Page:Etta Block - One-act plays from the Yiddish (1923).pdf/161

 can’t fall asleep any more. I don’t want to sleep. I just keep thinking of the beautiful world—of things that are beyond the factory, far, far away from town—“Behind the seventh forest, beyond the seventh hill”. . . Channah, tell it to me again. (He waits, enraptured.)

CHANNAH Behind the seventh forest, beyond the seventh hill, lived a fisherman—he was young and beautiful—and a wondrously lovely shepherdess, who herded a flock of young sheep, and was as poor as a little sheep herself. The fisherman fell in love with her and she loved him, and they both loved with a burning love. In the eyes of the shepherdess 4e was a prince, and the fisherman prized her as if she were a princess. But as he was so poor and had nothing at all, he grieved to think he could never marry her. But one day the fisherman went to the river, early of a morning, after a night spent in sleeplessness, after a night of worry and thinking and shed- ding bitter tears to the good God, who sees His image in all His living creatures. And as he cast his net into the river he prayed: “Grant, dear God, a good catch today. Give, dear God, a mess of golden fishes, with eyes of diamonds, scales of purest gold, and the little bones— the little bones should be at least of pearl!” .. .

DAVID (with his mouth open in wonder and his eyes glowing) Yes, yes, of pearl...

CHANNAH And he cast the net into the water. He then