My cousins sometimes went to the theatre, and I listened with rapture to their account of what they had seen, and I learned the songs they had heard.

Once Cousin Hirshel went to see a giant, who exhibited himself for three kopecks, and came home with such marvellous accounts of his astonishing proportions, and his amazing feats of strength, that little Mendele cried for envy, and I had to play lotto with him and let him beat me oh, so easily! till he felt himself a man again.
And sometimes I had adventures of my own.

I explored the city to some extent by myself, or else my cousins took me with them on their errands.

There were so many fine people to see, such wonderful shops, such great distances to go.

Once they took me to a bookstore.