I. Introduction
Please go to the main Introduction above. Right now I have no particular comments for this section. The translations are my own.
II. Additional Songs from Venice and Veneto
1. From Nuovi Canti Popolari Veneziani, collected by Domenico Giuseppe Bernoni, Tipografia Melchiorre Fontana, Venice 1874.
Table of Contents
A. Venetian Narrative Songs – 1
Fanciulla Rapita, La
L’Infedeltà Ricambiata
Caterina, l’Innamorata
Disertore, Il
Condannato, Il
All’ Ospitale
B. Venetian Stornelli – 1
C. Venetian Villotte – 1
D. Venetian Ninne-Nanne (Lullabies) – 1
E. Venetian Preghiere (Prayers) – 1
Dies Irae
La Madonna di Marina di Chioggia
Ave Maria
A. Venetian Narrative Songs – 1
(See also “L’avvelenato” and “Bionda di Voghera, La”, from this book, in the main section of Northern Songs above.)
+++++
Fanciulla Rapita, La
E ghe giera tre soldati armati,
E ‘l più belo de questi tre
El se l’à menata via.
El se l’à menata via lontan,
seteçento e tanti mia:
El se l’à menata in t’un castel,
Ne la prigion più scura.
E l’è stata là set’ani
Senza veder sol né luna:
In cao ai sete ani
L’à visto ‘na finestrela.
La trà i oci in mezo ‘l mar,
E la vede ‘l suo papà:
O papà, bel mio papà.
Cossa dirà la zente in Franza?
Tuti dise mal di te,
Che tu sei ‘na figlia rubata.
Fia rubata no lo son,
Ma son dona maridata.
Dove xelo tuo marì?
Mio marito xè a la guerra,
Xè a la guerra via lontan,
E l’è dietro per perire.
Rough translation:
The Kidnapped Girl
There were three armed soldiers,
And the most handsome of the three
Took a girl away with him.
He took her far away
As many as seven hundred miles.
He took her to a castle,
To the darkest prison.
She was there for seven years,
Without seeing the sun or the moon;
At the end of seven years
She saw a small window.
She trained her eyes on the middle of the sea,
And saw her father.
“Oh father, my good father,
What are the people saying in France?”
“They all speak bad of you,
Saying that you are a stolen daughter.”
“I am not a stolen daughter,
But, rather, a married woman.”
“Where is your husband?”
“My husband has gone off to the war,
He is at the war far away
[? And he left me behind to waste away.” ?]
Here is a version found on Youtube, sung by the Piemontese group La Ciapa Rusa (“The Red Rag”).
L’è ra fija del pover om
Tucc i dis c’a l’è tant bela
Tantu bela come l’è
Dui dragun s’ l’an rubaja
E l’an facia stò set an
Senza veg ne su ne lein-na
Standa an cò de li set an
J’àn drubi ‘na finestrella
S’è vultaja ver a lu mar
L’à vedu per prim suo padre
O papà caro papà
Che bun novi purtè che ‘n Fransa
Mi le novi ch’io ti port
Tucc i dis che t’è rubaja
Mi rubaja a la son no
Mi son dona maridada
Mi g’o già dui fantulin
Jen c’u porta la spadina
Rough translation:
There was a daughter of a poor man
Who everyone said was so beautiful
She was so beautiful that
She was carried off by a soldier.
She was stuck there for seven years
Without seeing the sun or the moon
After being there for seven years
She found a small window
She looked out on the sea
The first thing she saw was her father
Oh father, dear father
My good husband has gone off to France
My husband has brought me here
Everyone says that you were abducted
I was not abducted
I am a married woman
I already have a child
Who carries a little sword.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
L’infedeltà Ricambiata
“E dove vastu, bela Bruneta,
Cussì soleta senza de mi?”
“Mi me ne vago qua per sta via,
A l’ostaria da mio marì.”
“E vieni, vieni, bela Bruneta,
E vieni, vieni a spasso con mi.”
“ E già nò nò, che no posso vegnir,
Che gò paura de mio marì.”
“E il tuo marito l’è morto in Franza,
E l’altra sera i l’à sepelì.”
“Tu me prometi de consolarmi,
Voler amarmi? Basta cussì!”
Quando la riva a meza strada,
Bruneta incontra lo suo marì.
“E dove vastu, bela Bruneta,
E dove vastu a spasso cussì?”
“Me te l’o fata al mese de magio,
Tu me l’hai fata el mese d’april;
Tu me l’hai fata co ‘na vilana,
Mi te l’ò fata co un omo gentil.”
“Tasi, Bruneta, co quela boca,
Chè no te toca parlar cussì!
Se un’altra volta ti me rispondi,
Con questo fero te vôi ferir.
E vieni, vieni, bela Bruneta,
E vieni, vieni a casa con mi.”
Rough translation:
The Reciprocated Infidelity
“So, where are you going, pretty brunette,
All alone without me?”
“I am going here on this route,
To my husband’s inn.”
“Come, come, pretty brunette,
Come for a walk with me.”
“Of course not. I cannot come,
I am afraid of my husband.”
“Your husband died in France,
He was buried there the other night.”
“Do you promise to console me,
Will you love me? That would be enough!”
When she got halfway,
The brunette encountered her husband.
“And where are you going, pretty brunette,
Where are you going for a walk like this?”
“I did it to you in May,
You did it to me in April;
You did it to me with a peasant girl,
And I did it to you with a gentleman,”
“Plug up that mouth, brunette,
You shouldn’t talk like that!
If you talk back to me one more time,
I’ll strike you with this sword.
So come, come, pretty brunette,
Come, come home with me.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Caterina, l’Innamorata
“Caterina, Caterinela,
Vien da basso, vien a aprir.”
“Ma vegni su le quatr’ore,
Quand’ el barba xè a dormir.”
