The Stranger
The Old Woman
A Jewish face, no? Like your grandmother, no doubt.
The Old Man
A clever woman! A relation, I suppose?
The Old Woman
Nu, of course, a relation.
Fraidele
Passed by on the road, and so came in to rest.
The Old Woman
You see, a mere child yet and what a tub of bread she’s kneaded! (She uncovers the tub to show them.)
The Old Man
Take the pillow off or it will run over!
The Young Man (enthusiastically)
That’s kneading bread for you! Not for nothing is it running over!
Fraidele
I didn’t knead it so very much!
The Old Man
Ah! Ah! What bread, what bread!
Fraidele
Papa is going to bring home some whitewash and I’m going to whitewash the house. We weren’t allowed to do it before, mamma died only last Passover.
The Old Man
Is that so! Your mamma is dead! She was very young yet, I suppose? (To his son.) You hear, son, so young and already an orphan! And how she handles the household!
69
