pieces of cardboard that have fallen to the floor, and Moshetzig to
steal the paste from his father, and Dvairke to make bread of sand and
water. The mother expects her children to sit still and keep quiet. It
seems she does not know that young heads will think, and young souls are
eager and restless. They want to go. Where? Out of doors, to the light.
To the window--to the window.

* * *

There was only one window, and all three heads were stuck against it.
What did they see out of it? A wall. A high, big, grey, wet wall. It was
always and ever wet, even in summer. Does the sun ever come here? Surely
the sun comes here sometimes, that is to say, not the sun itself, but
its reflection. Then there is a holiday. The three beautiful heads press
against the little window. They look upwards, very high, and see a
narrow blue stripe, like a long blue ribbon.

"Do you see, children?" says Abramtzig. He knows. He goes to "_Cheder_."
He is learning "_Kometz Aleph_." The "_Cheder_" is not far away, in the
next house, that is to say, in the next room. Ah, what stories Abramtzig
tells about the "_Cheder_"! He tells how he saw with his own eyes--may
he see all that is good!--a big building, with windows from top to
bottom. Abramtzig swears that he saw--may he see all that is good!--a
chimney--a high chimney from which there came out smoke. Abramtzig tells
that he saw with his own eyes--may he see all that is good!--a machine
that sewed without hands. Abramtzig tells that he saw with his own
eyes--may he see all that is good!--a car that went along without
horses. And many more wonderful things Abramtzig tells from the
"_Cheder_." And he swears, just as his mother swears--that he may see
all that is good. And Moshetzig and Dvairke listen to him and sigh. They
envy Abramtzig because he knows everything--everything.

For instance, Abramtzig knows that a tree grows. It is true he never saw
a tree growing. There are no trees in the street--none. But he knows--he
heard it at "_Cheder_"--that fruit grows on a tree, for which reason one
makes the blessing--"Who hast created the fruit of the tree." Abramtzig
knows--what does he not know?--that potatoes and cucumbers and onions
and garlic grow on the ground. And that's why one says the blessing over
them--"Who hast created the fruit of the ground." Abramtzig knows
everything. Only he does not know how and by what means things grow,
because, like the other children, he never saw them. There