The Collected Sicilian Folk and Fairy Tales of Giuseppe Pitre

1028 Pages·2008·3.23 MB·English

by  Giuseppe

The Collected Sicilian
Folk and Fairy Tales of
Giuseppe Pitrè
Volume 1 & 2
Figure 1. Photo of Giuseppe Pitrè as an older man.
Figure 11. Drawing of Giuseppe Pitrè.
The Collected
Sicilian Folk and
Fairy Tales of
Giuseppe Pitrè
Volume 1 & 2
Translated and Edited by
Jack Zipes and Joseph Russo
Illustrated by Carmelo Lettere
First published 2009
by Routledge
270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
Simultaneously published in the UK
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2008.
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Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Pitrè, Giuseppe, 1841–1916.
[Selections. English 2008]
The collected Sicilian folk and fairy tales of Giuseppe Pitrè / translated and edited by Jack
Zipes and Joseph Russo ; illustrated by Carmelo Lettere.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978–0–415–98032–6 (the set. : alk. paper) – ISBN 978–0–415–98030–2 (volume 1 : alk.
paper) – ISBN 978–0–415–98031–9 (volume 2 : alk. paper)
1. Tales – Italy – Sicily. 2. Folklore – Italy – Sicily. I. Zipes, Jack David. II. Russo, Joseph. III.
Title.
GR177.S5P425 2008
398.209458 – dc22 2007051729
ISBN 0-203-92790-7 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN10: 0–415–98030–5 (hbk volume 1)
ISBN10: 0–415–98031–3 (hbk volume 2)
ISBN10: 0–415–98032–1 (hbk 2-volume set)
ISBN10: 0–203–92790–7 (ebk 2-volume set)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–98030–2 (hbk volume 1)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–98031–9 (hbk volume 2)
ISBN13: 978–0–415–98032–6 (hbk 2-volume set)
ISBN13: 978–0–203–92790–8 (ebk 2-volume set)
To the memory of my grandfather, Vittorio Pollina, who first told me some of
these tales, and to my grandchildren, Maisie Wise Guzi and Phineas
Butterworth O’Brien, to whom I pass them on.
Joseph Russo
To Pier Carlo Bontempelli, friend and bodyguard, and to my sisters, Phyllis
Lakow and Iris Egan, great storytellers in their own right.
Jack Zipes

