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There was an old man called Brother John because he was very religious and always prayed. |
C'era un vecchio che chiamavano Fra' Giovanni perché era molto religioso e pregava sempre.
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The people used to say that he was very rich and that he kept his money in a box hidden under his bed. |
La gente diceva che era molto ricco e che teneva i soldi dentro una cassetta nascosta sotto al letto. |
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| One day, a man who wanted to steal all his money climbed on top of the roof and from inside the chimney began to say: |
Un giorno, un uomo che gli voleva rubare i soldi salì sul tetto e, da dentro la cappa del camino, cominciò a dire: |
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Come up, come up Brother John
That in Heaven Jesus wants you
Send up first the box
And then you come up. |
Sali, sali Fra' Giovanni
Chè in cielo ti vuole Gesù
Sali prima la cassetta
E dopo sali tu.
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| The old man, hearing this call from inside the chimney, really thought that it was Jesus himself calling him because his time had come, and asked if he could rise to heaven without confessing himself and without receiving communion. |
Il vecchio, sentendosi chiamare da dentro il camino, pensò veramente che fosse Gesù che lo chiamava perché era giunta la sua ora e domandò se poteva salire in cielo senza confessarsi né comunicarsi. |
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| The man, from the rooftop, answered that since he had been always so devout, there was no need for him to go to confession, it was enough for him to bring the box with him, and repeated to him: |
L'uomo, da sopra al tetto, gli rispose che siccome era stato sempre così devoto, non aveva bisogno di confessarsi, bastava che portasse con lui la cassetta e gli ripeté: |
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Come up, come up Brother John
That in Heaven Jesus wants you
Send up first the box
And then you come up. |
Sali, sali Fra' Giovanni
Chè in cielo ti vuole Gesù
Sali prima la cassetta
E dopo sali tu.
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| Brother John was convinced: he went to get the box, put a chair under the chimney opening, and passed the box into the chimney. |
Fra' Giovanni si convinse: andò a prendere la cassetta, mise una sedia sotto la bocca del camino, ci salì sopra e fece passare la cassetta dentro la cappa. |
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| Thus, the man who was on the rooftop took the box with all the money. |
Così, l'uomo che si trovava sopra al tetto si prese la cassetta con tutti i soldi. |
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| Still today, when people talk of Brother John's Box (Cascette di Fra' Giuvanne), they refer to a container, the exterior of which leaves much to be desired, but the content of which contains pleasant surprises. |
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