以撒辛格Isaac Bashevis Singer（1904─1991）出生於波蘭華沙貧窮的猶太區，1935年移民美國，1978年獲頒諾貝爾文學獎，他以猶太意第緒語寫小說和故事。

  八十多歲的老夫妻Berl與Berlcha住在只有幾戶茅屋的村子，村民以種菜、牧羊過日子。他們的獨子Samuel十五歲就移民美國，至今已四十多年，兒子每個月從美國匯錢回家，他們卻分文未動。要花什麼錢？菜園有種菜，賣了雞蛋買麵粉就可以做麵包。茅屋內僅有一個房間，全部的家當就是桌子、架子、床及土灶。平常雞隻都窩在柴棚裡，天冷就進到灶旁的雞籠取暖。有錢的村民家中點煤油燈，老夫妻不愛新奇，平日用小碟子盛油點上燭蕊，只在安息日才特別點蠟燭。

  Sometimes the chickens roosted in the woodshed and sometimes, when it was cold, in a coop near the oven. The more prosperous villages had kerosene lamps, but Berl and his wife did not believe in newfangled gadgets. What was wrong with a wick in a dish of oil？ Only for the Sabbath would Berlcha buy three tallow candles at the store.

  有一位教猶太律法的老師說美國人都是雙腳朝上用頭走路，這怎麼可能，可是老師說的還會錯嗎？一個星期五的上午Berlcha正在揉麵團，有個體面的男士走進茅屋，抱住她說：譗媽媽，我回來了！豃剎那間她的手腳好像癱軟了，接著她像母雞般咯咯地笑出來。晚餐時兒子滔滔不絕地說話，他說著意第緒語和英語，老夫妻卻聽不太懂。兒子說：譗我寄回來的錢，你們都怎麼花的？豃Berl走到床邊蹲下身，推出一隻沉甸甸的皮靴，上面鋪著稻草，撥開稻草裡面是滿滿的金幣。

  The son talked a lot, but Berl and Berlcha understood little. His Yiddish was different and contained foreign words. Samuel asked, "Father, what did you do with all the money I sent you？  "Berl crouched the bed and began to shove something heavy. A boot appeared. Its top was stuffed with straw. Berl removed the straw and the son saw that the boot was full of gold coins.

  老夫妻說他們不需要錢，請兒子把錢帶回美國。隔天是安息日，吃過飯老夫妻就睡午覺，Samuel想找人聊聊，全村的人似乎都在午睡；想抽煙，安息日又禁止抽煙。會堂裡有個老人在禱告，Samuel問他有沒有在賺錢？老人不懂什麼叫賺錢，笑著說：譗只要神賜給健康，就可以活下來。豃Samuel回到家看到母親也在禱告：譗安息日即將過去，祈求下一週都能健康富足。豃Samuel摸摸夾克口袋裡的護照、支票及信用狀，他還帶回一大箱禮物要送給村民和紐約猶太人組織的捐款，希望藉以改善村民的生活，但是村民卻什麼都不缺。

  He touched his passport, his checkbook, his letters of credit. He had a valise filled with presents for his parents. He wanted to bestow gifts on the village. He brought not only his own money but funds from the Lentshin Society in New York, which had organized a ball for the benefit of the village. But this village in the hinterland needed nothing.

  村民什麼都不缺是最富足的。