Tellus Tales

Once upon a time, there was a sweet little girl who was loved by everyone. Her Grandmother loved her most of all, and once gave her a red cloak which the girl liked so much that she would wear nothing else. So she was always called Little Red Riding Hood.

C’era na vota na bedda picciridda ca tutti vulevunu beni. So nonna era troppu affezionata e nu iornu c’arrialàu smantellino russu, ca sta picciridda nun si luvàu chiù, e quindi tutti pari a chiamavunu capuccettu russu.

One day, when her father was out chopping wood, Little Red Riding Hood’s mother said to her “Your grandmother has been feeling ill. Go take this basket to her. In it I’ve put some eggs, juice, and cake.”

N’Iornu mentri so pacci stava tagghiannu i ligna, a macci ri cappuccettu russu ci rissi a so figlia:”To nonna sta mali, pòttici sta cesta, ci su l’ova, u succu e a totta”.

And so, Little Red Riding hood set off for her grandmother’s cottage in the middle of the woods. It was a bright and sunny morning. Along the way, Red Riding Hood was so happy she wanted to dance through the woods. All around her grew pretty wild flowers which she loved so much that she stopped to pick a bunch for her grandmother.

Cappuccetto russu allura, si ni iu ndi so nonna a peri, passiannu nda campagna ed era troppu cuntenta ca virennu I ciuri frischi pinsau, di puttariccinni nmazzu a so nonna.

When Little Red Riding Hood stooped to pick a flower, a gruff voice behind her said, “Good morning, Little Red Riding Hood.” She turned around and saw a great big wolf, but she did not know what a wicked beast the wolf was, so she was not afraid.
“Good morning, Mr. Wolf”, she replied happily.

Ma quando cappuccettu russu s’accalau pi cogghiri sti ciuri, na mala vuci arreri idda rissi:
“Buongiorno, Cappuccettu russu”. E a figghia, furiannusi visti nlupu rossu rossu…e u salutau tutta cuntenta!

“What have you got in that basket, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“Eggs and juice and cake.”

“Chi hai ndi stu cestu?”
“Ova,succu e totta.”

“Where are you going with them, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“To my Grandmother’s. She’s quite ill.”

“Unni sta iennu, cappuccettu russu?”
“Ndi me nonna, è mpocu malata.”

“Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?”
“A good half an hour further into the woods. Three large apple trees sit in front of her house. Surely you must know it.”

“E unni sta to nonna?”
“Chiù avanti, ndi sta strada, ci su tri àvviri ri meli ravanti a so casa!”

“I do indeed”, replied the wolf, and with that he set off whilst Little Red Riding Hood continued her search for pretty wild flowers.

“U capì”, rissi u lupo, e accuminciau a ciccari sta casa, mentre a carusidda ciccava altri ciuri.

At last the wolf found the cottage with the three large apple trees and knocked at the door.

Appena u lupo attruvàu sta casa, tuppuliau nda potta.

Awoken from her sleep, the grandmother asked “Who’s there?”.
“Little Red Riding Hood,” said the wicked wolf.
“Press the latch, open the door, and walk in,” said the grandmother.

A nonna appena sintìu ca u lupo ci rissi ca era Cappuccettu russu, u fici tràsiri, ma appena a nonna u visti, niscìu ro letto e trasìu ndi l’armadiu.Allora u lupu s’abbiàu ndo lettu ra nonna e si misi u so cappidduzzu.

The wolf pressed the latch, opened the door, and walked in. He made one jump at her, but she jumped out of her bed and into a closet. The wolf then put on the grandmother’s cap and crept under the bedsheets.

Appena Cappuccettu russu, arruvàu nda casa ri so nonna, rapì a potta tutta cuntenta!

After a while, Little Red Riding Hood walked through the open door, calling out
“Good morning, Grandmother, I have brought you eggs, juice and cake, and some pretty flowers.”

As she came closer to the bed she said,
“Oh! Grandmother, what big ears you have!”
“All the better to hear you with, my child.”

Ma appena s’avvicinau ndo letto ci rissi a sò nonna:
“Oh! Nonna chi mali aricchi ca c’hai!”
“P’ascutariti megghiu, bedda me.”

“But, Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”
“All the better to see you with, my dear.”

“Oh! Nonna chi mali occhi ca c’hai!”
“Pi taliariti megghiu, bedda me.”

“But, Grandmother, what big hands you have!”
“All the better to hug you with.”

“Oh! Nonna chi mali manu ca c’hai!”
“P’abbracciariti megghiu, bedda me.”

“But, Grandmother, what big teeth you have!”
“All the better to eat you with!” he said as he sprang at Little Red Riding Hood.

“Oh! Nonna chi mali renti ca c’hai!”
“Pi mangiariti megghiu!” Rissi, sautannu rincoddu a cappuccettu russu…

Just at that moment Little Red Riding Hood’s father was passing the cottage and heard her scream. He rushed in and with his axe chopped off Mr. Wolf’s head.

Proprio ni du momento però, u pacci ri cappuccettu russu, stava passiannu ravanti u cottage e a sintìu ittari schigghi. Trasìu ri cassa ndi sta casa e ci tagghiàu a testa o lupu.

Everybody was happy that Little Red Riding Hood had escaped the wolf. Then Little Red Riding Hood’s father carried her home and they lived happily ever after.

Tutti pari furunu cuntenti ca cappuccettu russu si savvau e vivenu tutti pari felici e cuntenti.

A European folk-tale from the 10th century.

Tradotto in siciliano da William Sinatra.

(Na fiaba europea del X secolo)