Da le do fin a le quatro
Va l’amante a spassizar.
“Le quatr’ore son sonate,
Caterina, vien a aprir.”
“Caro ben, so’ in camisola,
Deme tempo da vestir.”
“Ma vestita o non vestita,
Vien da basso la porta a aprir.”
Co’ l’è stada a meza scala,
Scominziò parlar d’amor;
Co ‘na man tegnia la lume,
Co quel altra l’abrazziò.
“Xè ‘l forner de la contrada,
L’ è venuto a comandar.
“No gh’ è pan, no gh’ è farina,
No gh’ è gran da masenar.”
Caterina, Caterinela,
Coss’ el mondo dirà de ti?”
“Ma ch’ el diga e che no ‘l diga,
Vogio amar chi ama mi!
Vogio amar Piereto belo,
Note e giorno el mor per mi!”
Rough translation:
Caterina, the Sweetheart
“Caterina, Caterinela,
Come downstairs, come open the door.”
“I’ll come there at four,
When my uncle is asleep.”
Finally it was four o’clock
And the lover came back to have fun.
“Four o’clock has sounded,
Caterina, come open up.”
“My dear, I’m in my shift,
Give me time to dress.”
“Well, dressed or undressed,
Come down to open the door.”
He met her halfway up the staircase.
And commenced to talk of love;
With one hand holding the lantern,
And embracing her with the other.
“He’s the baker of the neighborhood,
And he came to command.”
“I have no bread, I have no flour,
I have no grain to grind.
Caterina, Caterinela,
What will everyone say about you?”
“Well, whatever they say or don’t say,
I want to love the one who loves me!
I want to love handsome Piereto,
Night and day he is dying for me!”
[Note the similarity to Pinotta, La, supra.]
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disertore, Il
(fragment)
Ma xè set’ani che son soldato,
Campagne e boschi gò traversato;
Solo ‘na note m’ ò indormensato:
M’ ò ritrovato streto ligà.
M’ ò ritrovato streto ligato,
E mani e piedi incadenato,
E l’ufiziale m’ à domandato
Per qual cagion gò disertà.
Rough translation:
The Deserter (fragment)
I was a soldier for seven years,
Crossing through fields and woods
I fell asleep for only one night:
I found myself tightly bound.
I found myself tightly bound,
And my hands and feet were shackled,
And the officer asked me,
What caused me to desert.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Condannato, Il
O padri e madri, che ga fiol in galera,
Li tegna come morti soterati:
Co’ sona ‘l boto de l’Avemaria,
A quatro a quatro i vien incadenati.
Chi ciama Cristo, chi ciama Maria,
Chi ciama remission dei so pecati;
Chi ciama Santa Maria Madalena,
Che da quel piè ghe leva la cadena.
(Fragment)
Se qualche amigo vien per complimento,
No ve spetè da la gran cosa granda:
I amiçi e i parenti se slontana,
E al meschin no resta che la mama.
Rough translation:
The Condemned
O fathers and mothers who have sons in jail,
Think of them as dead underground:
With the tolling of one o’clock of the Ave Maria,
They come enchained, four by four.
Whoever calls to Christ, whoever calls to Mary,
Whoever cries out for the remission of sins;
Whoever calls out to Saint Mary Magdalene,
The chains will be lifted from their feet.
If some friend comes to pay respects,
Don’t expect from him any great thing:
The friends and relatives go away,
And for the wretched one no one stays but the mother.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
All’ Ospitale
Eco a cosa so’ reduta:
Caminar col bastonçelo,
E cussi, pian pian, bel belo
Sul porton de l’ospeal.
Trovo un leto preparato,
Cavazzal tuto per mi:
Me despogio, e, intrata in leto,
El cierurgo vien da mi.
El me mete i feri adosso,
E scominzio a sospirar:
“’L fazza a piano, signor mio,
‘L fazza a pian, per carità!”
Rough translation:
At the Hospital
Look what has happened to me:
Walking with a cane,
And like this, slowly and gingerly
To the main gate of the hospital.
I find a bed prepared,
Thick pillows all for me:
I undress myself, and, after getting into bed,
The surgeon came to me.
He put the shackles on me,
And I began to gasp:
“Do it gently, sir,
Do it gently, for goodness sake!”
####################################
B. Venetian Stornelli – 1
[See main introduction for a description of stornelli.]
1.
Fiori de oro:
Ti ti canti stornei e mi li imparo,
E quando mu vaghegi mi te adoro.
Golden flowers:
You sing stornelli and teach them to me,
And when you love me I adore you.
2.
Fiori di menta:
Che de la menta mi ghe n’ ò ‘na pianta:
Se te la dago a ti, mi resto senza.
Mint flowers:
As for mint, I don’t even have one plant:
If you give it to yourself, I’ll stay without one.
3.
Fiori di menta:
Quando sarà quela giornata santa,
Ch’el prete te dirà: xestu contenta?
Flowers of mint:
When it is that holy day,
The priest will say to you: Are you happy?
4.
Fiori de papavero:
Chè dal papavero nasse un gran bel fiore:
Voria saver co quanti fai l’amore.
Poppy flowers:
From the poppy plant grew a big beautiful flower:
I’d like to know how many you have made love with.
5.
Fiori di naranza:
Le ancore le ò trate a la speranza,
Dimani lo mio ben xè de partenza.
Orange blossoms:
I anchored them to hope,
Tomorrow it would be best for me to leave.
6.
Fiori di mela:
Che de la mela voi siete ‘na rama,
E del mio cuore siete la catena.
Apple blossoms:
For the apple tree you are a branch,
And for my heart you are the chain.
7.
Fiori di lino:
Vualtre done che andate al Rosario:
Pregatelo di cuor Gesù bambino.
Linen flowers:
All you women who go to the Rosary,
Pray with all your heart to the baby Jesus.
