JOINT ISSUE _The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language (A Companion to _MENDELE_) and _Der Bavebter Yid_ ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 02.028 9 October 1998 1) Yiddish Matters (Sholem Berger and Leonard Prager) 2) Yoysef kerler, "guter dokter vey-tsu-mir" 3) troym kats handler, "valfish' 4) Dovidl koysev, "kadish-yosem" 5) Tsvi kanar, "der gzar-din" 6) mendele moykher-sforim, "mayn (letste) nesie" 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 9 October 1998 From: Sholem Berger and Leonard Prager Subject: Joint Issue of _Der Bavebter Yid_ and _The Mendele Review_ der doziker b|shutfesdiker numer fun _The Mendele Review_ un _Der Bavebter Yid_ vayzt aroys say di sheferishe oytsres fun der lebediker yidisher shprakh, say dem doykhek in yingere talantn. baym iberkukn dem numer zet men in "der gzar-din" vi dos bestyalish akhzoryes vert antkegngevirkt fun oysleyzerisher libe. in "mayn letste nesie" iz tsar-balekhayem efsher bekoyekh undz umtsukern tsu emesdiker mentshlekhkayt. "valfish" un "kadish-yosem" bahandlen dos retenish fun eybiker aveyde in di oygn fun kleyn un groys. "guter dokter vey-tsu-mir" vet zayn shver tsu farshteyn far di, bay velkhe sovetishe dreydlekh zaynen nor fartsaytishe geshikhte: dos lid bet fartaytsht tsu vern. keday do tsu dermonen, vos di redaktsye hot nor mit groyse shverikaytn dershlogn zikh tsu naye drukfeike verk af yidish. dos iz dokh nisht keyn khidesh, ubifrat far di, vos dos tsunoyfshteln yidish-shprakhike zhurnaln iz zeyer geveyntlekhe arbet. ober _Der Bavebter Yid_ in zayn loyfiker redaktsyoneler arbet hot oysgefunen, az nokh ale betenishn un monungen bay shrayber klekt dos arayngeshikte af a tseyn: dos heyst, der mangl bay undz in der elektronisher literatur iz erger vi bay andere. efsher iz eyn sibe, vos s'iz nishto keyn shtarke farbindung tsvishn der elterer yidisher literatur-velt un dem nayem, dem internetishn. say vi vet _Der Bavebter Yid_ vayter farbetn, zukhn, un oyszukhn naye yidishe literatur. _The Mendele Review_ vet zikh vayter farnemen mit yidish-limudem afn hekhstn nivo. This joint issue of _The Mendele Review_ and _Der Bavebter Yid_ displays the creative resources of the living Yiddish language while also revealing the shortage of younger talents. Surveying the issue's contents, we see bestial depravity countered by redemptive love in "Der gzar-din." In "Mayn letste nesie," tsar-balekhayim ('pity for animals') returns us to a humanity which can be softened by its relationships with animals. "Valfish" and "Kadish-yosem" center on the mystery of irreparable loss as experienced by child and adult. "Guter dokter vey-tsu-mir" will puzzle many readers for whom the Soviet misadventure is a remote historicial event -- the poem invites explication. It is appropriate to mention here the difficulty with which the editors have managed to solicit only a few new Yiddish works of acceptable quality. While the lack of new writers and new material is familiar to every Yiddish editor, the Yiddish Web journal seems to be a particularly ill-starred enterprise. This may be due to the lack of a strong connection between the older Yiddish literary world and its newer counterpart on the Internet. _Der Bavebter Yid_ will nevertheless persevere in its efforts to encourage new writing in Yiddish; _The Mendele Review_ will continue its engagement with Yiddish studies at the highest possible level. 