Fiddler on the Roof 1971 - Movie Quotes

Perchik Money is the world's curse.

Tevye May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover!

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Tevye As Abraham said, "I am a stranger in a strange land... "

Mendel Moses said that.

Tevye Ah. Well, as King David said, "I am slow of speech, and slow of tongue."

Mendel That was also Moses.

Tevye For a man who was slow of tongue, he talked a lot.

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Tevye Dear God. Did you have to send me news like that - today of all days? I know, I know we are the chosen people. But once in a while, can't you choose someone else?

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Tevye [in song] Do you love me?

Golde [speaking] I'm your wife!

Tevye [speaking] I know!

[in song]

Tevye But do you love me?

Golde [singing] Do I love him? For twenty-five years I've lived with him, fought with him, starved with him. Twenty-five years, my bed is his...

Tevye Shh!

Golde [singing] If that's not love, what is?

Tevye [singing] Then you love me!

Golde I suppose I do!

Tevye Oh.

[sings]

Tevye And I suppose I love you too.

Tevye Tevye, Golde: [singing] It doesn't change a thing, but even so... After twenty-five years, it's nice to know.

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Villager An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

Tevye Very good. That way the whole world will be blind and toothless.

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Tevye As the good book says, when a poor man eats a chicken, one of them is sick.

Mendel Where does the book say that?

Tevye Well, it doesn't say that exactly, but somewhere there is something about a chicken.

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Lazar Wolf How is your brother-in-law? In America?

Tevye Oh, he's doing very well.

Lazar Wolf Oh, he wrote you?

Tevye No, not lately.

Lazar Wolf Then how do you know?

Tevye If he was doing badly, he would write.

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Tevye [to God] Anyway, Motel and Tzeitel have been married for some time now. They work very hard, and they're as poor as squirrels in winter. But, they're so happy, they don't know how miserable they are.

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[to God]

Tevye Sometimes I think, when it gets too quiet up there, You say to Yourself, "What kind of mischief can I play on My friend Tevye?"

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Tevye You are just a poor tailor!

Motel That's true, Reb Tevye, but even a poor tailor is entitled to some happiness!

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Tevye In the middle of the dream, in walks your grandmother Tzeitel, may she rest in peace.

Golde Grandmother Tzeitel? How did she look?

Tevye Well, for a woman who's dead 30 years, she looked very good.

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Perchik Your daughter has a quick and witty tongue.

Tevye Yes, the wit she gets from me, as the good book says...

Golde The good book can wait, it's time for Sabbath.

Tevye The tongue she gets from her mother.

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Mordcha If the rich could hire others to die for them we, the poor, would all make a nice living.

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[first lines]

Tevye A fiddler on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Anatevka, you might say every one of us is a fiddler on the roof trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple tune without breaking his neck. It isn't easy. You may ask 'Why do we stay up there if it's so dangerous?' Well, we stay because Anatevka is our home. And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you in one word: tradition!

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Perchik I'm a very good teacher.

Hodel I heard that the Rabbi who must praise himself has a congregation of one.

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Tevye Where are you going?

Lazar Wolf Chicago. In America.

Tevye Chicago, America? We are going to New York, America. We'll be neighbors.

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Tevye And in the circle of our little village, We've always had our special types. For instance, Yente the matchmaker, Reb Nachum the beggar... And most important of all, our beloved Rabbi.

Leibesh Rabbi, may I ask you a question?

Rabbi Certainly, Lebisch!

Leibesh Is there a proper blessing... for the Tsar?

Rabbi A blessing for the Tsar? Of course! May God bless and keep the Tsar... far away from us!

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[Hodel and Perchik begin dancing]

Mendel She's dancing with a man!

Tevye I can SEE that she's dancing with a man!

[pause]

Tevye And I'm going to dance with my wife!

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Lazar Wolf Tevye, after the marriage, we will be related. You will be my - papa!

Tevye Your papa? Lazar Wolf, I always wanted a son. But I wanted one a little younger than myself!

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Golde Oh, you're finally here. Come, let's go home now.

Tevye I want to see Motel's new machine.