8.
Fiori de oro:
Agiutami, ‘l mio ben, se no mi moro:
Inamorato so’in quel viso belo!
Golden flowers:
Help me, my dear, or I will die:
I’m love with your beautiful face!
9.
Fiori di ruta:
La carne de la dona è bona tuta,
Massimamente quando è giovineta.
Rue flowers:
The flesh of the woman is all good,
Especially when she is young.
10.
Fiori di pepe:
La vostra figlia voi non me la date?
Mi ve la ruberò, e voi piangerete.
Pepper flowers:
You don’t give your daughter to me?
I’ll steal her from you, and then you’ll cry.
11.
Fiori di limone:
Limone aspro no se pol mangiare,
La roba dei altri no se pol avere.
Lemon flowers:
You can’t eat a sour lemon,
You can’t have other people’s stuff.
12.
Fiori de oro:
Mi per marito vogio un marinero,
che me farà portar le perle al colo.
Golden flowers:
For a husband I want a sailor,
Who will have me wear pearls around my neck.
13.
Fiori di arzento:
Che per amarte ti mi ho pianto tanto:
Povero pianto mio, l’ò trato al vento!
Silver flowers:
I cried so much for loving you:
My poor crying, it took to the wind!
14.
Fiori de vissola:
No se pol far l’amor co’ no se pizzega:
Gramo quel’ omo che co done bazzega!
Cherry blossoms:
[? You can’t make love to someone who doesn’t know how to bake: ?]
Pity the man who goes with a woman from Bazzega! [in Verona Province]
15.
Fiori de camamila:
Che de la camamila se fa l’ogio:
Più mal che ti me vol, più ben te vogio.
Chamomile flowers:
She who makes oil from the chamomile:
The more you wish me ill, the more I love you.
16.
Fiori de lana:
Tuta la note stai col piè a la cuna,
Senza marito sei chiamata mama.
Flowers of wool:
All night long you stand by the cradle,
Without a husband you are called mama.
17.
Fiori de Messina:
Volèo vedere ‘na giovine bela?
Vardè co’ la se lava a la matina.
Flowers from Messina:
Do you want to see a beautiful young woman?
Check out the one who gets up in the morning.
18.
Fiori de riso:
È tanto tempo che so’ in Purgatorio,
E adesso me ne vago in Paradiso.
Rice flowers:
I have been in Purgatory for a long time,
And now I wander in Paradise.
19.
Fiori di cana:
Che incatenato so’ per una donna,
E da Firenze aspeto la condana.
Cane flowers:
He who is enchained for a woman,
And awaits his sentence from Florence.
20.
Fior di papavero:
Che me vardasti co quel’ocio torbido,
Che fa tremar la fogia ch’ è su l’alboro.
Poppy flower:
That you would look at me with that troubled sight,
That makes the leaf tremble on the tree.
21.
Fiori de ingiostro:
Tute le sepe vano co’ l mas’cio,
Mi me ne vado co lo mio moroso.
Flowers of ink:
[? All the inane go with the male, ?]
I’m leaving with my boyfriend.
22.
Fiori di ruta:
Ho dato ‘na mangiata e ‘na bevuta;
I corni l ‘ò lassiati a casa vostra.
Rue flowers:
Having been given food and drink,
I left you the horns at your home.
23.
Fiore di mela:
No te posso lasciar, Rosina cara:
El nostre amore scominzia de sera.
Apple Blossom:
I can’t leave you, Rosina darling:
Our love starts in the evening.
24.
Bela zitela, che ti à nome Pasqua:
E quanto è nominata la tua festa!
La vien tre volte a l’ano, e non ti basta?
Beautiful spinster, who is named Pasqua:
And how much your feast day is talked of!
It comes three times a year, and isn’t that enough for you?
25.
Fiori di lupino:
Non mi piacete e non mi date al genio,
E se vi sposerò, sarà il destino!
Lupine flowers:
I don’t like you and you don’t suit me,
And if I marry you, it will be fate!
26.
Fiori di pepe:
Che avete, bela mia, che sospirate?
Non sospirate, no, che bela siete!
Pepper flowers:
What is it, my darling, that makes you sigh?
Don’t sigh, no. How beautiful you are!
27.
Ti chiamano bela, e bela sei,
E come te non n’ò vedute mai:
Se tu mi lassi, io me ne morirei.
They call you beautiful, and beautiful you are,
And I never saw anyone like you:
If you leave me I’d die.
28.
Te vogio tanto bene e te amo tanto!
Quando te vedo el mio cuor xè contento,
Quando mi dici “adio”, me scampa el pianto.
I need you so much and I love you so much!
When I see you my heart is happy,
When you say goodbye, I can’t help but cry.
29.
Te voglio tanto ben, anima mia:
Ma cosa ti sei messa per l’idea?
Te vòi più ben a ti che a mama mia!
I want you so much, my soul:
But why do you question the idea?
I look more to you than to my mama!
30.
O stela che me vien da l’orizonte,
E fame far la pace co’l mio amante,
Che quando m’adirai era inoçente.
O star that comes to me from the horizon,
And makes me make peace with my lover.
When she was angry with me, I was innocent.
31.
Fiori di ditamo:
Sei stato il primo amor e sarai l’ultimo,
E questo si può dire amor legitimo.
Dittany flowers:
You were the first love and you will be the last one,
And this can be said to be true love.
32.
Quando passo per quà, passo cantando;
Benchè tu sia nel leto, amor intendo:
Alzo gli ochi al ciel, sospiro e piango.
When I pass by here, I pass by singing;
Although you may be in bed, I think of love:
I lift my eyes to heaven, I sigh and I cry.
33.
Bela zitela che ti à nome Anice,
Benedeta la mama che ti fece!
Chi dormirà con te sarà felice!
