We were not sorry for anything but that the assistants gave us another share. When a father or a mother beats one, it is out of kindness. When a teacher beats one it is because he is a teacher. And what is his rod for, anyway? But the assistants! Our curses upon them! As if it were not enough that they had eaten all our food, and drunk our cherry-wine--may they suffer for it, Father of the Universe!--as if it were not enough that they had left us to fight alone, in the middle of the field, but when they were whipping us they held our feet, so that we might not kick either. * * * And that was how our holiday ended up. It was a dark, dreary, lost "_L'ag Beomer_." Murderers "Is he still snoring?" "And how snoring!" "May he perish!" "Wake him up. Wake him up." "Leib-Dreib-Obderick!" "Get up, my little bird." "Open your little eyes." I barely managed to open my eyes, raise my head, and look about me. I saw a whole crowd of rascals, my school-fellows. The window was open, and along with their sparkling eyes I saw the first rays of the bright, warm early morning sun. I looked about me, on all sides. "Just see how he looks." "Like a sinner." "Did you not recognize us?" "Have you forgotten that it is '_L'ag Beomer_' today?" The words darted through all my limbs like a flash of lightning. I was carried out of bed by them. In the twinkling of an eye, I was dressed. I went in search of my mother, who was busy with the breakfast and the younger children. "Mother, today is '_L'ag Beomer_.'" "A good '_Yom-tov_' to you. What do you want?" "I want something for the party." "What am I to give you? My troubles? Or my aches?" So said my mother to me. Nevertheless, she was ready to give me something towards the party. We bargained about it. I wanted a lot. She would only give a little. I wanted two eggs. Said she: "A suffering in the bones!" I began to grow angry. She gave me two smacks. I began to cry. She gave me an apple to quieten me. I wanted an orange. Said she: "Greedy boy, what will you want next?" And my friends on the other side of the window were kicking up a row. "Will you ever come out, or not?" "Leib-Dreib-Obderick!" "The day is flying!" "Quicker! Quicker!" "Like the wind." After much arguing, I got round my mother. I snatched up my breakfast and my share of the party, and flew out of the house, fresh, lively, joyful, to my waiting comrades. All together we flew down the hill to the "_Cheder_." * * * The "_Cheder_" was full of noise and tumult and shouting that reached to the sky. A score of throats shouted at the one time. The table was covered with delicacies. We had never had such a party as we were going to have that "_L'ag Beomer_." We had wine and brandy, for which we had to thank Berrel Yossel, the wine-merchant's son. He had brought a bottle of brandy and two bottles of wine made by Yossel himself. His father had given him the brandy, but the wine he had taken himself.