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On the Ruins A Dramatic Poem by LESYA UKRAYINKA (Larysa Kosach-Kvitka) Translated from the Ukrainian by DR. PERCIVAL CUNDY All Rights Reserved (Continued) SINGEIR: Ho! Levite, come and help us to chastise This criminal! LEVITE: Wihat is a harp to me? With psalms and prophecies I’ve naught to do. We need no prophets when we have the Law. (The Samaritans finally get the upper hand, and having beaten back the Jews, lead Tirzah beneath the tree where a little while ago their young prophet was praying). SAMARITAN PROPHET (to Tirzah) Stand here, O prophetess, this olive tree Will shelter thee beneath its sacred boughs. And woe to him who dares to violate This holy place or lay a hand on thee — ‘Hear ye, O Israel!’ he shall not live! (To the Samaritans) By m'aiden’s hand God hath deigned to rebuke The shameless Jews. Are ye aware what was The relic which s’he cast into the stream? SAMARITANS: Thou saidst thyself: a worthless set of strings. SAMARITAN PROPHET: That worthless set of strings once gave forth sound As harp in David’s hands. SAMARITAN’S: O Lord our God! SAMARITAN PROPHET: Those same malignant strings resounded once Within the palace of our great king Saul; They lulled him into quiet sleep, meanwhile, His throne was undermined by treacherous Jews Like termites. Saul’s throne fell, he was destroyed— Those strings then wailed an insincere lament Upon the deaths of Jonathan and Saul, Played by that David who destrdyed them both. Full oft did those strings in Jerusalem Sound for the ruin of Samaria. Now they are gone, without a trace behind, As has the pride of all Jerusalem’s kings. SAMARITANS: Hail, prophetess, another Deborah! Give ye to her the timbrel; Let her play! Let her like Miriam lead the holy dance, As when she over Pharoah’s judgment sang! Samaria hail! Death to Jerusalem! (A Samaritan maiden gives Tirzah a timbrel. She silently waves it away with her hand, and stands with her head sunk on her breast). і SAMARITAN PROPHET: She hath no mind amidst these ruins to play. A maiden’s heart is pitiful, my friends. When day doth dawn we’ll leave this place and go Away off yonder to Gerizim’s' mount. There on the high place, we will light again The holy fire in the sacred grove. There Tirzah will unto us prophesy Of our Samaria. TIRZAH: No, never, no! I will not.go up to Gerizim’s mount. And go not ye! Let us forget our feud. Both Saul and David are together now. What is Samaria or Jerusalem? Both ruins! Waste! LEVITE (to those who aided in the fight for Tirzah) The holy altar, though? It still stands whole. TIRZAH : Without a sacrifice. LEVITE: We have the Law and there ’tis written plain: There’s but one holy city in the world — ’Tis David’s, and God’s dwelling place the shrine Of Solomon. UKRAINIAN JUNIOR LEAGUE CELEBRATES ITS TENTH ANNIVERSARY PHILADELPHIA, PA. In. Octoger 1937, a group of Philadelphia girls of Ukrainian descent formed one of the first junior branches of Soyuz Ukra- inok. Fired with ambition but with little else to wonk wit'h, they be gan to build the foundations of a Club that has weathered depres sion years and war years and has emerged a fine example of or ganized Ukrainian American young women. In their first year of existence they gave Philadelphians their fir&f chance to view the now fa mous, Soyuz Ukrainok collection Qf Ukrainian art and needlework in conjunction with the first Ju nior Bazaar. They began a cus tom of honoring their mothers with hand-made corsages at a Mother’s Day concert and dinner given in league with Br. No. 41, and now they have an. annual night out at a favorite Philly night spot for their mothers around Mother's Day. Also in that difficult first year of existence they had an oppor tunity to show off Philly hospi tality when the members pre pared and served a dinner to the visiting N. Y. and N. J. Youth Chorus. Since this is a comprehensive history of ten years of cluib work set own in a minimum of space and words we cannot list all Jr. League affairs. However, the first year we held the first Uk rainian Cabaret Nite in Philadel phia, and in 1945 all the proceeds from the Cabaret Nite went for Ukrainian War Relief. At first most azairs were given to build up a Club Treasury but by this, our Tenth Year of exist ence, several annual affairs have become charitable institutions. During the Lenten Season the annual Card Party donated the proceeds to the orphanage. The annual Christmas caroling pro ceeds go for a Ukrainian publi cation. At least one dance a year donates to another worthy cause such as the U.S.O. for Ukrainians in London in 1945. Also in the •charitable category are donations to the Blood Bank, Cancer Drive, Red Cross and donations of Christmas Scrap Books made by the members for children in hos pitals, sending food and clothing packages to displaced Ukrain ians, Branch 52 does not neglect its affiliations with the Centralia or Phila. Women's Council of Soyuz Ukrainok. Aside from paying their dues and contribut ing annually to the press and or ganizational funds, they have taken an active part in each Uk rainian Woman's Day since the first one in 1940. In 1946 they in stigated the organization of an other Jr. branch in Philadelphia, Branch 57. The Ukrainian Jr. League Br. 52 has made a splendid showing in cultural, educational and civic enterprises. Through the Wo men’s Federation and Internation al Institute they have presented Ukrainian dances, costumes, fo<}d and art on -numerous occasions (Continued on page 8) SAMARITANlS: Where’s that shrine? LEVITE: In the Law. (The Samaritans laugh) LEVITE: God brands the senseless with the senseless laugh. No letter of the Law shall pass away. What stands therein shall not be moved for aye. Eternal is each stone of God’s true House, Because it stands there written in the Law. SAMARITAN PROPHET: What good is that to you? LEVITE: Take shame to ask! How "good ?' The Law is needed for the Law As God for God. We all are'but His slaves, Him must we serve in blind obedience. SAMARITAN PROPHET: Serve Him with what ? LEVITE: By keeping all His rites: To make no sacrifice outside His shrine, So that no word be altered in the Law. A SAMARITAN: Then we, meanwhile, will search these ruins through, And take the stones unto Samaria! And on Gerizim set your altar up And sacrifice there in the sacred grave. GROUP OF JEWS (who have come up gradually to listen to the dispute) Dogs of Samaritans! Lo! this is why Ye have come hither like a thief by night! Ye have but come to steal our holy sihrine! (The two groups begin to close for a fight. The Levite picks up stone and aims at the Samaritan prophet). (To be concluded)
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