Pretty spinster named Anise,
Blessed is the mama who made you!
Whoever sleeps with you will be happy!
34.
Fiori di arcipresso:
Distrugi la candela apresso ‘l sasso,
Faghe ciaro al mio ben che passa adesso.
Cypress flowers:
[? Burn the candle near the stone,
Make it bright for me while I pass by now. ?]
35.
E come siete palida in nel viso!
Parete un fiore de garofano,
Parete un anzolin del Paradiso.
Your face is so pale!
You look like a carnation flower,
You look like a little angel from Paradise.
36.
E dei storneli ghe ne sò ‘na soma:
Tegno l’amante mio che me li insegna,
Chitera e mandolin che canta e sona.
La mia chitera l’è de legno forte,
E chi la prende in man la ghe florisce:
Sei nata bela per darmi la morte.
La morte me vuoi dar? Dame el veleno:
Contento morirò ne le tue brazzia,
La sepoltura mia sarà il tuo seno.
And of stornelli, I know many:
I have lovers who teach them to me,
Guitar and mandolin that sing and play.
My guitar is of strong wood,
And whoever takes it in hand makes it flourish:
You were born beautiful to slay me.
Do you want to kill me? Give me poison:
I will die content in your arms,
Buried in your breast.
##################################
C. Venetian Villotte – 1
1.
Che bel cantare che xè a la matina!
La voce è ciara e la lingua no trema.
Che bel cantare che xè a la sera!
La vose è ciara e la lingua legera.
What beautiful singing there is in the morning!
The voice is clear and the tongue does not tremble.
What beautiful singing there is in the evening!
The voice is clear and the tongue is nimble.
2.
Povero simbanelo, com’ è reduto
In quele man che no lo sa sonare!
S’ à roto campanele e roto tuto
Povero simbanelo, com’ è reduto
Poor cymbals, what a bad state they have fallen to
In the hands of someone who doesn’t know how to play them!
He has broken the bells and broken everything
Poor cymbals, what a bad state they have fallen to
3.
Vusto che te lo daga o te lo dona,
Sto coresin che m’ à fato la mama?
La me l’à fato per la mia persona:
Vusto che te lo daga o te lo dona?
?????????
4.
Siroco che se leva a vintiun’ ora,
Portime nova del mio inamorato;
Portila nova e portila gentile:
Che sabo a vintiun’ ora el sia puntile.
Southeast wind that rises at seven in the evening,
Carry me again to my lover;
Bring me there again and bring me there gracefully:
You know that at seven he will be punctilious.
5.
E vusto che te ama? dame ete,
E dame la cornioia e ‘l cura-rece;
E vusto che te ama? dame ò,
E dame la corniola e ‘l figarò.
Do you like the one who loves you? Give me nothing,
And give me a carnelian stone and a pin for my hair;
Do you like the one who loves you? Give me everything,
And give me a carnelian stone and a gold ring.
(1874 note: The cura-rece, no longer in use in Venice, was a type of gold or silver pin that women stuck in their hair, which also served to clean the ears. {2019 note: in more modern Venetian it means a cotton swab for the ears.} A figarò, also no longer in use, was a gold ring, on which an oval-shaped slab, also golden, was placed. The “cura-rece”, the “corniola” and the “figarò” were given by the beau to his love.)
6.
In mezzo al mare ghe xè ciare case,
La Rizziolina che tanto me piase;
Se so papà me la volesse dare,
L’anelo d’oro ghe voria donare:
L’anelo d’oro e la veleta fina,
Per contentar la bella Rizziolina.
In the middle of the sea in a bright house,
There’s the curly-haired girl that I like so much;
If her father would give her to me,
I’d want to give her a golden ring:
A gold ring and an elegant veil,
To please the pretty curly-haired girl.
7.
“Moroso belo, semo da le fiere:
de che colore m’ ògio da vestire?”
“E vestite de verde, anima mia,
Chè l’è el megio colore che ghe sia!
El verde l’è un color che mai se perde,
De verde va vestito lo mio amore,
De verde va vestita la campagna,
De verde va vestito chi me ama.”
Sweetheart, [? if I go to the fair ?]
What color would you want me to wear?
Dress in green, my soul,
That’s the best color there is!
Green is a color never forgotten,
Go dressed in green, my love.
The countryside is dressed in green,
She who loves me goes dressed in green.
8.
Moroso belo, no vardè la roba,
Vardè pure la vostra contentezza;
La roba se ne va come va el vento,
Chi gà la puta bela à ‘l cuor contento.
Darling, don’t pay attention to things,
Look to your contentment;
Things come and go like the wind,
He who has a pretty girl has a contented heart.
9.
Le verze riscaldate no xè bone,
L’amore ritornato no val guente;
L’albero è grosso e le fogie stà in sima:
Dovevi far l’amor co gieri in prima.
Warmed-up cabbage is not good,
Love returned is not worth it;
The tree is big and the leaves are at their peak:
You ought to make love first.
10.
Bela, co’ moro tuto ‘l mio te lasso,
Quelo che ò conquistà co le mie mane;
Gò conquistato Padoa co Treviso:
Bela, co’ moro te lasso el Paradiso!
Darling, I leave everything of mine to you [? with love ?],
Which I have earned with my own hands;
I have conquered Padua and Treviso:
Darling, [? with love ?] I leave you Paradise!
11.
Bela, co’ moro vestime de sepe,
Soterime in fra un monte de canocie,
Un cussinelo de barboni friti,
E un cavazzai de pesse d’ anzoleti.
Darling, [? dress me in burial clothes, with love, ?]
Buried under a mountain of squill flowers,
A little cushion of fried red mullet,
And a tomb of [? angel fish?]
12.
Ne la mia fossa gò impiantà un rosero,
E scrito ghe sarà el nome mio;
Ne la mia fossa no ghe vol roseri:
Ghe vol dei Deprofundi e Misereri.
