who had been created at twilight on the eve of the Sabbath. Others
said that he was simply a "heathen," and some others, that he was an
"apostate." Then, there were some who asserted that he was merely a
bad Jew, though a learned one nevertheless;--that he wore the
regular Jewish costume, the long coat and the broad waistband, and
had the Tallis-Koton on his breast, so that the curse of the
righteous could not hurt him. According to rumor, he was in the
habit of distributing nuts and candy among Jewish boys; and if any
one tasted of them, he could not move from the spot, until the
Catcher put his hand on him and "caught" him. I happened to
overhear a conversation between father and mother, and I gathered
from it that I need not fear the Catcher.

It was a Saturday night, soon after the death of my elder brother
Dovidl, within the period of the thirty days' mourning for him.
Mother would not be consoled, for Dovidl had been her "very best."

Three brothers had I. The first-born, Simhah, may he rest in peace,
had been married long before; he was the junior Shohet in town, and
a candidate for the Rabbinate. Solomon was more learned in the
Torah, young though he was, peace be unto him. . . . Well, they are
now in the world-of-truth, in the world-to-come, both of them. But
Dovidl, had he lived, would have excelled them both. That is the
way of the Angel of Death, he chooses the very best. As to
myself--why deny it?--I was a dullard. Somehow my soul was not
attuned to the Torah.

As I said, mother was uttering complaints against Heaven, always
crying. Yes, in the matter of tears they are experts. I have
pondered over it, and have found it out: fish were created out of