Golde You can see it some other time. Let's go home now.

Tevye Quiet, woman, before I get angry! Because when I get angry, even flies don't dare to fly!

Golde [sarcastically] I'm very frightened of you. After we finish supper I'll faint.

Tevye [angrily] Golde, I am the head of the house! I am the head of the family! And I want to see Motel's new machine NOW!

[He looks inside then closes the door]

Tevye Now, lets go home.

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Yente Tzeitel! I happened to stop in the post office today, to say hello, see what's what. It doesn't cost anything to be friendly. Ah, so few people are like that. People, huh! I tell you, Tzeitel, if God lived on earth, people would break his windows!

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Tevye [singing] Is this the little girl I carried? Is this the little boy at play?

Golde [singing] I don't remember growing older. When did they?

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[about Yente, the matchmaker]

Tzeitel But Mama, the men she finds. The last one was so old and he was bald. He had no hair.

Golde A poor girl without a dowry can't be so particular. You want hair, marry a monkey.

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[repeated line]

Tevye On the other hand...

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Hodel [singing] For Papa, make him a scholar!

Chava [singing] For Mama, make him rich as a king!

Hodel Hodel, Chava: For me, well, I wouldn't holler if he were as handsome as anything!

Hodel Hodel, Chava: Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a match! Find me a find, catch me a catch! Night after night in the dark I'm alone, so find me a match of my own!

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Tevye Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as... as a *fiddler*--on the roof!

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[Perchik and Hodel have announced their engagement]

Tevye He loves her. Love, it's a new style... On the other hand, our old ways were once new, weren't they?... On the other hand, they decided without parents, without a matchmaker!... On the other hand, did Adam and Eve have a matchmaker?... Well, yes, they did. And it seems these two have the same Matchmaker!

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Motel [on being evicted] Rabbi, we've been waiting all our lives for the Messiah. Wouldn't now be a good time for Him to come?

Rabbi We'll have to wait for him someplace else. Meanwhile, let's start packing.

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Tevye [to God] It may sound like I'm complaining, but I'm not. After all, with Your help, I'm starving to death.

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Tevye [to God] As the Good Book says, ev...

[chuckles]

Tevye Why should I tell You what the Good Book says?

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Lazar Wolf How is it going with you, Reb Tevye?

Tevye How should it go?

Lazar Wolf You are right.

Tevye And you?

Lazar Wolf The same.

Tevye I'm sorry to hear that.

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Tevye Thank you, your honor. You are a good man. If I may say so, it's too bad you're not a Jew.

Constable [laughs] That's what I like about you, Tevye. You're always joking.

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All [singing] Sunrise, sunset; sunrise, sunset; swiftly fly the years... one season following another, laden with happiness and tears.

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Perchik In this world it is the rich who are the criminals. Someday their wealth will be ours.

Tevye That would be nice. If they would agree, I would agree.

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[Hodel is leaving on a train for Siberia]

Hodel Papa, God alone knows when we shall see each other again.

Tevye Then we will leave it in His hands.

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[Tevye admires the lavishness of a butcher's home]

Tevye And all this from killing innocent animals.

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Fyedka [introducing himself to Chava] I'm a pleasant fellow, charming, honest, ambitious, quite bright, and very modest.

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Perchik There's a question... A certain question I want to discuss with you.

Hodel Yes?

Perchik It's a political question.

Hodel What is it?

Perchik The question of... marriage.

Hodel Is this a political question?

Perchik Well, yes. Yes, everything's political. Like everything else, the relationship between a man and a woman has a socioeconomic base. Marriage must be founded on mutual beliefs. A common attitude and philosophy towards society...

Hodel - And affection?

Perchik Well, yes, of course. That is also necessary. Such a relationship can have positive social values. When two people face the world with unity and solidarity...

Hodel And affection?

Perchik Yes, that is an important element! At any rate, I... I personally am in favour of such a socioeconomic relationship.

Hodel I think... you are asking me to marry you.

Perchik Well... in a theoretical sense... yes. I am.

Hodel I was hoping you were.

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Tevye [after seeing Chava and Fyedka talking] What were you and he talking about?