Over my grave a rose bush will be planted.
And my name will be inscribed;
Over my grave I don’t want roses:
I would have De Profundis and Miserere.
13.
La mama mia la me dà pan, e poco,
Ma le legnae la le fa fumare:
E la le fa fumar a poco a poco,
Come la legna verde apresso el foco.
My mom gives me bread, a little,
But the wood makes her smoky:
And that makes her angry little by little,
Like green wood on the fire.
14.
In sta cale ghe xè ‘na cortesana,
Co’ la camina la brusa la tera;
E la brusa la tera e la la scota:
La ga ‘na lengua da darghe la morte.
On that street there is a courtesan,
With a way that is brusque and earthy;
Brusque and earthy and scalding:
She has a tongue that kills.
15.
Lassemo che le parla e che le diga,
Che le se cava tuti i so caprizzi;
Lassemo che le parla e le discora:
Le mandaremo in tanta so malora.
Let them talk and speak,
So that they satisfy all their fancies;
Let them talk and prattle:
We will send them to such a terrible end.
16.
Pute, no fè l’amor co calegheri!
I calegheri ga ‘na trista fama;
I calegheri ga ‘na trista fama,
Che tanti che i li ciapa i se li magna.
Girls, don’t make love with shoemakers!
Shoemakers have such wicked hunger;
They have such wicked hunger,
That they eat all they can get hold of.
17.
Avanti che ‘na puta se marida,
Quanti passi de corda ghe vien dà?
Avanti che in t’un omo le se intriga,
El so cuore ghe vien ben martelà.
Before a girl gets married,
[? How much encouragement will come to her? ?]
Before she gets mixed up with a man,
???????????????
18.
Ti va digando che mi magno massa,
To’ la balanza e pesa la farina;
Cussi ti vedarà quel che mi magno,
No ti dirà che so’ la tua rovina.
You go around saying that I eat too much,
Take the scales and weigh the flour;
That way you’ll see how much I eat,
Don’t say that I am the ruin of you.
19.
In mezzo ‘l mar ghe giera la fortuna,
Che la balava co quatro donzele;
E la giera abrazziada da la luna,
E çircondata da tute le stele.
In the middle of the sea there was a fortune
That was defended by four damsels;
It was embraced by the moon
And encircled by all the stars.
20.
El mar xè grande e anca la marina:
Chi vol dei sassi vaga a la montagna,
Chi vol la rosa s’inchina a la rama,
Chi vol la fia ch’el brazzia la mama!
The sea is big, and also the sea coast:
He who wants stones goes to the mountain,
He who wants a rose bends the branch,
He who wants the daughter hugs the mother!
21.
Sia maledeti tuti i miei parenti,
Che me vol dar un vecio per mario:
Ghe tasto in boca e no ghe trovo denti,
Bisogna che ghe fazza el pan bogio.
El pan bogio mai no ‘l se cusinava,
La barba de quel vecio se palava;
La se palava pelo contra pelo:
La barba de quel vecio andava a velo.
L’andava a velo co la so barcheta,
Sigando: done, chi à salata fresca?
Salata fresca e salata romana,
Salata con giazzola e magiorana?
Curses on all my relatives,
Who want me to marry an old man:
I probe in his mouth and I find no teeth,
He wants his bread boiled.
Boiled bread was never cooked there,
The beard of that old guy (?se palava ?)
(? La se palava ?) hair against hair:
The beard of that old man has gone shaggy.
It has gone shaggy, like his boat,
Shouting: Ladies, who has fresh salad?
Fresh salad and Roman salad,
Salad with [? mulberry leaves ?] and marjoram?
22.
Bela, no te ciamar mal maridada!
Darghe la colpa a li parenti tuoi?
No ti gavevi la lingua ligata,
Da dirghe: padre mio, colù no’ l vòi!
No ti gavevi la lingua in t’un scogio,
Da dirghe: padre mio, colù nol vogio!
No ti gavevi la lengua in berlina,
Da dirghe no, no, no! A la bela prima!
My dear, don’t call marriage bad!
Do you blame your relatives for that?
Your tongue wasn’t tied
From saying: Father, I don’t want him!
You didn’t have a tongue hindered
From saying: Father, I don’t love him!
You didn’t have your tongue in a pillory,
To prevent saying no, no, no! at the first opportunity!
23.
Un giorno andando via per il mio spasso,
Gò ritrovà ‘na cara fanziulina;
Me vago avissinando a passo a passo,
Vedo che la xè bela e graziosina.
Vago darente e ghe auguro el bon giorno,
La me risponde: el bon dì, el bon ano!
M’ ò tanto incaprizzià in quel viso tondo,
Gò dimandà se la stà da lontano.
Con bela grazia e nobil gentilezza,
La me risponde che la stà qua arente;
M’ ò tanto incaprizzià ne la sodezza,
In quel caro bochin cussì ridente:
Gò dimandà se la me rifudava
Che mi l’acompagnasse in fin a casa;
La me risponde che la se contentava
Che fasse quel che vogio, ma che tasa.
One day, going out for a walk
I encountered a sweet young woman;
As I got nearer,
I saw she was pretty and graceful.
I went up to her and wished her a good day,
She responded: A good day and a good year!
I was infatuated by that unpretentious face,
And asked her if she was from far away.
With beautiful grace and noble courtesy,
She answered that she was from around here;
I was so enchanted by the composure
In that little mouth smiling so sweetly:
I asked if she would refuse
To let me accompany her home;
She responded that she would be pleased
To let me do whatever I wanted, but for a fee.
24.
Se ti avessi la pena che provo,
Quando so’ a messa e non so ove ti sia!
No so s’el prete abia voltà ‘l messal,
O s’ el sia drio a dir l’Avemaria.
