Act 1 Scene 2

Front 1

Speech 1 Line 1

Back 1

Today I am a horse

Front 2

Speech 1 Line 2

Back 2

Dear God, did you have to make my poor old horse lose his shoe, just before the Sabbath?

Front 3

Speech 1 Line 3

Back 3

That wasn't nice...

Front 4

Speech 1 Line 4

Back 4

It's enough you pick on me, Tevye... bless him with five daughters, a life of poverty.

Front 5

Speech 1 Line 5

Back 5

What have you got against my horse?

Front 6

Speech 1 Line 6

Back 6

Sometimes I think when things are too quiet up there, you say to yourself:

Front 7

Speech 1 Line 7

Back 7

Let's see, what kind of mischief can I play on my friend, Tevye?

Front 8

GOLDE

You are finally here, my bread winner.

Back 8

I'll talk to you later

Front 9

GOLDE

Where's your horse

Back 9

He was invited to the blacksmiths for the Sabbath.

Front 10

GOLDE

Hurry up, the sun won't wait for you. I have something to say to you.

Back 10

As the good book says Heal us O Lord and we shall be healed. In other words, send us the cure, we have the sickness already.

Front 11

Speech 2 Line 1

Back 11

I'm not really complaining, after all with your help I'm starving to death.

Front 12

Speech 2 Line 2

Back 12

You made many many poor people.

Front 13

Speech 2 Line 3

Back 13

I realize of course, that it's no shame to be poor, but it's no great honor either.

Front 14

Speech 2 Line 4

Back 14

So what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?

Front 15

Innkeeper:

There he is!... You forgot my order for the Sabbath!

Back 15

Reb Mordcha, I had a little accident with my horse.

Front 16

Mendel:

Tevye, You didn't bring the Rabbi's order

Back 16

I know, Reb Mendel.

Front 17

Avram:

Tevye, you forgot my order for the Sabbath.

Back 17

This is bigger news than the plague in Odessa.

Front 18

Innkeeper:

Why should I break my head about the outside world? Let them break their own heads.

Back 18

He's right. As the Good Book says: If you spit in the air it lands on your face.

Front 19

Perchik:

That's nonsense. You can't close your eyes to what's happening in the world.

Back 19

He's right.

Front 20

Avram:

He's right and he's right? How can they both be right?

Back 20

You know, you're also right.

Front 21

Mendel:

Tevye, the Rabbi's order. My cheese!

Back 21

Of course. So you're from Kiev, Reb...

Front 22

Perchik:

Perchik.

Back 22

Perchik. So, you're a newcomer here. As Abraham said, "I am a stranger in a strange land."

Front 23

Mendel:

Moses said that.

Back 23

Forgive me. Ad King David said, "I am slow of speech and slow of tongue."

Front 24

Mendel:

That was Moses also

Back 24

For a man with a slow tongue, he sure talked a lot.

Front 25

Mendel:

And the cheese!

Back 25

Here, have a piece

Front 26

Perchik:

I have no money. And I am not a begger.

Back 26

Here... It's a blessing for me to give.

Front 27

Perchik:

Very well... for your sake

Back 27

Thank you... you know, it is not crime to be poor.

Front 28

In this world it's the rich who are the criminals. Someday their wealth will be ours

Back 28

That would be nice. If they would agree, I would agree.

Front 29

Mendel:

Nonsense

Back 29

And, until your golden day comes, Reb Perchik, how will you live.

Front 30

Perchik:

By giving lessons to children...

Do you have any children?

Back 30

I have 5 daughters

Front 31

Perchik:

Five?

Back 31

Daughters.

Front 32

Perchick:

I would be willing to teach them. Open their minds up to great thoughts.

Back 32

What great thoughts?

Front 33

Perchik:

Well, the bible has many lessons for our times.

Back 33

I am a very poor man. Food for lessons? Good.

Stay with us for the Sabbath. Of course, we don't eat like kings, but we don't starve either. As the good book says, when a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick

Front 34

Mendel:

Where does the good book say that?

Back 34

Well, it doesn't exactly say that, but someplace it has something about a chicken.

Good Sabbath.