2)-------------------------------- Date: 9 October 1998 From: Leonard Prager Subject: guter dokter vey-tsu-mir (Yoysef Kerler) Yoysef Kerler guter dokter vey-tsu-mir(1) dem "veterinar" fun der yidisher literatur z. vendrovn tsu zayne 90 biz hundert un tsvantsik.(2) guter dokter vey-tsu-mir ale kumen tsu dayn tir baley-khayem alerley shteyen in a langer rey. s'kumt a hozikhe tsu loyfn vi a rebitsin a frume: -- git an eytse, liber royfe, ale vegn zaynen krume, vi prilishet fun meridn, kh'veys keyn ru nit un keyn shlof: az der volf zol zayn tsufridn, i s'zol gants blaybn di shof... s'flit a kvoke tsepaloshet glaykh fun sidele arop mit ir piskl, mit ir loshn pikt zi in gegoltn kop: -- gvald geshrign, vu iz yoysher guter dokter vey-tsu-mir lomir loyfn, shrayen, royshn, protestirn on a shir... s'kumen brengen tsvey gordonen(3) dem analiz fun hashtone say der rosh fun opozitsye say der dos... der tsvey-shtul-zitser. shtil, basheydn, untertenik kumt dos fuksele remenik un der khushem vos iz enlekh oyf dem dikhter lifshits mendl. ober shat nor, makht a vare -- s'kumt arayn fadey gontarin, der vos nasht fun fremde litkes fefers, halkins oykh leyb kvitkes; ober mer tut im gefeln lekn eyns an ort baym geln... un fun ale zaytn shitn, proze-shmatnikes, piyetn s'kumt a kats un s'kumt a hunt. ober erger ven se kumt der ansambl pesnye-plyaske(4) eyn grubyan mit fuftsik maskes... liber dokter vey-tsu-mir, ale klapn in dayn tir say gekhapte, say di khapers, say geklapte, say di klapers; ale -- "ikh un mayne shikh", ale viln heyln zikh -- hob rakhmones, vey tsu mir, shpar a vayle tsu di tir! heores ('notes') [L.P.] -------- 1. The title echoes the name of a famous song by the popular (and philosemitic) Russian children's writer, Korney Tshukovski. 2. In his long life Zalmen Vendrof/Vendrov (1879 (1877?)-1972) knew a great many Yiddish authors, including the great classical figures. 3. Soviet Yiddish authors mentioned in the poem include: Fefer, Itsik (1900-1952) Gordon, Elye (1907-19??) [nayer leksikon: 1903-] Gordon, Shmuel (1909-1998) [nayer leksikon: 1908-] Grubyan, Motl (1909-1972) Halkin, Shmuel (1897-1960) Kvitko, Leyb (1890-1952) Lifshits, Mendl (1907-19??) Remenik, Hersh (1905-1981) 4. Song and Dance Ensemble 3)--------------------------------- date: 9 October 1998 from: Sholem Berger subject: "valfish" (troym kats handler) troym kats handler valfish [far dir, simkheshi, mayn flinkn shvimer --- ] der letster valfish af der velt hoykert toyznter yortoyznt in vaserdiker kelt, shvimt yomerdikerheyt aleyn, on kind-un-keyt, on simen fun a stade, krakhndik a troyerike serenade, an elnt-un-vey yam-balade, a klog-lid vos shrayt aroys fun der luft bizn dno az keyn ander valfish iz mer nito. der varem-blutiker bal-khay varft zikh meshugenervayz mit benkshaft-mut in mayem-khayem, aruf un arop mit kolosaln shtoystrot-- trasket fun di nezlekher fontanen shpayekhts aroys, fun zunikn shoym bizn tifstn roym un zukht zayn hofenungslozn troym. vi iz dos alts tsushtand gekumen? farfolgt un nokhgeyogt, hot men zayne tayere tsugenumen. geblibn iz