Er gatto…
Photo from “Thailand” series. Anthony Kurtz.
Er gatto e er cane
Un Gatto soriano
diceva a un Barbone.
Nun porto rispetto
nemmanco ar padrone,
perché a l’occasione
je sgraffto la mano;
ma tu che lo lecchi
te becchi le botte.
Te mena, te sfotte,
te mette in catena
cor muso rinchiuso
e un cerchio cor bollo
sull’osso der collo.
Seconno la moda
te taja li ricci,
te spunta la coda . . .
Che belli capricci!
lo, guarda. so’ un Gatto,
so’ un ladro, lo dico.
Ma a me nun s’azzarda
de famme ste cose.
Er Cane rispose.
Ma io… je so’ amico!
- Trilussa
da Le favole, 1922
The cat and the Dog
The cat said to the dog,
“Look at it this way.
you’ll never see me pay
any respect to the man
In fact, if I’m in the mood,
I scratch him on the hand.
But you, you fetch his slippers,
lick his boots and slobber.
What does it get you? A kick!
He chains you to a stick
and chokes you with a collar,
or keeps you in a kennel,
then crimps your ears and tags you,
bobs your tail and clips you,
because it’s the latest fad,
and, brother, you’ve been had!
Look at me. I’m a cat!
l’ve stolen again and again,
but the man’s never tried
to keep me muzzled or penned”
The dog replied,
“But I’m his friend.”
- Trilussa
(Translated by John Du Val)
