Quannu a lu mastru chi facìa li pupi
ci capitava un lignu troppu duru,
diciva: "Chistu è bonu pi li scupi...!"
e lu jittava 'nta na 'gnuni 'i muru.
Ma si lu lignu inveci si pristava
e era chidda giusta la durizza,
cu l'àscia e lu scarpeddu lu 'ntagghiava
e ni faceva un'opra di biddizza.
Nascèvanu accussì li paladini:
Rinaldu, Orlandu, draghi di lu 'nfernu,
turchi, cavaddi, prìncipi e riggini!
Si u lignu era purritu 'nta l'internu,
diciva: "Nun lu jettu, ca a la fini
ci pozzu fari un capu di guvernu!"
TRADUZIONE
THE PUPPETS
Whenever the good master puppet maker
encountered wood that was a bit too hard
he'd say: "This wood's just good for brooms,"
and throw it in the corner near a wall.
But if the wood was promising instead,
its hardness being what it should have been,
he'd carve it with his chisel and his ax
making of it an object of true beauty.
This was the way the paladins were born:
Rinaldo and Orlando, hellish dragons,
Turks, horses, princes, and some queens as well.
But is the wood were gnawed by worms inside,
he'd say: "I won't throw this away. At last
I can make out of it a Head of State!"