er a levyosn on a ku, a valfish-yid on ru. 4)--------------------------------- date: 9 October 1998 from: Sholem Berger subject: "kadish yosem" (Dovidl koysev) Dovidl koysev "kadish yosem" der tate iz geshtorbn di yinglekh zogn kadish zey hern oyf tsu shpiln un loyfn zogn kadish di bakn vern royt fun di bushes funem kadish zey shoklen zikh in sider es bagrobt zey funem kadish di verter zenen fremd zey kenen nit dem kadish zey shtompern oyfn ivre fun dem rabonon-kadish der mame hert gut tsu vi zey zogn untn kadish der feter hot gezogt men darf hoykh zogn kadish ale vayber loybn vi sheyn zey zogn kadish der mame trakht bay zikh zoln zeyere zogn kadish es tsipt ir ire nakhes zi vil nit hern kadish oykh di tates kukn, vartn -- a lange kadish nor der sider hert dem gants gants kleynems kadish di bleter vern geler fun aynzapn dem kadish a khaver kumt zey rufn zogt shoyn op dem kadish 'tate kum tsurik es doyert tsu lang der kadish' hern hert men nor 'yisgadal veyiskadash...' 5)--------------------------------- date: 9 October 1998 from: Leah krikun subject: "der gzar-din" (Tsvi kanar) Tsvi kanar der gzar-din "akhtung! akhtung! ale heftlungen zofort tsum apelplats!" -- hot der hilkher gerufn. in getseylte minutn iz der gantser lager geshtanen oysgeshtelt vi a vire loyt di blokn, un di kapos b|rosh mit shtekns in di hent. in mitn dem apelplats shteyt shoyn greyt di tlie mit a groysn mogn-dovid oyfn shpits. keyner veyst nokh nisht ver s'hot do di ere tsu shtarbn mit aza koved loyt dem psak fun a "bezdn," un nisht dershosn vern oder avekge|harg|et vern vi a hunt, stam azoy. "akhtung! mitsen op! augen links!" -- hert zikh a bafel, un funem "trenhayzl" -- vi de heftlungen rufn dem plats fun der komendantur, vu men paynikt di mentshn -- kumen di ershte aroys der lager komendant mitn vakhfirer. hinter zey geyt a horde vakhmener, un in mitn der far|mishpet|er, a yung yingl fun a yor 15-16. funem kop, funem moyl un fun der noz rint im blut. dem kop halt er aropgelozt. afile az er pruvt im oyfheybn gelungt im nisht. di vakhmener shteln zikh arum der tlie mitn gever oysgeshtrekt tsu di heftlingen. tsvey kapos firn tsu dem far|mishpet|n tsu der tlie un shteln im avek oyf a tishl. der lager-komendant, a diker mit a lakhndik lyalke ponem trogt lekoved dem maymed zayn oysgeputstn gala-mundir un vayse zaydene hentshkes. pamelekh nemt er aroys fun zayn tash a papir, kukt zikh arum mit a zis shmeykhele un hoybt on tsu leynen oyfn kol: "haynt hob ikh andekt a farbrekherishn sabotazh-akt. -- der heftlung numer 37852 funem blok 19 hot bay zikh gehat oysbahaltn a gumene shlangrer, vos er hot aropgeshnitn fun a transport-vagon, mit tsvey broyt, un a pekl margarin vos er hot gekoyft bay a poylishn arbeter mitn nomen mayevsky, velkher gefint zikh shoyn inem arest. -- der heftlung numer 37852 iz bashuldikt in di folgendike farbrekhns: 1) kumen in privatn kontakt mit a polyak oyf zayn arbetplats. 2) bazitsn bay zikh gelt.. 3) traybn shvartshandl. 