On the eve of "_Shevuous_," I induced my mother--peace be unto her!--to let me go off outside the town, by myself, to gather greens for the Festival. And my mother let me go off alone to gather the greens for the Festival. May she have a bright Paradise for that! A real pleasure is a pleasure that one enjoys by one's self, without a companion, and without a single argument. I was alone, free as a bird, in the big cultivated field. Above me was the whole of the blue cap called "the sky." For me alone shone the beautiful queen of the day, the sun. For my sake there came together, here in the big field, all the singers and warblers and dancers. For my sake there was spread before me the row of tall sunflowers, and the delicate growths were scattered all over the field by a benevolent nature. No one bothered me. No one prevented me from doing what I liked. No one saw me but God. And I could do what I liked. If I liked I might sing. If I liked I might shout and scream at the top of my voice. If I liked I might make a horn with my hands, and blow out a melody. If I liked I might roll on the green grass just as I was, curling myself up like a hedgehog. Who was there to give me orders? And whom would I pay heed to? I was free--I was free. The day was so warm, the sun so beautiful, the sky so clear, the field so green, the grass so fresh, my heart so gay, and my soul so joyful that I forgot completely I was a stranger in the field and had merely come out to cut green boughs for "_Shevuous_." I imagined I was a prince, and the whole field that my eyes rested on, and everything in the field, and even the blue sky above it--all were mine. I owned everything, and could do what I liked with it--I, and no one else. And like an overlord who had complete control of everything, I longed to show my power, my strength, my authority--all that I could and would do. * * * First of all I was displeased with the tall giants with the yellow hats--the sunflowers. Suddenly they appeared to me as my enemies. And all the other plants with and without stalks, the beans and beanstalks, were enemies too. They were the Philistines that had settled on my ground. Who had sent for them? And those thick green plants lying on the ground, with huge green heads--the cabbages, what are they doing here? They will only get drunk and bring a misfortune upon me. Let them go into the earth. I do not want them. Angry thoughts and fierce instincts awoke within me. A curious feeling of vengefulness took possession of me. I began to avenge myself of my enemies. And what a vengeance it was! I had with me all the tools I would need for cutting the green boughs for the Festival--pocket-knife with two blades, and a sword--a wooden sword, but a sharp one.