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Nonsense
rhymes |
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| The following verses are sung as lullabies
for infants: |
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Suonn'
ca v'nist' ra Caserta, |
Oh sleep, you came from
Caserta, |
rimm'
si la bella mia eia viva o morta; |
tell me if my love is
alive or dead. |
ier'
sera la lassaij' a lliett', |
Last night when I left
her in bed |
facìa
lu sagg' r' la mort'. |
She had the pallor of
death. |
. |
. |
Suonn'
'ngannator', 'nganna amant' |
Deceiving sleep, you
deceive lovers. |
'nganna
lu ninn' mij' ca s'add'rmenta; |
Deceive my baby so he
falls asleep. |
ninna
nanna, la ninna a chi è nat' |
Sleep sleep, bring sleep
to my newborn. |
sia
b'n'ritt' Dij' chi l'av' criat', |
Blessed be God who created
him. |
sia
b'n'ritt' Dij' e la Maronna, |
Blessed be God and the
Madonna |
lu
paravis' cu tutt li sant'. |
Heaven with all its
saints. |
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Suonn',
suonn' nn' v'nì ra sul', |
vien'
a cavagghij' cum' a li s'gnur', |
vien'
a cavagghij' a nu cavagghij' ianch' |
la
sella r'or' e la staffa r' diamant'; |
vien'
a cavagghij' a nu cavagghij' russ' |
la sella r'or' e la vriglia a lu muss'. |
. |
Faij'
la ninna, la ninna r'or', |
eia
morta la hagghijna 'ngimma a l'uov'; |
faij'
la ninna, la ninna r'or', pozza m'rì chi mal' t'
vol'. |
. |
Ninna
nanna, la ninna mo' ven'
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nn'
ng'eia la mamma chi t' vol' bben'; |
nn'
ng'eia la mamma e manck' ng'eia l'attan' |
so'
giut' a pr'hà a Sant' Caitan'. |
. |
Nn'
ng'eia la mamma e manck' la nonna |
so'
giut' a pr'hà a la Maronna; |
ninna
nanna, la ninna la nanna |
sì
p'cc'ninn' e t' canta la mamma. |
. |
Vien'
Maronna, vien' m' l'adduorm'
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adduc'mmill'
quann' è fatt' iuorn'; |
vien'
Maronna, cu st' mmenn' chien' |
pòrtar'
a stu' criatur' ca s' r' bbev'. |
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Sleep, sleep, don’t
come all alone. |
Come on horseback like a prince, |
come riding a white horse |
with a golden saddle and diamond stirrups; |
come riding a red horse |
with a golden saddle and a bridle. |
. |
Rock a bye baby, baby of gold. |
The hen died sitting on her egg. |
Rock a bye baby, baby of gold and death
to whoever wishes you harm
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Go to sleep, love, sleepy sleep. |
Mother loves you but she’s not
here. |
There’s no mama or papa here |
| They went to pray to Saint
Caietan. |
. |
Neither mama nor granny
is here. |
They went to church to pray. |
Rock a bye baby, my darling,
go to sleep. |
Mama’s little darling,
let mama sing to you. |
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Come, Madonna, and let my
baby sleep. |
Bring him back to me at
the break of day. |
Come, Madonna, with your
full breasts. |
Bring them for my child
to suckle on. |
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