The Eternal Song
CHANNAH No, mamma. My eyes just ache. I don’t sleep enough, I guess, so the tears just run over. It is two nights since I have had any sleep. PESEH (shaking her head dubiously) No, no, you have been crying, Channah.. . CHANNAH No, no! PESEH What are you telling me! A mother knows the difference . . .Yes, yes, it isn’t your eyes, but your heart that aches, my poor child. A mother knows. Yours is a bitter life, my child.
(Channah cries quietly.)
PESEH Don’t cry, Channah, don’t cry. Better sing a little something, so you won’t fall asleep over the sewing, because the dress must be finished today. My Channah, my loving child, my one comfort! If not for you, I would surely have to drown myself! This world goes so hard with me... (She wipes her eyes with her apron.) Death is better than such a life!
CHANNAH (stops crying and endeavors to comfort her mother)
Don’t you cry, mamma. God won’t forsake us! Things will be better bye and bye.
PESEH May it be so, may it be so! I can’t go on this way much longer!
(She goes to the cradle to soothe the baby, rocking
it and singing: “di—ai—ai—Sleep my little
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