If you knew the pain that I feel,
When I’m at Mass and don’t know where you are!
I don’t know if the priest has turned to the Missal
Or if he is about to say the Hail Mary.
25.
Al luni me scominzia i miei dolori,
Al marti i se me torna a ridopiare,
Al mercore me trà ‘na fita al cuore,
Al zioba no li posso più portare.
On Monday my suffering begins,
On Tuesday I go back to laughing,
On Wednesday I have pangs in my heart,
On Thursday I can’t bear them any more.
26.
Moroso, belo consolime in vita,
Consolime sto cuor con dô parole;
Avanti che da mi prendi partita,
Ciapa sto baso, e lassa dir che vole!
My love, console me in life,
Console my heart with two words;
Before you take your departure from me,
Take this kiss, and let it say what it will!
27.
In mezzo ‘l mare ghe xè un casamento
Co sete fradeli e ‘na sorela in drento;
E tuti sete se vol maridare,
E la sorela no i la sa a chi dare:
“Ghe la daremo al fio del cazziatore,
Ch’el xè sta el primo che ga fato l’amore;
Ghe la daremo al fio del podestà,
Ch’el xè sta quelo che l’ à dimandà;
Ghe la daremo al fio de la regina,
Ch’el xè ‘il più rico che su tera camina.”
E a la matina lu el se la spòsava,
E a la sera lue l la maltratava.
“Perché, marito mio, ti me maltrati?”
“Mi te maltrato parchè ti xè bela,
Ch’el Turco can per tì fa ‘na gran guera.”
“Sarame drento in questa camarela,
Che vedarò a passar la rondinela.
O rondinela mia, passa per mare.
Ciapa sta letarela sora le ale;
Portila in tola ai mii sete fradei,
Daghela al più picolo ch’el la leza,
Ed al più grando ch’el la intenda.”
Quando el fradelo sente questa nova,
Prende ‘l cavalo e prende la carozza;
E a meza strada lu trova ‘l cognato
Con un cortelo in man insanguinato:
“Ma indove andeu, mio caro cognato,
Con quel cortelo tuto insanguinato?”
“Caro cognato mio, lassame stare,
Che per strada qua mi gò da andare.”
In the middle of the sea there was a mansion,
With seven brothers and a sister in it;
And all seven wanted to get married,
And they did not know to whom to give the sister in marriage:
“If we give her to the son of the hunter,
He is the first one she fell in love with;
If we give her to the son of the mayor,
That is just what she has asked for;
If we give her to the son of the queen,
He is the richest man who walks on earth.”
And in the morning he married her,
And in the evening he abused her.
“Why, my husband, do you mistreat me?
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
“I abused you because you are so beautiful,
That the Turkish dog would make a great war over you.”
“Close me up in this small room,
So that I can see the swallow pass by.
Oh my swallow, pass over the sea,
Take this letter on your wings,
Take it [? in tola ?] to my seven brothers.
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
Give it to the smallest [ch’el la leza]
And to the biggest who understands it.”
When the brother heard this news,
He took his horse and he took his carriage;
Halfway down the road he found his brother-in-law
With a bloody knife in his hand:
“Well where are you going, my dear in-law
With that knife all bloodied?”
“My dear brother-in-law, let me be.
So that I can go down that road.”
(Variation from verses. 5 through 8)
No i la vol dar né a conti, né a signori;
Ma i la vol dar a chi che i credi lori.
They did not want to give her to counts or rich men;
But they wanted to give her to someone whom they trusted.
(Variation from the last eight verses)
Quando I fradeli sente sta novela,
I mete su le brene e anca la sela
“Andemo a visitar la Madalena,”
。。。。。。。。。。。
Quando i xè stati arente de la porta,
I sente a dire che la giera morta;
Quando i xè stati in mezo de la scala,
I trova i portadori che la portava:
“O portadori che portè sta morta,
Metèla zò, che la volem vedere.”
E tuti sete alza la man al viso:
“Adio, adio, anzolo del Paradiso!”
When the brothers heard this news,
They prepared the bridles and the saddles.
“Let’s go visit Madeleine.”
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
When they were near the door,
They sensed to say that she was dead;
When they were halfway up the stairs,
They found the bearers carrying her:
“Oh bearers carrying that corpse,
Put her down, we want to see her.”
And all seven raised their hands to their faces:
“Goodbye, goodbye, angel of Paradise!”
28.
El mese de zenaro canta ‘l cuco,
Quelo d’aprile canta le sigale;
Le vecie va in contrasto co le pute,
Le maschere dà volta al carnevale.
The cuckoo sings in January,
They that sing in April are the cicadas;
The old women go in contrast with the maidens,
The masks mean it’s time for Carnival.
##############################
D. Venetian Ninne-Nanne (Lullabies) – 1
1.
Fame la nana, e famela cantando,
I ocieti del mio ben se va serando;
E i se va serando a poco a poco,
Come la legna verde apresso al foco.
La legna verde no farà mai vampa:
Cossa sarà de ti, la mia speranza?
La mia speranza e ‘l mio cuor contento:
Mi te canto e te scazzo e te indormenzo;
E te indormenzo e so’ per indormenzarte:
Piutosto vôi morir che abandonarte;
Piutosto vòi morir de una dogia al cuore,
Che abandonarte ti, ragio del sole;
Piutosto vòi morir de una ferita,
Che abandonarte ti, rosa fiorita,
Piutosto vôi morir de sto cortelo,
Che abandonarte ti, viseto belo.
Viseto belo e viso de coral,
Çento ducati la to persona val;
Çento ducati è una moneta d’oro:
Dormenzite, el mio ben, el mio tesoro!
Go to sleep, and let me sing,
The little eyes of my loved one are closing;
They are closing little by little,
Like green wood close to the fire.
Green wood will never blaze up:
What will you be, my hope?
