| When a child’s tooth fell out, it was a practice
to hurl the tooth on a roof, to keep it from animals
because they believed if an animal found the tooth,
a tooth like the animal’s would grow in the
child’s mouth. |
| Simultaneously this formula was recited: |
calitri
tradizioni |
Titta,
titta, titta, |
teccut'
lu stuort' |
e
damm' lu r'ritt'. |
Rammìll'
fort' |
chi
romb' r' port', |
rammìll'
san' |
chi
romb' r' pan'. |
calitri
tradizioni |
Roof, roof, roof
|
Take my crooked one, |
And give me a straight one. |
Give me a strong one, |
So it will break doors, |
Give me a healthy one |
So it will cut through bread. |
calitri
tradizioni |
*** |
| In order to make a child’s tummy ache go away,
many mothers resorted to this magic formula: |
calitri
tradizioni |
Sant'
Martin' ra Roma v'nìa, |
tutt'
'nfuss' r'acqua avìa. |
Scì
'ndà na casa p'alluggià; |
la
m'glier' r'cìa sin' |
e
lu marit' r'cìa non'. |
Sott'acqua
e 'ngimma salament' |
e
pozza passà lu mal' r' la ventra. |
calitri
tradizioni |
Saint Martin was coming from
Rome |
Soaking wet from the rain |
He stopped in a home for lodging; |
Where the wife said he was welcome |
But her husband said he was not. |
Under water and vine shoots |
Make the stomach ache go away. |