Chava Nothing. We were just talking.

Tevye Good.

[walks away]

Chava [chasing after Teyve] Papa! Fyedka and I... We've known each other for a long time...

Tevye Chaveleh, I would be much happier if you remained friends from a distance. You must not forget who you are and who that man is.

Chava He has a name, Papa.

Tevye Of course. All creatures on Earth have a name.

Chava Fyedka is not a creature, Papa. Fyedka is a man!

Tevye Who says he isn't? It's just that he's a different kind of man. As the Good Book says, "Each shall seek his own kind." In other words, a bird may love a fish, but where would they build a home together?

Chava The world is changing, Papa!

Tevye [rounding on her] No!

[calmly]

Tevye No. Some things do not change for us. Some things will never change.

Chava We don't feel that way.

Tevye We?

Chava Fyedka and I... We want to be married.

Tevye What? Are you out of your mind? Don't you understand what that means, marrying outside of the faith?

Chava But, Papa...

Tevye I said no! Never talk about it again. Never mention his name again. Never see him again. Do you understand me?

Chava [quietly] Yes, Papa. I understand you.

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Fyedka Some are driven away by edicts... others, by silence.

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Tzeitel [singing] Chava, I've found him; will you be a lucky bride! He's handsome, he's tall! That is, from side to side, but he's a nice man, a good catch, right?

Hodel Right!

Tzeitel You heard he has a temper.

Hodel He'll *beat* you every night.

Tzeitel But only when he's sober.

Tzeitel Tzeitel, Hodel: So you're all right!

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Tevye As the good book says, if you spit in the air, it lands in your face.

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[after Chava elopes]

Tevye [singing] Little bird... Little Chaveleh. I don't understand what's happening today. Everything is all a blur... All I can see is a happy child, the sweet little bird you were, Chaveleh, Chaveleh... Little bird, little Chaveleh, you were always such a pretty little thing, everybody's favorite child... Gentle and kind and affectionate, what a sweet little bird you were, Chaveleh, Chaveleh...

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Tevye Because of our traditions, we've kept our balance for many, many years. Here in Anatevka, we have traditions for everything: how to sleep, how to eat... how to work... how to wear clothes. For instance, we always keep our heads covered, and always wear a little prayer shawl that shows our constant devotion to God. You may ask, "How did this tradition get started?" I'll tell you!

[pause]

Tevye I don't know. But it's a tradition... and because of our traditions... Every one of us knows who he is and what God expects him to do.

Men [singing] Who, day and night, must scramble for a living, feed a wife and children, say his daily prayers, and who has the right as master of the house to have the final word at home? The papa! The papa! Tradition! The papa! The papa! Tradition!

Women Who must know the way to make a proper home, a quiet home, a kosher home? Who must raise a family and run the home, so Papa's free to read the Holy Book? The mama! The mama! Tradition! The mama! The mama! Tradition!

Sons [singing] At three I started Hebrew school, at ten I learned a trade. I hear they've picked a bride for me, I hope she's pretty.

Daughters [singing] And who does Mama teach to mend and tend and fix, preparing her to marry whoever Papa picks? The daughters! The daughters! Tradition!

Men [singing] The papas!

Women [singing] Mamas!

Sons [singing] Sons!

Daughters [singing] The daughters!

All [singing] Tradition!

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Yente Even the worst husband, God forbid, is better than no husband, God forbid. Who should know better than me? Ever since my husband died, I've been a poor widow. All alone, no-one to talk to, nothing to say to anyone. All I do at night is think of him. And even thinking of him gives me no pleasure.

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Hodel We only have one Rabbi, and he only has one son. Why shouldn't I want the best?

Tzeitel Because you're a girl from a poor family. So whatever Yente brings, you'll take. Right? Of course, right!

[sings, mimicking Yente]

Tzeitel Hodel! Oh Hodel, have I made a match for you! He's handsome, he's young! All right, he's sixty-two. But he's a nice man, a good catch, true? True! I promise you'll be happy, and even if you're not, there's more to life than that... Don't ask me what.

