418 EAISIN
"What have you there?" some one inquired.
"What ?" answered Antosh, taken aback. "Fir-boughs ! Buy, my dear friend, I sell it cheap!" he begged in a piteous voice.
The Jews burst out laughing.
'What should we want it for now, fool ?" "The festival has begun!" said another. Antosh was confused with his misfortune, he scratched the back of his head, and exclaimed, weeping:
"Buy! Buy! I want salt, soap! I want petroleum."
The group of Jews, who had begun by laughing, were now deeply moved. They saw the poor, starving peasant standing there in his despair, and were filled with a lively compassion.
"A poor Gentile it's pitiful !" said one, sympathetic- ally. "He hoped to make a fortune out of his fir-boughs, and now !" observed another.
"It would be proper to buy up that bit of fir," said a third, "else it might cause a Chillul ha-Shem." "On a festival?" objected some one else.
"It can always be used for firewood," said another, contemplating the cartful.
"Whether or no ! It's a festival "
"No salt, no soap, no petroleum " It was the refrain of the bewildered peasant, who did not under- stand what the Jews were saying among themselves. He could only guess that they were talking about him. "Hold! he doesn't want money! He wants ware. Ware without money may be given even on a festival," called out one.