My hope and heart’s happiness:
I sing to you, and you are [? tired ?] and sleepy;
You are sleepy and I want to put you to sleep:
I would rather die than abandon you;
I would rather die of an ache in the heart,
Than abandon you, my sun beam;
I would rather die of a wound,
Than abandon you, flowery rose;
I would rather die from this knife,
Than abandon you, pretty face.
Pretty face and face of coral,
You are worth one hundred ducats;
One hundred ducats and a gold coin:
Sleep, my darling, my treasure!
2.
E nina-nana, e ni-na-na, mio bene,
Le ore passa e la morte sen viene;
Dormi contento e famela la nana,
Dormi, caro el mio ben, la mia colona.
Colona bela e colona dolze,
Che la più bela no ghe xè in sta corte;
E no ghe xè in sta corte, e in sta contrada
Chi te somegia a ti, speranza cara!
Speranza cara e speranza santa,
I oci te ride e la boca te canta;
I oci te ride e la boca ragiona,
El to bel nome merita corona;
El merita corona de coral,
Ch’el to papà el te la farà far;
El te la farà far de Basilicato,
Ch’el to papà per ti deventa mato.
And lullaby, and sleep, sleep, sleep, my darling,
The hours pass and I feel death coming;
Sleep content, go to sleep,
Sleep, my dear darling, my pillar.
Beautiful pillar and sweet pillar,
There is no one more beautiful in the courtyard;
Not in the courtyard or in the neighborhood
Who looks like you, my dear hope!
Dear hope and sainted hope,
Your eyes laugh and your mouth sings;
Your eyes laugh and your mouth chats,
Your beautiful name deserves a crown;
It deserves a crown of coral,
That your father makes for you;
He’ll make it for you from Basilicata,
Which he’ll do to make you happy.
3.
Fame la nana e famela cantando:
I oceti del mio ben se va serando;
I oceti del mio ben se verze e sera:
Femo pase, el mio ben, e non più guera.
Sleep for me and let me sing:
The little eyes of my loved one are closing;
The little eyes of my loved one are opening and closing:
Make peace, my darling, and no more war.
4.
E siestu benedeta da Maria,
Un prete e un zago che te porta via!
E che i te porta s’ un campeto santo,
Co ‘na croseta in man, vestia de bianco;
Vestia de bianco e tuta a galaneti,
Su la to cuna quatro bei mazzeti.
[? May you be ?] blessed by Mary,
That a priest and a clergyman take you away!
And they bring you to a holy meadow,
With a little cross in hand, dressed in white;
Dressed in white and beribboned,
Four bouquets of flowers above your cradle.
5.
E co la nina,
E co la nana;
E co la nana,
No se fa mai dì.
Oh, chi me tien,
Che no me scana?
Agiuto, mama,
No posso più!
And with the rocking,
And with the lullaby;
And with the lullaby,
It won’t be done every day.
Oh, who will hold me,
Who won’t get tired of me?
Help, mama,
I can’t go on!
##############################
E. Venetian Preghiere (Prayers) – 1
1.
Dies Irae [Venetian]
Dias-ila, Dias-ila,
Solve secoli in favila,
Testa Davide con sibila.
Oimè, che gran terore!
Vignarà el Nostro Signore
Giudicar el pecatore!
Sonarà la ribil tromba:
Tuti i corpi de ogni tomba
Al giudizio co gran romba.
Stupirà morte e natura,
Per risorger la creatura
Da l’antica sepoltura.
Andarà davanti al Tribunal,
Dov’è scrito el ben e ‘l mal.
Quel giudizio sedente,
Ghe sarà Cristo assistente,
Che ogni conto avrà presente.
。。。。。。。。。。。
Chi sarà per mia procura?
Solo el bon sarà a secura.
Oh tremenda alta Maestà,
Salva me la tua bontà:
Salva l’omo, per pietà.
Testamento [or, Ti rementa], grande Idio,
Creasti omo per conto mio;
No me perdar, el mio Idio.
Ti creasti e ne salvasti,
Col morire ne comprasti;
Ma fa quelo che ti basti.
Tribunal de contrizion,
Dona a mi la remission,
Avant ‘l di de la ragion.
Come reo me sbigotisso,
Le mie colpe me arossisso,
De pregarve no me ardisso.
Madalena l’assolvesti,
Del ladron pietà gavesti,
Ed a me speranza desti.
Se ve prego, non son degno;
Ma ‘l Signor me pol far degno,
Chè no vada in basso regno.
Fa che logo me sia dato,
Da i Giudei disseparato.
Sia scazziati i maledeti,
Ed al fogo eterno astreti;
Ciama mi coi benedeti.
Queste membra sia le prime
Verso Idio e sue divine:
Che pietà sia del mio fine;
Che no sia in eterno dano
Condonato a tanto afano,
Quando i morti sorgerano.
In quel giorno si angustioso,
Bon Gesù giusto e pietoso,
Deghe requie e riposo.
A le anime dei nostri povari morti. Amen.
Rough translation:
Day of wrath
Day of wrath, day of wrath,
Will dissolve the world in ashes,
As foretold by David and the Sibyl.
Alas, what great terror!
When Our Lord will come
To judge the sinner.
The [? terrible ?] trumpet will sound:
All the bodies of each tomb
To the judgment with a great din.
Death and nature will marvel,
At the resurrection of the creature
From the ancient tomb.
He will go before the Tribunal
Where the good and the bad are written.
The sitting judge.
Will assist Christ.
So that each account will be presented.
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
Who will be my attorney?
Only the good will be safe.
Oh, tremendous high Majesty,
Save me with your benignity:
Save the man, for pity’s sake.
I testify [or, I remind you], great God,
You were made man for my account;
Don’t forget me, my God.
You created and you saved,
Bought with your death;
But do what you need to do.