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Tevye And until your golden day comes, Rev. Perchik, How will you live?

Perchik By giving lessons to children, Do you have any children?

Tevye I have five daughters.

Perchik [Looking to Tevye in disbelief] Five?

Tevye Daughters...

Perchik Girls can learn too, girls are people.

Mendel A radical!

Tevye Oh, go away!

Perchik I'd be willing to teach them, open their minds to great thoughts.

Tevye Yeah? I'd like them to know the Good Book.

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[Yente has returned from the post office]

Yente The postman told me there was a letter for your sister, Hodel.

Tzeitel Thank you, I'll go and get it.

Yente I got it. It's, ah, from her intended, Perchik.

Tzeitel Oh, she'll be so happy, she's been waiting to hear from... but it's open!

Yente [shrugs] So, it happened to be open...

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Tevye [about Perchik] Is he in bad trouble, that hero of yours?

[Hodel nods]

Tevye Arrested?

[she nods again]

Tevye Convicted?

Hodel Yes. But he did nothing wrong. He cares nothing for himself. Everything he does is for other people.

Tevye Yes, but if he did nothing wrong, he wouldn't be in trouble.

Hodel Oh Papa, how can you say that? What wrongs did Joseph do? And Abraham, and Moses? And they had troubles.

Tevye Yes, but... But why won't you tell me where he is now, this Joseph of yours?

Hodel It is far, Papa. Terribly far. He is in a settlement in Siberia.

Tevye [shocked] Siberia! And he asks you to leave your father and mother, and join him in that frozen wasteland and marry him there?

Hodel No, Papa. He did not ask me to go. I *want* to go. I don't want him to be alone. I want to help him in his work.

Tevye Hodel...

Hodel Papa.

[sings]

Hodel How can I hope to make you understand, why I do what I do? Why I must travel to a distant land, far from the home I love. Once I was happily content to be, as I was, where I was. Close to the people who are close to me, here in the home I love. Who could see that a man would come, who would change the shape of my dreams? Helpless now, I stand with him, watching older dreams grow dim. Oh, what a melancholy choice this is, wanting home, wanting him... Closing my heart to every hope but his, leaving the home I love. There where my heart has settled long ago, I must go, I must go. Who could imagine I'd be wandering so far from the home I love. Yet... there with my love, I'm home.

[the train is heard]

Tevye [concerned] And, who my child will there be to perform a marriage there in the wilderness?

Hodel [smiling] Papa, I promise you, we will be married under a canopy.

Tevye Yes, yes. No doubt, a Rabbi or two were also arrested.

[the train pulls in, Tevye lifts Hodel's luggage aboard]

Hodel [crying and hugging him] Papa! God alone knows when we shall see each other again.

Tevye Then, we will leave it in His hands.

[he helps her aboard and watches the train pull out]

Tevye [looking up] Take care of her. See that she dresses warm.

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Tevye [annoyed] We'll be staying with Uncle Avram! We'll be staying with Uncle Avram! The whole world has to know our business!

Golde [shouts] Stop yelling and finish packing! We have a long way to go!

Tevye Golde! I don't need your advice! Tzietel, don't forget the baby!

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Tevye Swipe the floor?

Golde [agitated] I DON'T want to leave a dirty house!

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Perchik [sings] They look so natural together.

Hodel [sings] Just like two newlyweds should be.

Perchik Perchik, Hodel: [singing] Is there a canopy in store for me?

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Constable You're an honest, decent person. Even though you are a Jew.

Tevye Oh... THANK you, your honor. How often does a man get a compliment like that?

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Lazar Wolf Have a drink?

Tevye I won't insult you by saying no.

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Tevye Then there are the others in our village. They make a much bigger circle. We don't bother them, and so far, they don't bother us. And among ourselves, we *always* get along perfectly well.

[pointing to Itchak and Avram]

Tevye Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse and told him it was only six years old, when it was really 12. But now, it's all over, and we live in simple peace and harmony.

[In Avram's ear]

Tevye It was 12 years old.

[Avram nods]

Itchak It was six!

Avram Tevye knows!

[they begin arguing]

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[last lines]

Tevye All right children. Let's go.

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Fruma Sarah How could you allow it, How? How could you let your daughter take my place? Live in my house, carry my keys, and wear my clothes, pearls, how?

Ghosts [singing] How could you allow your daughter to take her place?

Fruma Sarah Pearls!

Ghosts House?

Fruma Sarah Pearls!

Ghosts Keys!

Fruma Sarah Pearls!

Ghosts Clothes!

Fruma Sarah Peeeeeearls!

Ghosts How?

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All To life, to life, L'Chaim!

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Motel Times are changing, Reb Tevye. The thing is, over a year ago, your daughter, Tzeitel, and I gave each other our pledge that we would marry.

Tevye You gave each other a... pledge?

Tzeitel Yes, Papa. We gave each other our pledge.

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Tevye They gave each other a pledge? Unheard of. Absurd.

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Yente From such children come other children!

Golde Motel is nothing! Yente, you said you had news for me...

Yente Ah, children, they are your blessing in your old age. My poor Aaron, God rest his soul, couldn't give me children. Between you and me, Golde, he hardly tried.

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Mordcha Why should I break my head about the outside world? Let the outside world break it's own head! Well put, no?

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Golde [about Tevye] You can die from such a man!

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Golde Tevye! Tevye!

Tevye What is it?

Golde It's Chava. She left home this morning, with Fyedka.

Tevye What?

Golde I've looked everywhere for her. I even went to the priest. He told me they were married.

Tevye Married?

Golde Yes.

Tevye Well... Go home, Golde. We have other children at home. You have work to do, I have work to do, go home.

Golde [anguished] But Chaveleh!

Tevye Chava is dead to us! We'll forget her.

[gently]

Tevye Go home. Go home, Golde.

[Golde walks away, crying]

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Men [singing] And if our good fortune never comes, here's to whatever comes.

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Golde You'll be late.

Tevye Golde, I won't be late.

Golde You'll be late.

Tevye I won't be late! I won't be late! If you ever stop talking, I won't be late!

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Constable [after the Jews of Anatevka declare they would fight for their homeland] Against our militia, our army? I wouldn't advise that!

Tevye I have some advice for you. Get off my land. This is still my home, my land. Get off my land.

Constable [Snatches the eviction notice out of Tevye's hands and rides off] You have three days!

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Perchik You'll all chatter yourselves away into the grave.

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Tevye [to Golde] Quiet, woman, before I get angry, because when I get angry even flies don't dare to fly!

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[the constable enters Anatevka]

Tevye Welcome, your honour, what's the good news in the world?

Constable I see you have company.

Tevye [looks at them nervously] They are my friends.

Constable It's just as well. What I have to say is for their ears also. How much time do you need to sell your house and household goods?

Tevye Why should I sell my house? Is it in anybody's way?

Constable I came to tell you that you have to leave Anatevka.

Tevye How did I come to deserve such an honour?

Constable Not just you of course, but all of you!

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Tevye I would discuss the Holy Books with the learned men seven hours every day, and that would be the sweetest thing of all.

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Mordcha May the authorities be like onions with their heads in the ground!

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Mordcha May the Tzar have his own personal plague!

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Tzeitel Since when are you interested in a match, Chava? I thought you just had your eyes on your books.

Chava [storms away with basket]

Hodel [giggles]

Tzeitel [to Hodel] And you have your eye on the Rabbi's son.

Hodel Well, why not? We only have one rabbi, and he only has one son. Why shouldn't I want the best?

Tzeitel Because you're a girl from a poor family. So, whatever Yente brings, you'll take, right?

[puts black blanket on head]

Tzeitel Of COURSE right!

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Constable Orders are orders. You understand.

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Motel Rabbi, is there a blessing for a sewing machine?

Rabbi There is a blessing for everything.

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Fyedka Your father is coming. Chava, let me talk to him. Let me tell him about us.

Chava No, Fyedka, that would be the worst thing, I'm sure of it.

Fyedka But let me try!

Chava No! I'll talk to him. I promise.

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Tevye We made an agreement! And with us, an agreement is an agreement.

