ily, as is his way:

"Pessa, good '_Yom-tov_' to you!"

"Good luck! A new thing! The young devils will now have something to
make a mess with," replied the mother, crossly, as is her way. And she
gave one of the children a smack, the second a dig in the ribs, and the
third a twist of the ear. She is never satisfied, always cross, and
always sour, exactly the opposite of father.

The three pretty heads looked at the mother, and at the father, and at
one another. The moment their parents turned away, they threw themselves
on the floor, and put their faces to the sweet-smelling grass. They
kissed it--the green grass that Jews need for "_Shevuous_" and which is
sold at the market.

Everything is to be found at the market, even greens. The father buys
everything. Jews want everything, even greens--even greens.

Greens for "Shevuous"

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