Meridiunalata XXII: Hilaire Belloc’s “Tarantella” Translated into Neapolitan

Hilaire Belloc

In this installment of Meridiunalata / Southernade, Cav. Charles Sant'Elia translates into Neapolitan Tarantella by the great Franco-British writer Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953). While we normally translate vernacular (Neapolitan, Sicilian, et al.) works into English, we have on two occasions published poems from English into Neapolitan (see The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe and Notes on Coming Home by He Zhizhang). As with the two previous authors, we believe this may be the first time this was attempted with Belloc's work.

Tarantella

By Hilaire Belloc

Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?
And the tedding and the spreading
Of the straw for a bedding,
And the fleas that tease in the High Pyrenees,
And the wine that tasted of tar?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
(Under the vine of the dark verandah)?
Do you remember an Inn, Miranda,
Do you remember an Inn?
And the cheers and the jeers of the young muleteers
Who hadn’t got a penny,
And who weren’t paying any,
And the hammer at the doors and the din?
And the hip! Hop! Hap!
Of the clap
Of the hands to the twirl and the swirl
Of the girl gone chancing,
Glancing,
Dancing,
Backing and advancing,
Snapping of the clapper to the spin
Out and in–
And the ting, tong, tang of the guitar!
Do you remember an Inn,
Miranda?
Do you remember an Inn?

     Never more;
     Miranda,
     Never more.
     Only the high peaks hoar:
     And Aragon a torrent at the door.
     No sound
     In the walls of the halls where falls
     The tread
     Of the feet of the dead to the ground,
     No sound:
     But the boom
     Of the far waterfall like doom.

Tarantella

Hilaire Belloc (tradotta da Cav. Charles Sant’Elia)

T’arrecuorde ‘e na Taverna,
Miranda?
T’arrecuorde ‘e na Taverna?
E ‘o sténnere e ‘o spánnere
D’’a paglia pe nu lietto,
E ‘e púllece ca cufféjano ncopp’’e Pirinèje Aute,
‘O vino ca sapeva ‘e pece?
E ll’allucche e ‘e sische d’’e giùvene vaticare
(Sott’a prévola d’’a loggia scura)?
T’arrecuorde ‘e na Taverna, Miranda,
T’arrecuorde ‘e na Taverna?
E ll’allucche e ‘e sische d’’e giùvene vaticare
Ca nun tenévano nu turnese,
E ca nun pavávano niente,
E stu martellà ‘e’ porte e ‘a barbuglia?
E chillo hip! Hop! Hap!
D’’o sbattimiento
D’’e mmane a ‘o girà e a ll’avutà
D’’a guagliona juta arrisicanno,
Smiccejanno,
Abballanno,
Jenno annanze e arreto,
Schiocche ‘e mmane a ‘o girà
Dinto e fora–
E ‘o tingo tongo tango d’’a chitarra!
T’arrecuorde ‘e na Taverna,
Miranda?
T’arrecuorde ‘e na Taverna?

     Maje cchiù;
     Miranda,
     Maje cchiù.
     Sulo ‘a mascata d’’e cimme:
     E Aragona nu dellúvio ‘a’ porta.
     Nisciuno suono
     Int’’e mura d’’e sale addò cade
     ‘O scarpesà
     D’’e piede d’’e muorte nterra,
     Nisciuno suono:
     Ca ‘o tuono
     D’’a malasciorta comm’a na cascata luntana.