Смысл текста песни "Prologue & Main Title (Tradition)" исполнителя "Fiddler On The Roof (мюзикл)"

[TEVYE, spoken:]

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? We stay because Anatevka is our home... And how do we keep our balance? That I can tell you

In one word... tradition!

[ALL:]

Tradition! Tradition!

Tradition!

Tradition! Tradition!

Tradition!

[TEVYE, spoken:]

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... This shows our constant devotion to G-d

You may ask, why did this tradition get started? I'll tell you why - I don't know. But it's a tradition, and because of our traditions, everyone knows who he is and what G-d expects him to do

[PAPAS:]

Who day and night

Must scramble for a living

Feed the wife and children

Say his daily prayers

And who has the right

As master of the house

To have the final word at home?

[ALL:]

The papa, the papas... tradition

The papa, the papas... tradition

[MAMAS:]

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?

[ALL:]

The mama, the mama... tradition

The mama, the mama... tradition

[SONS:]

At three I started Hebrew school

At ten I learned a trade

I hear they picked a bride for me

I hope... she's pretty

[ALL:]

The sons, the sons... tradition

The sons, the sons... tradition

[DAUGHTERS:]

And who does mama teach

To mend and tend and fix

Preparing me to marry

Whoever papa picks?

[ALL:]

The daughters, the daughters... tradition

The daughters, the daughters... tradition

[PAPAS:]

The papas

[MAMAS:]

The mamas

[SONS:]

The sons

[DAUGHTERS:]

The daughters

[ALL:]

Tradition

[PAPAS:]

The papas

[MAMAS:]

The mamas

[SONS:]

The sons

[DAUGHTERS:]

The daughters

[ALL:]

Tradition

[TEVYE, spoken:]

And in the circle of our little village, we have always had our special types. For instance, Yente, the matchmaker

[YENTE, spoken:]

Avram, I have a perfect match for your son. A wonderful girl

[AVRAM, spoken:]

Who is it?

[YENTE, spoken:]

Ruchel, the shoemaker's daughter

[AVRAM, spoken:]

Ruchel? But she can hardly see. She's almost blind

[YENTE, spoken:]

Tell the truth, Avram, is your son so much to look at? The way she sees and the way he looks, it's a perfect match

[TEVYE, spoken:]

And Nahum, the beggar

[NAHUM, spoken:]

Alms for the poor, alms for the poor

[LAZAR, spoken:]

Here, Reb Nahum, is one kopek

[NAHUM, spoken:]

One kopek? Last week you gave me two kopeks

[LAZAR, spoken:]

I had a bad week

[NAHUM, spoken:]

So, if you had a bad week, why should I suffer?

[TEVYE, spoken:]

And most important, our beloved Rabbi

[MENDEL, spoken:]

Rabbi, may I ask you a question?

[RABBI, spoken:]

Certainly, my son

[MENDEL, spoken:]

Is there a proper blessing for the Tsar?

[RABBI, spoken:]

A blessing for the tsar? Of course

May G-d bless and keep the Tsar... far away from us!

[TEVYE, spoken:]

Then there are the others in the village. His honor the constable, his honor the priest, his honor many many others. We don't bother them, and so far, they don't bother us

And among ourselves, we always got along perfectly well

Of course, there was the time when he sold him a horse, but delivered a mule, but that's all settled now. Now we live in simple peace and harmony and

[MAN 1, spoken:]

It was a horse

[MAN 2, spoken:]

It was a mule

[MAN 1, spoken:]

It was a horse

[MAN 2, spoken:]

It was a mule

[MAN 1, spoken:]

It was a horse

Villagers arguing

[ALL, spoken:]

Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule! Horse! Mule!

Tradition, tradition... tradition

Tradition, tradition... tradition

[TEVYE:]

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