The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth CenturyWiener, Leo
History
The History of Yiddish Literature in the Nineteenth Century
Wiener, Leo
Yiddish literature -- History and criticism
Die Einwōhner allēin in Tunejadewke senen nebech kimat alle,
lō-aleechem, grōsse Ewjōnim, starke Dalfonim. Nor dem Emes mus män
sāgen, see senen froehliche Ewjōnim, lustige Kabzonim, wilde
Bal-bitochens. As män soll, a Stēiger, plutzlim a Fräg geben a
Tunejadewker Jüden, vun wannen un' wie asō er is sich mefarnes,
bleibt er tchilas stēhn wie zumischt, wēisst nebech nischt, wās zu
entwern, nor später a Bissel āber kummt er zu sich un' entwert
bitmimes: Ich, wie arum ich leb', ich? Et, 's is' dā a Gott, sāg'
ich euch, ot-o, wās varlāst nischt alle seine Beschäffenisch, Er
schickt zu un' wet mistome weiter zuschicken, sāg' ich euch,
ot-o!--Fort, wās thut ihr asōns? Hā't ihr chotsch eppes wās 's is'
far a Meloche oder a Parnosse in der Hand?--Gelōbt is'
ha-Schem-jisborach! Ich hāb', borchaschem, asō wie ihr kuckt mich
ān, ot-o, a Matone vun sein lieben Nāmen, a Keele, a Kol-negine,
From this committee the affairs are frequently transferred to the upper
bench in the bathhouse, and in a plenary assembly of householders they
are confirmed, "resolved and decreed." If after that even all the kings
of the East and the West were to come and walk with their heads
downwards and their feet in the air, they could not move them to change
their decrees. The Mogul came once very near falling into misfortune in
such an assembly of the higher bench; if some of the householders had
not taken his part, who knows where he would now be resting his head.
Rothschild very nearly lost there ten or fifteen millions; but God came
to his rescue a few weeks later: the people felt, as they say, in high
spirits; all was alive upon the highest bench; the bathing brooms were
dancing over their backs, and they all at once gave him a clean gain of
one hundred and fifty million roubles.
Nearly all the inhabitants of Parasiteville are, may it be no evil omen
to you, nothing but poor people and quite destitute. But the truth must
be told, they are merry beggars, joyful mendicants, possessed of
unbounded hope. If one, for example, suddenly asks a Parasiteville Jew
where and how he manages to make a living, he stops at first bewildered,
and does not know what to answer, but after a while he collects himself
and answers in good spirits: I, how I make a living, I? Well, there is a
God, I tell you, you see, who does not abandon His creatures; He sends
us a living and will no doubt continue to send us, I tell you!--After
all, what is your occupation? Have you some kind of trade that you ply,
or have you some kind of income?--Praised be the Lord! I have, thanks to
the Lord, as you see me, a gift from Him, a good voice, and I lead the
prayers of the Mussafim on the great holidays
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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