"See, we will fasten him to the tree with his own belt in such a way that he will not be able to free himself. Then one of us will go over to him and shout in his ear: "'_Rebbe_,' murderers!" "What will happen?" "Nothing. We will run away, and he will shout, 'Hear, O Israel!'" "How long will he shout?" "Until he gets used to it." Without another word, Elya tied the "_Rebbe_" to the tree by the hands. We stood looking on, and a shudder passed over our bodies. Is this our teacher? Is this he whose glances we fear? Is this Mazeppa? "Why do you stand there like clay images?" said Elya to us. "The Lord has performed a miracle. Mazeppa has fallen into our hands. Let us dance for joy." We took hands and danced around the sleeping Mazeppa like savages. We danced and leaped and sang like lunatics. We stopped. Elya bent over the sleeping teacher and shouted into his ear in a voice to waken the dead: "Help, '_Rebbe_'! Murderers! Murderers! Murderers!" * * * We flew off together, like arrows from bows. We were afraid to stop a moment. We were even afraid to look around us. A great dread fell upon us, even upon Elya, although he never ceased from shouting at us: "Donkeys, fools, animals! Why do you run?" "Why do you run?" "When you run I run too." We got into the town full of excitement, and still shouting: "Murderers! Murderers!" When the people saw us running, they ran after us. Seeing them running another crowd ran after them. "Why are you running?" "How are we to know? Others run, and we run too." After some time, one of our boys stopped. And seeing him, we also stopped, but still shouted: "Murderers! Murderers! Murderers!" "Where? Where? Where?" "There, in the black forest, murderers beset us. They bound our teacher to a tree, and God knows if he is still alive." * * * If you envy us because we are free, because we do not go to "_Cheder_" (the "_Rebbe_" is lying ill), it is for nothing--for nothing. No one knows whom the shoe pinches--no one. No one knows who the real murderers are. We rarely see one another. When we meet, the first words are: "How is the teacher?" (He is no more Mazeppa.) And when we pray, we ask God to save the teacher. We weep in silence: "Oh, Father of the Universe! Father of the Universe!" And Elya? Don't ask about him. May the devil take him--that same Elya! * * * EPILOGUE