On no account should he let anyone know that he is a Jew.īriefly, and while he is on the run, Srulik meets up with his father. He has to be careful whom he approaches and he learns to pretend to be a Christian refugee. Then he goes from farm to farm working for food and shelter. First he takes up with another gang of homeless boys who live in the forest much of the time, and who steal from farmers when they can. In the confusion of the escape Srulik ends up alone again but at least he is out of the city.
They have to be careful that the Germans do not catch them, and when they hear that there is going to be a "roundup" of Jews in the city, the boys decide to flee into the countryside. Srulik and his new friends survive by shoplifting by day and by stealing from shops at night. Not having any idea what his address is, Srulik wanders the streets until he meets up with, and then joins, a gang of homeless boys. One day, which scrounging for food in garbage cans, Srulik gets separated from his mother. His family was forced to leave their home and their village, and they are now struggling to survive in the ghetto in Warsaw. Srulik Frydman is only eight years old but he has already lost so much.