what do you mean by it?' Bestrewing the body like
that of all honest Jews, after death."

"Ha? After death? To preserve it?"

"Yes, what else?"

"I don't want it for that, I don't mind what happens to my body after
death. I want to buy Palestinian earth for my lifetime."

"What do you mean? What good can it do you while you're alive? You are
not talking to the point, or else you are making game of a poor
Palestinian Jew?"

"I am speaking seriously. I want it now, while I live! What is it you
don't understand?"

My Palestinian Jew was greatly perplexed, but he quickly collected
himself, and took in the situation. I saw by his artful smile that he
had detected a strain of madness in me, and what should he gain by
leading me into the paths of reason? Rather let him profit by it! And
this he proceeded to do, saying with winning conviction:

"Yes, of course, you are right! How right you are! May I ever see the
like! People are not wrong when they say, 'The apple falls close to the
tree'! You are drawn to the root, and you love the soil of Palestine,
only in a different way, like your holy forefathers, may they be good
advocates! You are young, and I am old, and I have heard how they used
to bestrew their head-dress with it in their lifetime, so as to fulfil
the Scripture verse, 'And have pity on Zion's dust,' and honest Jews
shake earth of Palestine into their shoes on the eve of the Ninth of Ab,
and at the meal before the fast they dip an egg into Palestinian
earth--nu, fein! I never expected so much of you, and I can say with
truth, 'There's a Jew for you!' Well, in that case, you will require two
pots of the earth, but it will cost you a deal."

"We are evidently at cross-purposes," I said to him. "What are two
potfuls? What is all this about bestrewing the body? I want to buy
Palestinian earth, earth in Palestine, do you understand? I want to buy,
in Palestine, a little bit of earth, a few dessiatines."

"Ha? I didn't quite catch it. What did you say?" and my Palestinian Jew
seized hold of his right ear, as though considering what he should do;
then he said cheerfully: "Ha--aha! You mean to secure for yourself a
burial-place, also for after death! O yes, indeed, you are a holy man
and no mistake! Well, you can get that through me, too; give me
something in advance, and I shall manage it for you all right at a
bargain."

"Why do you go on at me with your 'after death,'" I cried angrily. "I
want a bit of earth