Tzeitel Is that - more important than I am, Papa?

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Tevye Patience, woman, patience. As the Good Book says, good news will stay. And bad news will refuse to leave.

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Tevye Golde, he's a good man. I like him. He's a little crazy, but I like him. And what's more important, Hodel likes him. Hodel loves him. So what can we do? It's a new world, Golde. A new world. Love.

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Yente Sometime, maybe we'll meet on a happier occasion. Meanwhile, we suffer. Oh-ho-hoh, we suffer. We suffer in silence, right? Of course, right.

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Tevye [saying goodbye to his horse] Well my old friend, it's time to say goodbye. The farmer Bushenko will be coming for you later. He's not a bad sort - if you are good to him, he'll be good to you. Take care of that leg, huh? Thanks for everything.

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Perchik Now after Jacob had worked for Laban for seven years, do you know what happened? Laban fooled him and gave him his ugly daughter, Leah. So to marry Rachel, Jacob was forced to work another seven years. So you see, children, the Bible clearly teaches us you can never trust an employer.

Bielke And that is what the Bible teaches us?

Perchik That is the lesson of the story of Jacob, if you interpret it - correctly.

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Motel Reb Tevye, you won't be sorry! You won't be sorry.

Tevye I won't be sorry? I'm sorry already!

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Rabbi Even though she only burned his cooking, he is permitted to divorce her.

Man Just for supper?

Rabbi Yes!

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Tevye Anyway, Motel and Tzeitel have been married for some time now. They work very hard. And the are as poor as squirrels in winter, but they are so happy, they don't know how miserable they are.

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Avram [coming into the synagogue] I'm sorry, Rabbi...

Rabbi Yes of course, what news of the outside world?

Avram [holding up his paper] Terrible, Rabbi!

Rabbi Then don't tell me. If I want bad news, I'll read about Noah and the flood.

[the shul laughs]

Rabbi Avram, surely somewhere there are good things happening. Can't you buy a paper that prints those things?

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Chava Papa? Papa, I've been looking everywhere for you.

[Tevye begins to walk away without speaking]

Chava Papa? Papa, stop! At least listen to me! Papa? I beg you to accept us!

[the scene freezes]

Tevye Accept them? How can I accept them? Can I deny everything I believe in?

[looks back at Chava]

Tevye On the other hand - can I deny my own daughter? On the other hand - how can I turn my back on my faith? My people? If I try and bend that far, I'll break! On the other hand... No - there is no other hand! No Chava! no!

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Tevye [talking to God] I know. You are very busy now. Wars, revolutions, floods, plagues... all those little things that bring people back to you, but couldn't you take a second and get him his sewing machine?

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Tevye Traditions, traditions. Without our traditions, our lives would be as shaky as... as... as a fiddler on the roof!

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Golde [about Anatevka after being evicted] It's just a place.

Mordcha And our forefathers have been forced out of many, many places at a moment's notice.

Tevye Maybe that's why... we always wear our hats.

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Golde A husband is not to look at, a husband is to get.

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Hodel We have an old custom here! A boy talks respectfully to a girl. But, of course, that is too traditional for an advanced thinker like you.

Perchik Our traditions! Nothing must change. Everything is perfect, exactly the way it is!

Hodel We like our ways.

Perchik Our ways are changing all over but here! Do you know that in the city, boys and girls can be affectionate - without the permission of a matchmaker? They hold hands together. They even dance together! New dances - like this!

[grabs her hands and starts dancing]

Perchik I learned it in Kiev! Do you like it?

Hodel [startled] It's very nice...

[they dance a few more steps and then stop still holding hands]

Hodel There... we've just changed an old custom.

Hodel Yes... I mean, thank you. I mean... good day.

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Tevye [singing] It won't make one bit of difference, If I answer right or wrong, When you're rich, they think you really know...

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Yente Out of the whole town, he's cast his eye on Tzeitel.

Golde My Tzeitel?

Yente No, the Tzar's Tzeitel! Of course your Tzeitel!

Golde Such a match for my Tzeitel!

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Tevye Dear God, you made many, many poor people. I realize, of course, that it's no shame to be poor. But it's no great honor either! So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?

