LA DISPENZA DER MADRIMONIO (The marriage Licence)

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Quella stradaccia me la sò lograta:
Ma quanti passi me ce fussi fatto
Nun c'era da ottené pe gnisun patto
De potemme sposà co mi' cuggnata.

Io c'ero diventato mezzo matto,
Perché, dico, ch'edè sta baggianata
C'una sorella l'ho d'avé assaggiata
E l'antra no! nun è l'istesso piatto?

Finarmente una sera l'abbataccio
Me disse: "Fijo se ce stata coppola,
Pròvelo, e la licenza te la faccio".

"Benissimo Eccellenza", io jarisposi:
Poi curzi a casa, e, pe nu dì una stroppola,
M'incoppolai Presseda, e ssemo sposi.


English

I've worn out that damned street [1] :
But in spite of all this walking
There was no way to obtain the permission
To marry my sister-in-law.

It was driving me crazy
Because, I say, what a nonsense
That I already had a taste of one sister [2] ,
But not the other! Isn't it just the same?

Finally one evening the damned abbot
Told me: "My dear, if there has been copulation,
Prove it, and I'll give you the licence".

"Very well, Excellency", I answered:
Then I rushed home and, not to tell a lie,
I had sex with Praxedes [3] , and we got married.

© Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli