158 SHOLOM-ALECHEM
leave everything in it behind, too, and if they shake out of you no matter what, you are done for."
"What do you mean?" questioned my mother, ter- rified.
"I mean, they either hang you on a tree, or they stone you with stones."
Ill
The more tales our guest told us, the more thrilling they became, and just as we were finishing the dump- lings and taking another sip or two of wine, my father inquired to whom the country belonged. Was there a king there? And he was soon translating, with great delight, the following reply:
"The country belongs to the Jews who live there, and who are called Sefardim. And they have a king, also a Jew, and a very pious one, who wears a fur cap, and who is called Joseph ben Joseph. He is the high priest of the Sefardim, and drives out in a gilded carriage, drawn by six fiery horses. And when he enters the synagogue, the Levites meet him with songs."
"There are Levites who sing in your synagogue?" asked my father, wondering, and the answer caused his face to shine with joy.
"What do you think?" he said to my mother. "Our guest tells me that in his country there is a temple, with priests and Levites and an organ."
"Well, and an altar?" questioned my mother, and my father told her:
"He says they have an altar, and sacrifices, he says, and golden vessels everything just as we used to have it in Jerusalem."
