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