Page 137 - Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen

condition go straight to Germany. Arid we get what is
left. But look what I took for you, Chayaleh." She held
up a blue scarf.
"Organized. You organized it, Tante Gitl," Shifre
. cried out, her hands up with delight.
.The women all laughed, the first time such a sound
had rippled through the barracks since they had arrived.
"Yes, she organized it."
Gitl looked up, pursed her lips for a moment, then
smiled. "All right. I organized it."
"How did you do it, Gitl?" someone called.
"You can bet she did not. ask!" came an answer.
Gitl nodded, stretching the scarf between her hands.
"Az m'fraygt a shyle iz trayf."
Hannah translated mentally, "If you ask permission,
the answer is no." She,remembered suddenly another
phrase, from somewhere else, almost like it: "It's easier
to ask for forgiveness than permission." She had a brief
memory of it printed on something. Like a shirt.
"So," said Esther's mother, a self-satisfied look on
her face, "we may be zugangi, but we already know
how to organize."
Esther looked longingly at the blue scarf, and hummed
quietly to herself.
Gitl handed the scarf to Hannah. "To replace the
blue ribbons," she said softly.
"The blue ribbons?" For a moment, Hannah couldn't
remember them. Then she did.
"And because today is your birthday," Gitl added.
"Her birthday!" cried Shifre. "You did not tell me."
.
Hannah shook her head. "My birthday is . . is in

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