Kirshenblatt,
Mayer (1916-2009) Artist's narrative: "The water-carrier, the vaser-treyger, was one step above a beggar. What did he have around his waist? A rope to hold his things and a red kerchief sticking out of his pocket. He had the corners of his coat tucked under his belt so they didn't get in his way as he walked. Carrying water was a very difficult job. There was one man, a Pole by the name of Ludwik, who was very tall, a six-footer. He had the local tinsmith make him special buckets that were extra large. All the other water-carriers, no matter how short they were, also had to get big buckets in order to compete with him. When smaller men carried such big buckets, they dragged them on the ground. It was extremely difficult for them to manage. There was one guy, Duvid vaser-trayer (David the Water-Carrier), who was so small that he had to shorten the ropes from the yoke to the pails. Even so, his buckets almost touched the ground. A water-carrier would make ten groshn for a load of water. Those buckets probably weighted at least forty pounds each. There must be four gallons of water here, and every imperial gallon weighs about ten pounds. The water carrier in my painting is hauling about eighty pounds in those two buckets." |
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