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A shepherd, who as a child had been unable to go to school because he had to help his father to watch the sheep, complained that he didn't know how to read or write. He was convinced that to learn to do that he had to go far away from his town.
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Nu pichirare chi da vaglione nin era putute i a la scole picchè aveva aiutuà lu puatre a i a pasce, z'arimmarichieve ca nin sapeve né legge e né scrive. Era cunvinte ca p'ambaràreze aveva i luntane da lu pajese addò abbitave.
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- If I could only spend a few days in the city, I would quickly learn how to read and write!- He would always say. |
- Si i putesse i co juorre a la cità, di sicure m'amparesse subbite a legge e a scrive! - diceve sempre. |
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| One day, he received a letter from a cousin who lived in Naples and who was inviting him to visit him because he needed his advice on some animals he was planning to buy. |
Nu juorre aricivette 'na lettere da nu cuggine chi stave a Nàpele e chi l'ammitieve a irle a truvà ca vuleve nu cunziglie pi cierte animale c'aveve accattà. |
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The man, happy, entrusted the sheep to a relative and left. |
L'ome, tutte cuntiente, lassette li pèchere a nu parente e partette. |
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| About ten days after, he came back with a nice new suit, with some money in his pockets and a newspaper under his arm. When the people used to see him, they praised him and he would wave the newspaper in answer. |
Doppe na dicine di juorre ariminette nchi nu belle vistite nuove, nchi ddù solde a la saccocce e nu giurnale sotte a lu vruacce. La jente, quanna lu videve, i faceve tante di chille cumplimiente e isse arispunneve a tutte chiente svintiliienne lu giurnale. |
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| - You even brought back a newspaper, then you must have learned how to read! - A buddy said to him. |
- Pure lu giurnale si purtate, allore ti si 'mparate a legge! - i dicette nu cumpare quanna lu vidette. |
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| - Yes, now I can read. I learned quickly.- Answered the shepherd who, the same day, sat in the public square and began to read the paper he had brought back from Naples. |
- Scine, mò sacce legge. Mi so 'mparate subbite. - Arispunnette lu pichirare chi, lu juorre stesse, zi mittette assittate a la piazze a legge lu giurnale chi z'era aripurtate da Nàpele. |
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| The local priest, who was one of the few in town who could read, passed by and saw that the man was holding the paper upside down. |
Passette lu prete chi a lu paese era uni di li poche chi sapeva legge addavere e vidette ca l'ome teneve lu giurnale aperte nniente all'uocchie, ma giriete sottessobbre. |
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| - What are you doing, my son, you are reading the paper upside down? - The priest said to him. |
- E cosa fai figliolo, leggi il giornale al contrario? - I dicette lu prete. |
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The shepherd first looked at the priest then at the paper, and without losing composure, replied: |
Lu pichirare guardette prime lu prete, po' lu giurnale e, senza scumpònneze arispunnette: |
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| - Father, those who can read can read straight or upside down ! - |
- Patre, chi sa legge, sa legge chiurte e diritte! - |
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| The phrase "Those who can read, can read straight or upside down" is usually used by those who starting an activity, realize that they have not attained the expectations because they are unable to do so, but they would not admit it. |
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