.

69

Er Passagallo. j
The Improvvisatore.
Romanesca.
Transcription by
F. Marchetti.

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For his sing-ing re-joiced themal-to-gether.

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I sing, the swan! my right, who dare de - ny it?.

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Tuer corvo, dunque sfarda e_ stat-te zit-to!.

The raven you, so get a - long and be qui-et!.

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ER PASSAGALLO. THE IMPROVVISATORE.

i.

Qnanno Noene l'arca frabbicone, When Father Noah built the ark aforetime,

Omini e bestie drento fece entrane, He let the beasts in with the men together:
Ma er corvo, che assordiva le persone, The raven, tho', who yelled as if 'twere wartime,
L'aria fresca manne- presto a pigliane. He sent out on the roof to watch the weather.
Er cigno invece co' tutti restone The swan, however, he gave rather more time,

E li fece cor canto rallegrane. For his singing rejoiced them altogether.

Io qui so er cigno e de cantane ho dritto : I sing, the swan! my right, who dare deny it?

Tu er corvo, dunque sfarda e statte zitto ! The raven you, so get along, and be quiet !

2.

Tu fai dritto lo storto e storto er dritto, White you call black, sir; black you say is white,
Ma che cigno non sei lo dirà er fatto. sir,

Io te disfido a singoiar confritto But you are no swan, that I soon will show
E chi ci ascorta dica sì so matto. you !

Dimme quar fune de Tarpea er delitto, I dare you here to meet me in fair fight, sir :

O che de sapienza
tu sei lo stratto ! All who hear, let them tell me if I know you !

Dimme che fine fece, e, si lo sai, Tell me the misdeed of Tarpeia aright, sir,

Dimme si er gallo a Roma cantò mai. For I feel I'm in wisdom far below you !

Tell me what was her end, and, if you're able,

Did e'er the cock of Rome crow? is't a fable?

Tarpea tradì la patria, e ho detto assai; Tarpeia betrayed Rome — that you've compre-
Morì la rea sotto li scudi altrui. hended ;

Dichi si er gallo a Roma cantò mai? Where she was buried, shields were overflow-
Per Dio, lo senti coll'orecchi tui ! ing;
Ma si arza er volo, nun ce so più guai, And if the cock of Rome to crow pretended?
Che Roma troverà li fiji sui. If you open your ears, you '11 hear him crow-
Mo' tu che sei dottore in battilonta, ing !

Quante le stelle so, si poi, racconta. If fly off, our sorrows were ended,
he should
For her children Rome has a way of knowing !

And now, you scholar in a wig, I '11 task you :

How many stars are in the sky, let me ask you?

Dotto nun so, ma la risposta è pronta: I am no scholar, but Iknow the answer:
Rena in der mare nun ce ne sta tanta, Not in the ocean are the sands as many
Quante so stelle; e tu vattele a conta, As stars in heav'n ; now count them if you can
Sì nun credi de crede a chi lo canta, sir !

Ma che serve de fa chi più ci affronta, Tho' you value my singing not "a penny!
Quanno de forza avemo tanta e tanta? But why go on so, and fight man to man, sir,
Io lasso er canto e me ne torno ar monte, When we two are as near alike as any?
Te do la bona notte e passo ponte. I'll sing no longer, but go home to bed, now,

And so good-night, and never mind what l 've

said, now !

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