Court of contrition,
Give me remission,
Before the day of judgment.
How guilty I am,
My faults make me blush,
[? I should not presume to pray. ?]
You absolved Magdalene,
Gave mercy to the thief,
And you gave me hope.
If I pray to you, I am not worthy;
But the Lord can make me worthy,
So that I don’t go to the lower kingdom.
Let the word be given to me,
Separated from the Jews.
Let those who are driven away and cursed,
Be constrained to the eternal fire;
Summon me with the blessed.
May these limbs be the first
Towards God and His presaging:
That would have pity for my end.
Let me not be in eternal loss
Condemned to such anguish,
When the dead arise.
On that day of distress,
Good Jesus, just and merciful,
Give rest and repose
To the souls of our poor dead. Amen.
[Note that this differs a good deal from the original Latin version.]
+++++
2.
Madonna di Marina di Chioggia. La
Santa Maria dei çieli,
Co le tue verzenele
Ariverenti ançele – – ai tuoi onori;
Prega per noi el Signore,
Ne le tue brazzie morto,
Ne daga più conforto – – per te, o Madre.
Questa nostra çitade,
Sia sempre risguardata,
Sia sempre riservata – – da ogni male.
。。。。。。。。。。。。
。。。。。。。。。。。。
Ciara come una stela – – matutina.
O Maria de Marina,
Vegnisti zò dal çielo,
Portasti un bel vasselo – – sacrosanto.
E soto ‘l tuo bel manto
Ghe xè un’ eterna spiera,
Comparsa a Baldissera – – veciarelo.
Vegnisto zò dal çielo
Co que’ do torçi ardenti,
Che fa stupir la zente – – e porta in gloria.
Santa Maria de Cioza,
Comparsa su ‘na trave,
Per le nostre colpe grave – – dal pecato,
Questo logo è sacrato:
Maria de grazia piena
Ne salva e ne mantegna – – in questo loco.
De là de l’altro porto,
Dio salva i marinanti,
Dio salva i tartananti – – e i ortolani.
Mercanti e valesani,
Çità co gran signori,
Per li tuoi favori – – sia riguardati.
Scazziò da noi i pecati
Co ‘l suo prezioso Sangue
Cristo, ch’è morto in angue, – – in carne e in seno.
Vardè che tempo, degno
De fulmini e saete!
Maria ne benedissa – – tuti quanti!
Dopo finio sti cauti,
Da bari, (1) boschi e beli,
Da tartane e vasseli, – – e da tempesta;
Da fame, guera e peste,
E dai colpi de mare,
Dio salva ‘l figlio e ‘l pare – – e i mii frateli.
Da scorsarsi crudeli,
Dai barbari Otomani
Dio salva i Veneziani – – in ogni loco.
Maria fu giunta al porto:
Recapita in marina
‘Na nave pichenina – – apresso un scogio.
Maria, pregar ti voglio,
Chè sei la mia avocata:
Regina sei chiamata – – santa e bela!
Amen.
(1) Those lagoon points are so called. Due to the flow of the waters they are subject to dryness.
Rough translation:
The Madonna of the Marina of Chioggia
Saint Mary of the heavens,
With your virginity
[? The angels arrive ?] – – to your honors;
Pray for us Lord,
That I die in your arms,
And give more comfort – – for you, O Mother.
This our city,
May it always be taken care of,
May it always be saved – – from every evil.
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
。。。。。。。。。。。。。。
Clear as a star – – early morning.
O Mary of the marina,
You came down from heaven
And brought a beautiful vessel – – sacrosanct.
And under your beautiful mantle
There is an eternal light,
Comparable to Baldissera – – [? glaring. ?]
Came down from heaven
With those two burning torches,
That astonish the people – – and brought in glory.
Holy Mary of Chioggia,
Appearing on a beam,
For our grave faults – – from sin.
This logo is sacred:
Mary full of grace
It saves and preserves – in this place.
From beyond the other port,
God saves the sailors,
God saves the fishermen – – and the gardeners.
Merchants and boatmen,
City with grand gentlemen,
For your favors – – -be considerate.
He drove away our sins
With his precious Blood
Christ, who died in anguish, – – in the flesh and in his breast.
Look at that weather,
Worthy of thunder and lightning!
Mary blesses it – – all of it!
[? At the end of these cautions,
From bari (1), woody and beautiful,
From fishing boats and vessels – – and from the storm; ?]
[(1) Those lagoon points are so called. Due to the flow of the waters they are subject to dryness.]
From hunger, war and plague,
And from the blows of the sea,
God save the son and the father – – and my brothers.
From cruel [? scosarsi ?],
From barbarous Ottomans
God save the Venetians – – in every place.
Mary arrived in the port:
Delivered to the marina
A small ship – – near to a reef.
Mary, I want you to pray,
For you are my advocate:
You are called Queen – – holy and beautiful!
Amen.
+++++
3.
Ave Maria [Venetian]
Ave Maria pichenina!
Recordeve a la matina,
Recordeve de ben far,
Recordeve el desunar;
E d’andar a la pieleta
Per tor l’aqua benedeta,
Per bagnar le man e il viso,
Per andar in Paradiso:
Paradiso è bela cosa:
Chi ghe và sempre riposa;
A l’inferno è male zente:
Chi và, và per starghe sempre.
Hail little Mary!
Remember me in the morning,
Remember the good deeds,
Remember me [? at breakfast?]
And to go to the font
To take the holy water,
To wash the hands and the face,
To go to Paradise:
Paradise is a good thing:
He who goes there always reposes;
In hell are the bad people:
He who goes there, goes there forever.
#################################
2. Excerpts from The Folk-Songs of Italy, by Miss R. H. Busk, published by Swan Sonnenschein. Lowrey & Co., London, 1887.
(to be continued)
#################################
Quel Mazzolin di Canti 