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THE HOLY SQUASH
LA SANTA ZUCCA
   
In a convent, there was a monk who was known by everyone because he was able to guess the date in which Easter fell by counting the seeds of a squash.
In un convento, c'era un monaco che era conosciuto da tutti perché riusciva ad indovinare in che data cadeva la Pasqua contando i semi di una zucca.
   
This squash had to be one that he himself had planted from seeds in his garden, and which he called "The Holy Squash". When the monk opened a squash to guess the day of Easter, the people formed lines to see him.
La zucca doveva essere una di quelle che seminava egli stesso nel suo orto e che lui chiamava "La Santa Zucca". Quando il monaco apriva una cucurbita per indovinare il giorno della Pasqua, la gente faceva la fila per vederlo.
   
The sexton, who was envious, one day, thought that he would embarrass the monk in front of everyone. When the monk opened the squash in public, the sexton, unseen by all, added a handful of seeds in the squash. Il sagrestano, che era invidioso, un giorno pensò di fargli fare una brutta figura davanti a tutti. Quando il monaco aprì la zucca in pubblico, il sagrestano, senza farsi vedere, ci aggiunse dentro un pugno di semi.
   
The monk began to count, but, count and count, the seeds were always too many. He picked then another squash, but even this time the sexton added a handful of seeds in the squash. Il monaco cominciò a contare, ma, conta e conta, i semi erano sempre troppi. Colse, allora, un'altra zucca, ma anche questa volta, il sagrestano ci aggiunse un pugno di semi.
   
The monk, who did not know what else to do, when he got tired of counting, turned to the crowd and said: Il monaco, che non sapeva più cosa fare, quando si stufò di contare, si rivolse verso la gente e disse:
   
-According to The Holy Squash, Easter is neither coming this year, nor next year! - - Secondo la Santa Zucca, Pasqua non viene né per quest'anno, né per l'anno prossimo! -
   
The phrase "According to The Holy Squash" (Seconde la Sante Chicocce) is still cited today when one realizes that he is about to begin a useless activity, or one that will not bring anything good.  
 
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