4) sabotirn dem eygntum un di krigs onshtrengung funem daytshn dritn raykh. -- derfar hot dos gerikht funem daytshn dritn raykh farurteylt dem farbrekherishn heftling numer 37852 funem blok 19 tsum toyt durkh oyfhengen. mit dem urteyl vorn ikh, az fun haynt on vet yeder blok zayn farantfertlekh eyner farn tsveytn, un der gantser blok heftlingen vet vern shver geshtroft far yedn klenstn sabotazh! ir hot farshtanen?!" pamelekh leygt der lager-komendant tsurik arayn dos papir in zayn tash, un git a tseykhn tsum kapo az er zol aroyfleygn di petlye oyfn haldz funem farurteyltn. der farurteylter shteyt di gantse tsayt mit a farglivertn kuk, vi nisht im volt men do gemeynt. arum is toyt shtil, bloyz in der heykh flien arum shvartse vorones, vos vartn shoyn oyf zeyer korbn. mit amol dernentert zikh a heftling tsum lager-komendant, tsit zikh oys mit derekherets un zogt: "her lager-komendant, ikh heftlung numer 37851 melde gehorzam, ikh bin der foter funem farurteyltn. -- ikh bet aykh zeyer lozt im lebn. -- ikh bin greyt umtsukumen oyf der tlie anshtot mayn zun. on der minster reaktsye git der lager-komendant a vunk tsum kapo az er zol aropnemen di petlye funem yingl un zi aroyfleygn oyfn foters haldz. dos yingl vos is ingantsn tse|meymes|t un tse|tam|t blaybt shteyn bay der tlie un rirt zikh nisht fun ort. der lager-komendant fregt im: "bistu zayn zun?!" "yavol her lager-komendant," -- entfert dos yingl, azoy vi er volt zikh ersht itst oyfgevekt fun a tifn shlof. "oykh dayn foter, genoy, vi du iz a sabotazh farbrekher kegn dem daytshn dritn raykh, vayl er hot dikh azoy oyfgetsoygn. -- bistu aynshtimik mitn urteyl?" dos yingl entfert nisht. "an entfer vil ikh hern! yo oder neyn?" -- un derbay nemt er aroys dem revolver un leygt im tsu tsum yingls kop. "ey-n-sh-ti-m-ik," entfert dos yingl. "nisht azoy entfert men a lager-komendant, hoyptsharfirer fun der es es! -- men zogt hoykh oyfn kol az ale zoln hern: yavol her lager-komendant, ikh bin aynshtimik mit dem gerekhtn urteyl funem daytshn dritn raykh kegn farbrekherishn foter maynem vos hot mikh azoy nidertrekhtik oyfgetsoygn!" dos yingl zogt nokh mit a shtime vos varft zikh in gantsn fun pakhed. der lager-komendant lozt aroys a gelekhter un zogt: "oyb azoy, oyb du bist aynshtimik oyf der gerekhtn urteyl funem daytshn dritn raykh, dan velstu mit dayne eygene hent oyfhengen dayn farbrekherishn foter!" dos yingl kukt mit oyfgepralte oygn glaykh in di oygn funem lager-komendant. der lager-komendant vert mitamol ernst funem drastishn yingls kuk un leygt vider tsu dem revolver tsum yingls kop, un git a geshrey: "faroys! farflukht nokh eynmol!!" a farshteynter kukt itst dos yingl oyfn foter. "Gavriel, mayn zunzeshi, -- hob nisht kayn moyre! zogt der foter. say vi say bin ikh farurteylt tsu shtarbn, -- du ober bist nokh azoy yung, efsher vestu iberlebn?"-- tu mayn kind, ikh bet dikh, beser tsu shtarbn fun dayne reyne hent eyder fun di reshoems hent, got vet dir moykhl zayn!" dos yingl ober git zikh nisht kayn rir. nor a trer rint im aroys fun an oyg un glitsht zikh arop oyf zayn blase oysgedarte bak. "vayter makhn!," -- oder ikh knal dikh avek vi a hunt, dernentert zikh der revolver tsum yingls kop. "Gavriel! in nomen fun kibed-ov bin ikh oyf dir goyzer! -- hoybt der foter zayn koyl, -- got vet dir moykhl zayn! er muz dir moykhl zayn!!" Gavriel|s tsiterdike hant shtrekt zikh pamelekh oys un git a tsi baym shtrikl. dos gantse lager git zikh a vokl un halt ayn dem otem. dos tishl rukt zikh avek un dem foters kerper hoybt on konvulsirn in der luft un blaybt hengen. mit a vild ritsheray varft zikh dos yingl oyf dr'erd un rayst iber di shtilkayt rufndik, "ta - te!!! vos hob ikh geton!!!" der lager-komendant blaybt a rege vi gepleft fun der stsene vos er hot do ahergeshtelt. bald ober kumt er tsu zikh un shtelt tsu dem revolver tsu Gavriel|s kop un mit eyn knol vert alts tsurik shtil. mit a rege shpeter tsezingt zikh der lager-komendant: Es geht alles vorueber, Es geht alles vorbei, Nach dem Dezember Kommt wieder der Mai 6)------------------------------------------ date: 9 October 1998 from: Leonard Prager subject: "mayn (letste) nesie" (mendele moykher-sforim) [In the "Abstracts of _Khulyot_ 4 (1997)," which appeared in _The Mendele Review_ vol. 01, num. 010, there were two abstracts connected to a relatively unknown story by Mendele Moykher-Sforim, a figure of central importance in Yiddish literature. We have been asked to give the Yiddish text of this story as reprinted in _Khulyot_ 4 [Summer 1997], which reproduced it from _Shtern_. The Soviet journal followed the original manuscript (except for its use of the Soviet spelling system) then in the Mendele Museum in Odessa, but since lost by a fire that burned down the museum. _Khulyot_, in addition to printing abstracts (Yiddish and English) of the story and of Arn Vorobeytshik's article which ties the text to Mendele's _Di kliatshe_, presented the text in the Standard Yiddish Orthography and numbered paragraphs for ease of reference. We thank the editors of _Khulyot_ for permission to reproduce these pages.] a) abstrakt: "mayn (letste) nesie" dos iz mashmoes eyner fun di same letste tekstn, vos zaynen farefntlekht gevorn fun mendeles gnize. do handlt zikh vegn mendele dem moykher-sforim, beshas er iz in klem, mamesh ayngetunkt in dayges parnose. vu nemt men oyf hetsoes? blaybt, nebekh, tsu farkoyfn zayn ferdl, zayn hungerikn, oysgemoretn mitgeyer. nor ven er bagegnt zikh oyfn mark mit di grobe reyd fun di ferd-hendler -- tsit er zikh tsurik, un vert ful mit kharote un rakhmones far zayn koym zhipedikn fir-fisikn khaver. ibergedrukt fun minsker _shtern_ (10 yuli 1939, 1-4). a) Abstract: Mendele Moykher-Sforim, "My (Last) Journey" This is one of the very last texts in the Mendele archives to be published. Its subject is Mendele the Bookseller in an hour of extreme financial need when he is forced to consider selling his hungry and exhausted old companion, his horse. But when he encounters the foul talk of the horsedealers at the market, he pulls back, ashamed and full of pity for his barely breathing four-legged friend. Reprinted from _Shtern_ (Minsk, 10 July 1939, 1-4) and translated into Hebrew. b) abstrakt: Arn vorobeytshik, "fun mendele moykher-sforims laboratorye" arn vorobeytshik (1895-1941), velkher hot gearbet in alukrainisher muzey far yidisher kultur oyf mendeles nomen in odes, un iz geven der redaktor funem zamlbukh _mendele un zayn tsayt_ (1939), iz gevis geven a boki in mendeles ksav-yadn. vil er take in zayn kleynem esey gebn dem leyener an ontsuherenish vegn di meglekhe farbindungen tsvishn der novele 'mayn (letste) nesie' un mendeles vayterdike plener un verk. der iker halt er fun a smikhes tsvishn der o novele un mendeles barimte 'di kliatshe'. b) Abstract: Arn Vorobeytshik, "From Mendele Moykher-Sforim's Laboratory" Arn Vorobeytshik (1895-1941), who worked in the Alukrainisher Muzey far Yidisher Kultur Oyf Mendeles Nomen (Mendele All-Ukrainian Institute for Jewish Culture) in Odessa and edited the miscellany _Mendele un zayn tsayt_ ('Mendele and His Times') (1939), and was undoubtedly an expert on Mendele's manuscripts, sketches the relationship between Mendele's story "My (Last) Journey" and his later plans and works. He argues for a connection between the story and Mendele's famous novel _Di kliatshe_ ('The Mare'). mendele moykher-sforim, "mayn (letste) nesie"(*) 1. dem tsveytn elul, far a yorn, tarkh"t [1869](1), hob ikh mikh mit mayn baydl sforem arayngepekelt in kiev. ikh zog arayngepeklt, makhmes, vi ir veyst, iz a yid in kiev treyfe skhoyre. er tor zikh dort nit gefinen, saydn mit a blomb(2), dos heyst, az er tsolt poshline(3) un nemt a kupetshestvo(4). Vi es hot a ponem, torn keyn yidn dort nit zitsn, nit vayl me halt zey far umerlekhe, grobe, umgebildete mentshn, vorem reyshis, azoy fayn, azoy erlekh zaynen zey dokh, lekhol hapokhes, vi tsigayner. Far vos zhe geyen arum dortn tsigayner mit nokh andere shlek frank und fray? tsveytns, vos iz kupetshestvo far a simen fun erlekhkayt? me ken zayn a kupets un fort a groyser moshenik.(5) dritns, voltn dokh dortn gemegt zitsn di, vos hobn a mol gelernt in shkoles, in rabiner-shuln, oykh mekhabrem un nokh azelkhe, vos zaynen zeyer fayne gelernte mentshn, khotshe-nebekh, zey hobn nit keyn gelt tsu tsoln gilde.(6) vos den zhe iz der emeser tam? dos, zayt moykhl, geyt fregn andere, kliger, farshtenderike fun mir. ikh bin nit oysn zikh do arayntsulozn in khkires un geyn in hoykhe drokhem, farkrikhn biz dem elef hashishi... un iberikns, vos makht es oys, geloybt iz h|shem yisborekh, yidn zitsn dokh fort in kiev. dortn gefint zikh haynt, on nehore, a groyse eyde yidn, zoln zikh mern. zey hobn shoyn, dankn got, a takse mit nokh azelkhe gute tekones, bald efsher azoy, vi in glupsk. es kost a mol a kerbl, nu, meyle, khe!... 2. mayne gesheftn zaynen in kiev nit gegangen in bestn. der pidyen far di sforem iz geven zeyer veynik un shtekheven hot zikh nit gemakht mit vemen. beklal iz mir dos gantse yor nit gegangen. es iz geven a fintsterer, a bitere yakres. keynem iz nit gelegn in kop oystsugebn gelt oyf sforem. mayn hoypt-handl iz geven shtekh, vi der shteyger iz fun yidishe moykhrey-sforem, haynu, gor tkhiles bin ikh aroysgeforn mit tikn-shvueslekh, tikn toyde|lekh, mit etlekhe mesikhtes "beytso" ukhedoyme, hob ikh zey arum rosh-khoydesh ov oysgebitn oyf kines, oyf tkhines, oyf mesikhte "gitin" ukhdoyme. dernokh hob ikh di minem vider oysgebitn oyf lukhes, oyf "tikuney-zoyer," oyf slikhes, oyf makhzorem, mayne-loshns un tfilin-zekelekh. di dozike minem vider hob ikh osyen-tsayt oysgebitn oyf "gdoyles-Yoysef|'s," oyf grine shaln, broder gearbete layblekh, breslever zokn un oyf dubrovner taleysem, ukhedoyme. nokh dem hob ikh vayter di zakhn gebitn oyf brekh, oyf mesh un kupervarg. kurts, ikh hob gearbet, gemakht gesheftn, oft zeyer gute, gildene gesheftn, kh'hob ibergehandelt mit a velt, un nokh ale zakhn iz bay mir in keshene geven pust. ikh veys nit, efsher geyt es in andere miskhorem oykh punkt azoy. efsher, az men zol zikh gut tsukukn, geyt es azoy mit ale bries un goldshpiners. nor ikh bin dos nit oysn. 3. ikh bin arumgegangen in eyne tsores. vos tut men do? --hob ikh getrakht. oyf der stantsye kumt; my vayb shraybt mir, ikh zol l|man h|shem kumen aheym; ikh bin shoyn tsvey yor na-v|nad in der fremd. zi shraybt gevald, men darf dem eltern zun khasene makhn, ad mosay vet er zitsn a bokher? Nokh im zitst a psule a kale, der mekhuten pikt in kop arayn me zol shoyn khasene makhn. der khosn ken mer nit zitsn. Nokh ir iz faranen nokh a psule, un me muz zi oykh farknasn, shadkhonem shlogn op dos shvel. dertsu nokh hobn zikh nokh bay mir tserisn di shtivl, krikhndik oyf di kiever berg. haklal es iz mir gevezn gor nit freylekh. 4. ligndik baynakht oyfn geleger, iz bay mir geblibn ikh zol farkoyfn mayn ferdl. eyn mol, vel ikh es farshporn tsu hodeven, un tsveytns, vet nor dos gelt vos ikh vel far im nemen, tsu nuts kumen oyf hetsoes aheym. avade hot mir shtark bang geton zikh tsesheydn mit mayn ferdl, vos es iz shoyn bay mir azoy fil yorn. shoyn gants lang, az ikh hob es gekoyft, akurat in dem yor, vos ikh bin arop fun kest, un mayn vayb iz gelegn gevorn mit a finft meydl aleho-h|sholem. ikh hob es genumen in shtekh far ruml un alt mesh, un fun yener tsayt on hob ikh mit im gemakht ale mayne nesies un oysgeforn a velt. avade iz mir nit nikhe geven zikh tsu sheydn oyf der elter mit aza gezeln, vos iz tomed gevezn azoy getray, vos hot mir nit fun eyn blote aroysgefirt u n gelitn, farshvartst gevorn mit mir ineynem. nor vos hob ikh gekent beser makhn? vos tut den a mentsh nit fun zayn gezunt vegn? vifl fraybd, vifl getraye, gute fraynd, farkoyft men den nit fun parnose vegn? vos zog ikh parnose ken den nit itlekher fun undz azelkhe mentshn, i raykhe, i gebildte, vos farkoyfn zeyere harts-fraynd take gor far a kleynikayt, far a khnife, far a kerbl. oder far a gutn mitog? nit dos ober bin ikh oysn. 5. der ershter mentsh, vos hot mir in der fri opgegen a gur-morgn bay mir oyf der stantsye, iz geven di baleboste. 6. -- gut morgn, reb mendele -- hot zi gezogt mit a kheyn -- nemt nit far umgut, vos ikh bezpokoye(7) aykh gants fri, tomer kent ir mir gebn etlekhe kerblekh, ikh vil geyn epes aynhandlen oyf yontef, haynt iz a mark-tog, efsher vet mir der reboyne-sheloylem bashern a metsie. ikh bin dokh an orem mentsh, a viste almone mit kleyne kinder. 7. -- haynt iz a mark-tog -- hob ikh mir ongerufn zeyer tsemisht -- nu, elke, haynt vel ikh aykh gebn, haynt. 8. di baleboste hot gemakht a krum ponem un iz aroysgegangen. mir iz gevorn zeyer paskudne(8) oyfn hartsn, mayn gantse hofenung iz itst gevezn dos ferdl. 9. nor eyn got veys, vi s'iz mir geven oyf dem hartsn beshas ikh bin arayngegangen in shtol. mayn ferdl, nebekh, iz gelegn ayngehoykert in tsentn, es hot gesopet, gekrekhtst un shtark gemakht mit di zaytn. lebn im iz nit geven afile keyn eyn hey, fun hober hot men shoyn gornit tsu shmuesn, zayt etlekhe teg hot der shlimazlnik es afile in di oygn nit ongekukt, khuts a bisl sitshke. az ikh bin tsu im tsugegangen neenter, hot er zikh mit tsores geshtelt, zikh oysgetsoygn oystsuglaykhn di alte beyner, hot oyfgeshtelt zayne oyern un oysgeshtrekt dem haldz tsu mir mit vos du vilst. ikh vel dir shlepn mit dayne sforem kol zman es shlogt zikh nokh in mir an oder." ikh hob aropgelozt dem kop un hob mikh geshemt kukn mayn ferdl in ponem, glaykh vi ikh bin bagangen a farbrekhen. akh, hob ikh a krekhts geton un hob es ongenumen far dem poved(9) un im aroysgefirt oyf der gas. 10. ikh hob mit mayn ferdl arumgefirt hin un tsurik lebn di liverantn. eyner iz tsu mir tsugegangen, er hot a vayz geton mitn finger oyf dem ferdl un mir gefregt mit a shmeykhele: 11. -- feter, ir vilt dos farkoyfn? 