Tevye Blows a Small Fortune, pp. 20-35 Summary

People start to pay attention to Tevye when they see he is making money as a dairyman. Tevye goes to sell his goods in Yehupetz, his winter season market. He meets a cousin named Menachem Mendl, while looking at goods in the downtown shop windows. They go back to Tevye's house and Menachem gets a fine dairy meal, noting the wealth of his host. Menachem then spends half the night telling Tevye stories on how it is possible to get rich quick by investing in stock, and other financial investments. Menachem sleeps over and the next day suggests that Tevye invest his savings with him. Tevye is intoxicated by wild dreams of his money multiplying over and over again.

For weeks Tevye hears nothing from Menachem. Tevye goes into Yehupetz a...