איך האָב שוין פֿאַרשפּינט די נעץ פֿון מײַנע פֿיס,
I have already spun the web of my feet,
Work 147 of 440
Page 170. 'The Sick Room' shocking conclusion: The chandelier has spun its web, descended lower and lower. The tiger will not speak — it has disheveled its hair, prepared for the leap, dug in its nails 'where nails must dig in.' Then: 'Valet!' — and when the valet enters, he sees: smashed windows, shredded carpets and curtains, the chandelier smashed to bits, and in the middle of the parquet — the paralyzed king, now with teeth dug into the tiger's throat, thrashing with revived limbs in a pool of blood and foam. The king's violent wish from Section C has been fulfilled: paralysis has become murderous release. The allegory reaches its terrifying climax — the impotent authority figure finally acts, but only through bestial violence.
איך האָב שוין פֿאַרשפּינט די נעץ פֿון מײַנע פֿיס,
איך האָב שוין אַראָפּגענידערט פֿון סופֿיט
נידעריקער, נידעריקער, נידעריקער. —
זאָל דער טיגער רעדן.
זאָגט דער טיגער:
— איך וועל אויך נישט רעדן:
איך האָב שוין צעשויבערט מײַנע האָר,
איך האָב שוין זיך צוגעגרייט צום שפּרונג,
איך האָב שוין אַרײַנגעשטאָכן מײַנע נעגל
דאָרט, וואו נעגל דאַרפֿן זיך אַרײַנשטעכן.
— קאַמערדינער!
. . . אַז דער קאַמערדינער קומט אַרײַן — דערזעט ער:
שטיקער גלאָז פֿון אויסגעהאַקטע שויבן;
טעפּיכער און פֿאָרהאַנגען — צעפֿעדימט,
אַ צעשליידערטע, צעפּיצלטע — די לוסטרע:
אויפֿן מיטן פֿונעם גלאַנציקן פּאַרקעט,
אײַנגעביסן מיט די ציין אינעם טיגערס האַלדז,
שליידערט זיך מיט אויפֿגעלעבטע הענט און פֿיס
אין אַ טײַך פֿון בלוט און שוים — דער מלך.
Ikh hob shoyn farshpint di nets fun mayne fis,
ikh hob shoyn aropgеnidert fun sufit
nideriker, nideriker, nideriker. —
Zol der tiger redn.
Zogt der tiger:
— Ikh vel oykh nisht redn:
ikh hob shoyn tseshoybert mayne hor,
ikh hob shoyn zikh tsugegreyt tsum shprung,
ikh hob shoyn arayngеshtоkhn mayne negl
dort, vu negl darfn zikh araynshtekhn.
— Kamerdiner!
. . . Az der kamerdiner kumt arayn — derzet er:
shtiker gloz fun oysgehakte shoybn;
tepikhеr un forhangen — tsefedimt,
a tseshlaiderte, tsepіtslte — di lustre:
oyfn mitn funem glantsikn parket,
ayngebisn mit di tseyn inem tigers haldz,
shlaydert zikh mit oyfgelebte hent un fis
in a taykh fun blut un shoym — der meylekh.
I have already spun the web of my feet,
I have already descended from the ceiling
lower, lower, lower. —
Let the tiger speak.
Says the tiger:
— I also will not speak:
I have already disheveled my hair,
I have already prepared myself for the leap,
I have already dug in my nails
there, where nails must dig in.
— Valet!
. . . When the valet comes in — he sees:
pieces of glass from smashed windows;
carpets and curtains — shredded,
scattered, smashed to bits — the chandelier:
in the middle of the shining parquet,
with teeth dug into the tiger's throat,
thrashing with revived hands and feet
in a pool of blood and foam — the king.
Page 170. 'The Sick Room' shocking conclusion: The chandelier has spun its web, descended lower and lower. The tiger will not speak — it has disheveled its hair, prepared for the leap, dug in its nails 'where nails must dig in.' Then: 'Valet!' — and when the valet enters, he sees: smashed windows, shredded carpets and curtains, the chandelier smashed to bits, and in the middle of the parquet — the paralyzed king, now with teeth dug into the tiger's throat, thrashing with revived limbs in a pool of blood and foam. The king's violent wish from Section C has been fulfilled: paralysis has become murderous release. The allegory reaches its terrifying climax — the impotent authority figure finally acts, but only through bestial violence.
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