12. yo -- hob ikh geentfert -- ir vilt dos koyfn? 13. -- vos toyg mir aza pgire -- hot er zikh ongerufn mit a gelekhter --ir zolt es mit shenkn, feter, vel ikh es nit nemen. 14. nokh etlekhe zaynen tsugegangen, hobn batrakht mayn ferdl mit a gelekhter un zaynen avekgegangen, nit tsu reydn mit mir afile a vort. tsum sof iz nokh eyner tsugegangen tsu mir un hot prost a zog geton: 15. a fertsiker efsher vel ikh aykh gebn far ayer drinde. vos ken den vert zayn in gantsn zayn fel? es iz durkh tsebisn, dos veydl oysgekrokhn, afile podkoves, mishteyns gezogt, vel ikh fun im nit kenen aropnemen. nu, vilt ir? -- hot er zikh nokh a mol ongerufn tsu mir -- zogt, vos shvaygt ir, feter? 16. azelkhe bizyoynes, mit azelkhe reyd hob ikh shoyn nit gekent oysshteyn. s'taytsh, farkoyfn mayn ferdl far a shpot-gelt me zol im harg|enen un aroptsien dos fel? mayn ferdl, vos hot mir gedint, un bay mir gebidevet azoy lang getray, vos bay a shlekhter tsayt fleg ikh im nit eyn mol zogn, er zol zukhn a hey in sider, vos nit eyn mol flegt er onnemen far lib a torbe mit dare shtiklekh broyt, vos ikh fleg opkoyfn oyf dem veg bay oreme layt, vos hot ongevoyrn bay mir zayn gezunt, zayn layb un lebn un a mol anidergeleygt zayn veydl, nebekh, bay di glupsker vayse khevre? 17. neyn, neyn, hob ikh gezogt, azoy shlekht akegn im vel ikh nit zayn. ikh vel ikh es nit farkoyfn. es meg zikh zayn mit mir vos es vil zikh. un bald take hob ikh es genumen un gegangen tsurik oyf der stantsye. ------------------- heores (notes') [fun Shalom Luria] *. ibergedrukt loytn nusekh fun minsker _shtern_ (10 yuli 1939, z' 1-4). dort gufe vert fartseykhnt az dos iz geven a ksav-yad, velkher hot zikh gefunen in alukrainisher muzey far yidisher kultur oyf mendeles nomen, in odes. der muzey iz, leyder, tseroybt un farbrent gevorn beshas der daytsher okupatsye in meshekh fun der tsveyter velt milkhome. 1. beys elul tarkh"t: mashmoes zumer 1869. 2. blomb: a plombe, gemeynt, mashmoes, a derloybenish gekhasmet mit a plombe. 3. poshline: an optsol, a shtayer. 4. kupetshestvo: a khazoke tsu firn a miskher. 5. moshenik: shvindler, dreyer, opnarer. 6. gilde: shtayer fun profesyonele balmelokhes un sokhrem; an optsolder branzhe. 7. bezpokoyen: matriekh zayn, madrikh-menukhe zayn. 8. paskudne: mies, shlekht. 9. poved: fun rusish: _povod_ meynt 'leytse'. *** ______________________________________________________ End of _The Mendele Review_ 02.028 and _Der Bavebter Yid_ 2:3 Leonard Prager, editor, _The Mendele Review_ Sh. Berger and Refoyl Finkl, eds. _Der Bavebter Yid_ Der Bavebter Yid: http://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/bavebter/ Sholem Berger, literarisher redaktor, bergez01@med.nyu.edu [manuskriptn] Refoyl Finkel, tekhnisher redaktor, raphael@cs.uky.edu [vebdizayn]