Un momento di poesia siciliana / A moment of Sicilian poetry

LU SURCI E LU RIZZU di Giovanni Meli (1740-1815) Facìa friddu, ed un surci ’ngriddutizzu mentri sta tra la tana’ ncrafucchiatu, senti a la porta lamintari un rizzu chi ci dumanna alloggiu, umiliatu: “Jeu,” dici, “un vogghiu lettu, né capizzu; mi contentu di un angulu, o di un latu. O mi mettu a li pedi ’mpizzu ’mpizzu, basta chi sia da l’aria riparatu.” Lu surci era bon cori, e spissu tocca A li bon cori agghiùttiri cutugna; su’ assai l’ingrati, chi scuva la ciocca! Trasi lu rizzu, e tantu si cc’incugna Chi pri li spini lu surci tarocca, e dispiratu da la tana scugna: e di cchiù lu rampugna l’usurpaturi, e jia gridannu ancora: “Cui punciri si senti nèscia fora”. Dalla raccolta “Favuli Morali”

THE MOUSE AND THE HEDGEHOG by Giovanni Meli (1740-1815) It was cold, and a mouse, freezing, while crouching in his lair,  heard a hedgehog, complaining at the door,  humbly asking for lodging. “I want neither a bed nor a cushion,” he said; “I would be content with a corner,  or an edge,  or I’ll just stay on my tiptoes —  so long as I am sheltered from the cold air outside.”  The mouse had a good heart, and often  he who has a good heart has to swallow quinces (bitter pills);  many are the ungrateful that the hen hatches! The hedgehog enters, and he approaches him. Because of his spikes, the mouse bursts out in tears. Desperate, he is chased out of the den. And what’s more, the usurper  rebukes him, shouting,  “Whoever feels the sting, get out!”  From the collection “Favuli Morali.”

Momumento a Giovanni Meli, al Palazzo Pretorio (Piazza Pretorio, vicino ai Quattro Canti), Palermo.
Giovanni Meli monument, at the Pretorio Palace (located in Piazza Pretorio, near the Quattro Canti), Palermo.
Photo: Wikipedia