[singing]

Tevye If I were a rich man, Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum, All day long, I'd biddy biddy bum, If I were a wealthy man, I wouldn't have to work hard, Yubby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dibby dum, If I were a biddy biddy rich, Idle deedle daidle daidle man... .

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Tevye Dear God. Was that necessary? Did you have to make him lame just before the Sabbath? That wasn't nice. It's enough you pick on me. Bless me with five daughters, a life of poverty, that's all right. But what have you got against my horse?

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Golde But Tevye wants a learned man. He doesn't like Lazar.

Yente Good, so Lazar won't marry him. He wants the daughter, not the father.

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Perchik You have wit! Even a little intelligence.

Hodel Thank you.

Perchik Perhaps, but what good is your brain? Without curiosity, it is a rusty tool!

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Lazar Wolf Tevye, I understand how you feel. But, after all, you have a few more without her.

Tevye Ah, I see. Today you want one. Tomorrow you may want two.

Lazar Wolf Two? What - what would I do with two?

Tevye The same as you do with one!

Lazar Wolf [pause] Tevye - this is important to me.

Tevye Why is it so important?

Lazar Wolf Frankly, because - I'm lonely.

Tevye Lonely? Reb Lazar, what are you talking about? How can a little cow keep you company?

Lazar Wolf [outraged] Little cow? Is that what you call her?

Tevye What else should I call her? That's what she is! Reb Lazar, what are you talking about?

Lazar Wolf Don't you know?

Tevye Of course I know! We are talking about my new milk cow! The one you want to buy from me!

Lazar Wolf A milk cow!

[laughs]

Lazar Wolf A milk cow so I won't be lonely? I'm talk - I'm talking about your daughter. Your daughter Tzeitel.

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Tevye Not now, Motel. Not now. I have problems.

Motel That's what I want to speak to you about. I think I can help.

Tevye Yes, only like a bandage can help a corpse.

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Motel It's me. Myself.

Tevye It's him! Himself!

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Tzeitel At least listen to him, Papa!

Tevye All right, you have a tongue. Talk.

Motel Reb Tevye, I hear you are arranging a match for Tzeitel.

Tevye Uh-hu, he also has ears.

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Tevye [singing] Where do you think you are? In Moscow? In Paris? Where do they think they are? America? What do you think you're doing? You stitcher, you're nothing, Who do you think you are? King Solomon? This isn't the way it's done, Not here, not now - some things I will not, I cannot allow! Tradition! Marriages must be arranged - by the papa! This should never be changed! One little time you pull out a prop, and where does it stop? Where does it stop?

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Tevye Either you're out of your mind or you are crazy! He must be crazy! Arranging a match for yourself? What are you? Everything? The bridegroom, matchmaker, and guests in one? I suppose you'll perform the ceremony, too?

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Tevye It seems it was not ordained that you should have all the comforts of life.

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Yente Well, Anatevka hasn't exactly been the Garden of Eden.

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Tevye But this corner of the world has always been our home. Why should we leave?

Constable I don't know why. There's trouble in the world, troublemakers.

Tevye Like us?

Constable You aren't the only ones. Your people must leave all the villages - Zolodin, Rabalevka. The entire district must be emptied! I have an order here! It says that you must sell your homes and be out of here in three days.

Tevye [angered by the eviction] And you... you who have known us all your life, you carry out this order?

Constable I've nothing to do with it! Don't you understand? I wish you wouldn't say me!

Tevye [quietly] I understand.

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Russian Official Do you like these troublemakers? These Christ-killers?

Constable Of course not! I just meant that things have been peaceful here.

Russian Official I have other villages to visit. If you don't want to follow orders, we shall get someone else who will.

Constable Oh no, no, no, no sir! I'll take care of it, of course!

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Mordcha [to Perchik, after he mentions he came from the University in Kiev] Tell me, is that a place where you learned how not to respect your elders?

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Sasha We're just having a little fun, Fyedka.

Fyedka Goodbye, Sasha. I said goodbye.

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Fiddler on the Roof Movie Quotes