot with a gun, ride on a horse, and swim like a devil. One summer he was bathing in the river, and was drowned. Of him they said the proverb had been invented: "All good swimmers are drowned." He left after him the mill, two horses, a young widow, and one child. The mill was neglected; the horses were sold; the young widow married again, and went away, somewhere, far; and the child was brought to us. The child was Busie. * * * That my father loves Busie as if she were his own child; and that my mother frets over her as if she were an only daughter, is readily understood. They look upon her as their comfort in their great sorrow. And I? Why is it that when I come from "_cheder_," and do not find Busie I cannot eat? And when Busie comes in, there shines a light in every corner. When Busie talks to me, I drop my eyes. And when she laughs at me I weep. And when she.... * * *