Page:Etta Block - One-act plays from the Yiddish (1923).pdf/151



A small garret room. A door is set in a deep recess at the back; there is another door at right. It is night. Several small children are bedded on wooden benches, and several more are asleep in an old, rickety bed, painted yellow. Channah sits at the right, sewing a dress by the light of a small lamp. At the left, on a sleeping-bench lies Peseh, rocking the baby.

PESEH (crooning sleepily) Sleep my little bird, Close each little eye, Sleep my precious babe. The Angels above Will watch my love, So sleep, sleep safe. (The child starts to whimper.) Well, what fresh plague ails you now? What are you whimpering about, eh? Did your ship go down, or what? To all—the good years with you! Just listen to him, will you? (The baby screams.) He'll split himself yelling! Will you stop it?! I'll make a heap of ashes of you in a minute! (She rocks the cradle energetically and sings.) The Angels above Will watch my love, So sleep, sleep safe.

CHANNAH Mamma, the baby is hungry. That’s why he cries.