Page:Yiddish Tales.djvu/433

 AVROHOM THE ORCHARD-KEEPER 429

And Avrohom betakes himself to the orchard. He carries with him, besides phylacteries and prayer-scarf, a prayer-book with the Psalms and the "Stations," two volumes of the Gemoreh which he owns, a few works by the later scholars, and the Tales of Jerusalem ; he takes his wadded winter garment and a cushion, makes them into a bundle, kisses the Mezuzeh, mutters farewell, and is off to the orchard.

As he nears the orchard his heart begins to beat loudly for joy, but he is hindered from going there at once. In the yard through which he must pass lies a dog. Later on, when Avrohom has got to know the dog, he will even take him into the orchard, but the first time there is a certain risk one has to know a dog, otherwise it barks, and Avrohom dreads a bark worse than a bite it goes through one's head ! And Avrohom waits till the owner comes out, and leads him through by the hand.

"Back already?" exclaims the owner, laughing and astonished.

"Why not?" murmurs Avrohom, shamefacedly, and feeling that it is, indeed, early.

"What shall you do?" asks the owner, graver. "There is no hut there at all last year's fell to pieces."

"Never mind, never mind," begs Avrohom, "it will be all right."

"Well, if you want io come !" and the owner shrugs his shoulders, and lets Avrohom into the orchard.

Avrohom immediately lays his bundle on the ground, stretches himself out full length on the grass, and mur- murs, "Good ! good !"

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