Tellus Tales

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.

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.

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”.

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.”

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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

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

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

“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.”

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

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

Appena u lupo attruvàu sta casa, tuppuliau nda potta.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.”

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

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.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

Tradotto in siciliano da William Sinatra.

A European folk-tale from the 10th century.

(Na fiaba europea del X secolo)