Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 5.013 May 24, 1995 1) Sholem-Aleykhem on Dos Yidishe Folks-blat (Louis Fridhandler) 2) Sholem-Aleykhem on Dos Yidishe Folks-blat (Louis Fridhandler) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 22 May 1995 20:36:13 -0400 From: lfridhan@aol.com Subject: A Sholem-Aleykhem Series: Two Here's the Yiddish article mentioned in previous post. From Kol Mevaser tsu der Yidisher Folks-Bibliotek, 1892, columns 37-39. [In selected cases, where it seemed important, I've preserved original orthography in transcription. Close calls.] Nekrolog: Dos Yidishe Folks-Blat iz Geshtorbn! [by Sholem-Aleykhem, unsigned.] Donershtik 20 Tishri 5642, October 1 (Old Style), 13 (New Style), 1881 iz geboyrn gevorn bay Her Aleksander Tserderboym in Peterburg a kind velkhes er hot a nomen gegeben "Yidishes Folks-Blat." Dos kind iz gevaksn gants geveynlekh, me hot dos oysgezoygn vi es geher tsu zayn, ertsoygn, opgegebn in a kheyder arayn un akhtung gegebn es zol hobn a ponim fun layt. Un dos kind hot take zeyer sheyn oysgezeyn; meyvinim hobn gezogt az mit der tsayt vet fun dem vern a layt. Tsuzamen mit dem kind zenen oyfgevaksn zayne khaveyrim vos hobn ineynem mit dem gelernt un geshpilt zikh. Der ershter khaver iz geveyn Motl Spekter, un der anderer khaver Sholem-Aleykhem velkhe zenen oysgevaksn, khasene gehat un hobn shoyn haynt, borekh hashem, aleyn kinder, zoln marekh yomim zayn. Mit di dozike tsvey khaveyrim hot zikh Dos Folks-Blat gefilt azoy heymish un frayndlekh az s'iz gor unmeglekh geven zey zoln zikh konen amol shaydn. Nor az got vil nisht, helfn keyn khokhmes nit. Es iz bashert geven an umglik, az Her Tsederboym zol zikh tsunoykompanyen mit a druker epes a litvak, a shlim-mazl, a voyler yungatsh, a durkhgetribener tsu-n-aldi rukhes. Dem litvak iz dos kind gefeln, hot er zikh azoy lang gedreyt biz dos kind iz arayngefaln tsu im in di hent arayn, un er hot dos genumen tsu ertsien oyf a nayem shnit gor, ongehoybn tsu brekhen dem kind dos loshn, un sphigeven dos mit azelkhe makhlim, vos dem kinds mogn hot nisht gekont fardeyen; es hot dem ongehoybn tsu grimen in baykhl, es hot bakumen, nisht far keyn kind gedakht, dos "dor." Eyner fun di khaveyrim hot zikh ongenumen dem kinds krivde, iz der litvak (farkhapt zol er vern!) arayn in ambitsie, gemakht yenem mit der blote glaykh, un zikh gezidlt vi an ekhter balegole, gesholtn itlekhn bazunder, vi me shelt zikh in fishmark, un gezogt az er horkht alemen vi dem koter; "Vos herst du zey!?" hot er getaynet tsum kind. "Du red azoy vi _ikh_ heys dir. [Now I try the impossible task of representing the mispellings and mispronunciations in the original Hebrew characters. LF] Oyf yidishn zolst du zogn _yehudis'shen_ , oyf zeyen, _blikkkken_, oyf klep _klepp_, oyf bald, _akkorst_, kunts, _kuntsh_, vunder, _mukshedig_, shenken, _menadav zayn_, meklerin, _sarsarin_, shmisn, _shmueusin_, opleykenen, _makkhish zayn_, geshtorbn, _shovak khayim lekhol khay geven_, u.z.v. Un dos kind nebekh hot zikh gebrokhn di tsung un gemuzt im nokhzogn vort bay vort. Um tsu farmiesn dos in di oygn fun der gantser velt, hot der litvak (oyf keyn gut ort zol er nit shteyn) tsugenumen dem kind naye khaveyrim, vi lemoshl dem gevisn Shomern [Shomer was a popular writer of Yiddish trash] aleyn un nokh fayne yungen vos hobn dem kind gemakht far a kalike, farshmutsikt un farmiest, azoy az afile Frug aleyn, vos flegt zikh oft farnemen mit dem kind un zingen dem sheyne oysgeseykhnte lidlekh, hot oykh nisht gekont helfn. Un es iz funem kind gevorn a tel. Betokh kakh iz tsvishn dem Her Tsederboym un tsvishn dem litvak (nit gedakht zol er vern!) oysgebrokhn a makhloyke oyf toyt. Tsederboym hot getaynet: "Gib mir op dos kind, genug dir shoy, litvak, tsu nyantshen zikh mit dem." Un der litvak (yemakh shemoy!) hot geshrign: "Lo mit an alef! Dos kind iz bay mir. S'iz mayns. Ikh hob oyf dir a ksav! Nisht mir, nisht dir, a kapore dos kind, nitsokhn iz liber!!.." Ahin aher, es iz avek a lodenish, un dos kind, nebekh, vi es firt zikh, iz tsvishn yo un neyn dershtikt gevorn; punkt far-a-yorn in der tsayt, zumer 5651 iz dem oysgegangen di yorn un dos "Yidishes Folks-Blat" hot shovak khayim lekhol khay geven, dos heyst oyf undzer loshn poshet geshtorbn. Es meg hobn a likhtikn gan-edn, s'iz nebekh genug opgekumen oyf der velt. Gebe got, as es zol in gikhn nokh a mol megulgl vern do, oyf der zindeker erd, un mir zoln zoykhe zayn tsu zen dos gezunt un shtark oyf ale eyvrim un mit lange yor. Omeyn. Louis Fridhandler 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 23 May 1995 14:31:21 -0400 From: lfridhan@aol.com Subject: A Sholem-Aleykhem Series: Three English translation from the Yiddish of _Nekrolog_ by Sholem-Aleykhem Obituary: The Jewish People's Paper is has died. Alexander Zederbaum became father to a child, born on Thursday, Oct. 1 (Old Style), 13 (New Style), 1881 in St. Petersburg. He named the newborn "The Jewish People's Paper." This child developed in a normal way, was properly weaned and reared, and packed off to Jewish school. It was brought up with care so as to be accepted among decent people. The child thrived very well indeed. Connoisseurs foretold that the child would in time be surely seen fit to join the respectable crowd. It learned its lessons and played along with friends as they grew up together. The first friend was Motl Spector, and the other was Sholem-Aleykhem. They matured together, got married, and today, thank God, they themselves have children, long may they live. With these two friends the "Jewish People's Paper" felt so intimately at home that it seemed impossible that they should ever go their separate ways. But if God does not wish it, no bright ideas can help. Fate decreed a misfortune: namely, that Mr. Zederbaum should get together with some hapless litvak, a fine rascal, a seasoned veteran of all kinds of devilment. The Litvak came to like the child, so he hung around for as long as it took for the child to fall into his own hands. And then he took to bringing up the child according to some newfangled fashion, of all things. He began to interfere with the child's speech, and feed it such tidbits that the child could not digest until cramps plagued its poor belly, and it became sick (it shouldn't happen to any child) with consumption. When one of the friends championed the child's cause, the Litvak (the devil take him) became arrogant, overbearing, basely insulted everybody, cursed each and every one as they do at the fish market, quarreled like a crude drayman, and bragged that he did not have to listen to anybody. "Who cares what anyone says!" he told the child. "You speak the way I tell you!" [I can't really translate the next passage. It describes the "litvak's" orders to "the child" to substitute good, ordinary Yiddish words with outlandish orthography, or Hebrew expressions meant to be high-falutin' but which emerge as pretentious twaddle. For example, "the Litvak" substitutes "died" with a Hebrew expression that seems to mean "left its life to all who live" or some such thing.] And the child, alas, twisted its tongue as it repeated the Litvak's every word. The Litvak (may he never find a place of rest) brought in new friends for the child to cause it shame before the whole world. For example, he brought in Shomer himself and other fine youngsters who crippled the child, made it dirty and ugly so that even Frug himself (who often used to keep busy singing extraordinary, fine songs to the child) could not help it. And so the child was ruined. In the meantime, a deadly quarrel broke out between Zederbaum and Litvak (may he never come to mind). Zederbaum argued, "Give me back my child. Enough already, litvak, playing nursemaid with it." And the Litvak (may his name be erased) shouted, "No! Absolutely not! The child is with me. It's mine. I have it from you in writing! If not to me, then not to you. Who cares about the child! Good riddance. Victory is sweeter!!" Back and forth went the lawsuits between them, and the child, alas, as usual, was suffocated between yea and nay. Its years on earth ran out a year ago just at this time, summer 5651. And so the "Jewish People's Paper" _left its life to all who live_, that is, in our plain language, simply died. May its paradise be bright having suffered enough in this world. God grant that it will soon be reincarnated on this sinful earth, and we should have the honor to see it healthy and strong in every limb, and have long life. Amen. [Israel Levy, the eccentric publisher, half maskil, half mystic (according to Dubnow) moved to Vilkomir (now Ukmerge) eventually and died in obscurity.] Louis Fridhandler ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 5.013 Mendele has 2 rules: 1. Provide a meaningful Subject: line 2. Sign your article (full name please) Send articles to: mendele@yalevm.ycc.yale.edu Send change-of-status messages to: listserv@yalevm.ycc.yale.edu a. For a temporary stop: set mendele nomail b. To resume delivery: set mendele mail c. To subscribe: sub mendele first_name last_name d. To unsubscribe kholile: unsub mendele Other business: nmiller@mail.trincoll.edu ****Getting back issues**** 1. 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