Contents
Preface xiv
Acknowledgments xvi
The Indomitable Giuseppe Pitrè 1
Jack Zipes
The Sicilian Folk Tales of Giuseppe Pitrè 21
Joseph Russo
I. Popular Fairy Tales 33
1. The Tale Told Time and Again—Lu cuntu di “Si raccunta” 35
2. The Parrot with Three Tales to Tell—Lu pappagaddu chi cunta tri
cunti 37
3. The King of Spain’s Daughters—Li figghi di lu Re di Spagna 48
4. Pretty Poor-Girl—Povira-bedda 50
5. The Pot of Basil—La grasta di lu basilicò 52
6. Catarina the Wise—Catarina la sapienti 59
7. The Count’s Sister—La soru di lu conti 65
8. The Talking Belly—La panza chi parra 68
9. The Three Cottages—Li tri casini 74
10. Water and Salt—L’acqua e lu sali 75
11. My Three Beautiful Crowns—Li tri belli curuni mei 78
12. King Dead Horse—Lu Re Cavaddu-mortu 81
13. Snow White, Flaming Red—Bianca-comu-nivi-russa-comu-focu 86
14. Mandruni and Mandruna—Mandruni e Mandruna 90
15. The King of Spain—Lu Re di Spagna 96
16. The Three Obedient Children—Li tri figghi obbidienti 101
17. Marvizia—Marvizia 104
18. The King of Love—Lu Re d’amuri 112
19. The Slave—Lu scavu 120
20. The Old Woman of the Garden—La vecchia di l’ortu 123
21. The Marriage of a Queen with a Robber—Lu spunsaliziu di ’na
riggina c’un latru 127
22. The Seven Robbers—Li setti latri 131
23. The Thirteen Bandits—Li tridici sbannuti 135
vii
viii Contents
24. White Onion—Bianca cipudda 138
25. The Silversmith—L’arginteri 140
26. Pietro the Farm Steward—Petru lu massariotu 144
27. Peppi, Who Wandered Out into the World—Peppi, spersu pri lu
munnu 150
28. The Magic Purse, Cloak, and Horn—La vurza, lu firriolu e lu
cornu ’nfatatu 158
29. The Poor Shoemaker Dying of Hunger—Lu scarpareddu mortu
di fami 163
30. The Little Nun—La munachedda 166
31. The Empress Trebisonna—La ’Mperatrici Trebisonna 168
32. King Animmulu—Lu Re d’Anìmmulu 171
33. Tridicinu—Tridicinu 176
34. The Enchanted Horse—Lu cavaddu ’nfatatu 180
35. The Story of a Queen—Lu cuntu di ’na riggina 183
36. The Herb-Gatherer’s Daughters—Li figghi di lu cavuliciddaru 189
37. Rosemary—Rosamarina 198
38. The Magic Balls—Li palli magichi 201
39. The Empress Rosina—Rusina ’Mperatrici 205
40. The Little Mouse with the Stinky Tail—Lu surciteddu cu la cuda
fitusa 209
41. The Little Lamb—La picuredda 213
42. Date, Oh Beautiful Date—Gràttula-Beddàtula 214
43. Pilusedda—Pilusedda 223
44. The Little Magpie—La ciaulidda 227
45. The Doe—La cerva 228
46. The Humpback—La jimmuruta 229
47. The Tailor and the Dung-Maiden—Lu custrïeri 232
48. Angelica’s Ring—L’aneddu d’Ancelica 234
49. The Barber’s Clock—Lu roggiu di lu varveri 235
50. Give Me the Veil!—Dammi lu velu! 238
51. The Little Monk—Lu munacheddu 242
52. The Tuft of Wild Beet—La troffa di la razza 243
53. Virgil the Sorcerer—Lu magu Virgillu 248
54. The Devil—Lu diavulu Zuppiddu 251
55. The Fairy Princess’s Midwife—La mammana di la
Principissa-fata 253
56. The Serpent—Lu sirpenti 255
57. Child Margarita—La ’nfanti Margarita 260
58. Sun, Pearl, and Moon—Suli, Perna e Anna 263
Contents ix
59. Biancuciuri’s Daughter—La figghia di Biancuciuri 268
60. Ciciruni—Ciciruni 273
61. Baldellone—Burdilluni 279
62. The Two Sisters—Li dui soru 287
63. Mamma-draga the Ogress—La Mamma-dràa 289
64. The Devils and the Shoemaker—Lu scarparu e li diavuli 292
65. The Two Good Friends—Li dui cumpari 294
66. The Blood Sausage—Lu sangunazzu 296
67. The Fairy Who Wouldn’t Speak—La fata muta 299
68. The Ragamuffin—Lu tignusu 302
69. The Fisherman—Lu piscaturi 304
70. Filippeddu—Filippeddu 309
71. The Cyclops—Lu ciclòpu 313
72. The Daughter of the Merchant of Palermo—La figghia di lu
mircanti di Palermu 318
73. White Flower—Ervabianca 320
74. The King of Spain and the English Lord—Lu Re di Spagna e lu
milordu ’nglisi 325
75. The Jewel-Studded Boot—La stivala 333
76. The Left Hand Squire—Lu braccieri di manu manca 339
77. The Great Narbuni—Lu gran Narbuni 342
78. Old Man Truth—Lu zu Viritati 346
79. The King of Naples—Lu Re di Napuli 348
80. The Cistern—La jisterna 351
81. The Magic Lantern—La lanterna magica 356
82. The Emperor Scursuni—Lu ’Mperaturi Scursuni 358
83. The Rogue—Lu malacunnutta 362
84. The Beauty of the Seven Mountains of Gold—La bedda di li
setti muntagni d’oru 372
85. The Merchant—Lu mircanti 378
86. The Unfortunate Princess—Sfurtuna 382
87. Don Giovanni Misiranti—Don Giuvanni Misiranti 387
88. Count Joseph Pear—Don Giuseppi Piru 391
89. The Enchanted Dog—Lu cani ’nfatatu 396
90. The Prince and the Charcoal Burner—Lu principi e lu carbunaru 398
91. The Old Miser—Lu vecchiu avaru 402
92. The Prince of Messina—Lu Principi di Missina 404
93. The Gluttonous Wife—La ghiuttuna 407
94. The Seven Little Heads—Li setti tistuzzi 409
95. The Symphonic Eagle—L’acula chi sona 411