La Vec[c]hia e Falsembiante
«Certanamente noi gli ab[b]iàn segata
La gola, e giace morto nel fossato:
E' nonn-à guar' che noi l'ab[b]iàn gittato,
E 'l diavol sì n'à l'anima portata».
La Vec[c]hia sì rispuose: «Or è amendata
Nostra bisogna, po' ch'egli è sì andato.
Colui cu' vo' m'avete acomandato,
I' metterò in servirlo mia pensata.
Dit' al valetto ch'i' ne parleròe:
Quando vedrò che 'l fatto sia ben giunto,
I' tutta sola a chieder sì·ll'andròe».
Allor si parte, ed ivi fece punto,
E tutti quanti a Dio gli acomandòe.
Molto mi parve che 'l fatto sie 'n punto.
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The Old Woman and False Seeming
"For sure we sawed right through
his throat, and he lies dead in the moat.
Not long ago we pitched him there,
and the devil took his soul away."
To this the Old Woman made reply: "Now our situation
is improved, since he's no longer with us.
I will put my every thought to serving
that one whom you have recommended to me.
Tell the young lad I'll speak on his behalf
when I see that the time is ripe,
I'll go all alone to get him."
Then she leaves, and put an end to her words,
and commended all of them to God.
It seemed to me that things were going very well.
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La Vec[c]hia e Bellacoglienza
Dritta a la camera a la donna mia
N'andò la Vec[c]hia, quanto può trot[t]ando,
E quella la trovò molto pensando,
Come se fosse d'una voglia ria.
Crucciosa so ch'era, che non ridia:
Sì tosto al[l]or la va riconfortando,
E disse: «Figl[i]uola mia, io ti comando
Che·ttu nonn-entri già i·mmalinconia;
E vê·cciò che tu' amico ti presenta».
Allor le mostra quelle gioielette,
Pregandola c[h]'a prenderl' aconsenta:
«Reguarda com' elle son belle e nette».
E quell' a domandar non fu già lenta
Chi era colui che gliele tramette.
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The Old Woman and Fair Welcome
The Old Woman went straight to my lady's chamber,
trotting along as fast as she could,
and she found her in a very anxious state,
as though she were in a foul mood.
I know she was worried, for she did not smile:
the Old Woman quickly began to comfort her,
saying: "My child, I suggest
that you not fall prey to melancholy;
see what your friend has given you."
At that point she shows her those lovely jewels
and asks her to accept them:
"Look at how beautiful and nice they are."
And the young woman was not slow to ask
who it was who sends them to her.
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La Vec[c]hia
«Il bel valetto di cu' biasmo avesti
Giadisse, sì [è] colui che·lle ti manda,
E 'l rimanente c[h]'à è a tua comanda:
Unquanche uon più cortese non vedesti.
E priegati, se mai ben gli volesti,
Che per l'amor di lui questa ghirlanda
Deg[g]ie portare, e sì sé racomanda
Del tutto a te: gran peccato faresti
Se 'l su' presente tu gli rifusassi;
Ch'i' son certana ch'e' si disper[r]ebbe
Se·ttu così del tutto lo sfidassi;
Ché, quanto ch'e' potesse, e' sìfareb[b]e
Per te, e sofferria che·llo 'ngaggiassi,
E, se 'l vendessi, sì gli piacereb[b]e».
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The Old Woman
"The handsome lad for whom you were once punished,
he is the one who sends them to you,
and the others that he has are at your command:
never have you seen a more refined man.
And he begs you, if you ever loved him,
that for love of him you must wear
this garland, and thus he puts himself
completely in your power. You would commit a great sin,
if you were to refuse his gift.
For I'm certain that he would despair,
if you were in this way to discourage him completely;
for he would do as much as he could for you,
and he would not object, even if you were to pawn it,
and, if you were to sell it, he would similarly be pleased."
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Bellacoglienza e la Vec[c]hia
«Madonna, i' dotto tanto Gelosia
Ch'esto presente prender non osasse;
Che·sse domane ella mi domandasse:
'Chi 'l ti donò?', io come le diria?».
«Risposta buona i' non ti celeria:
Che s'ogn' altra risposta ti fal[l]asse,
Sì dì almen ched i' la ti donasse,
Ed i' le dirò ben che così sia».
Allor la Vec[c]hia la ghirlanda prese,
E 'n su le treccie bionde a la pulcella
La puose, e quella guar' non si contese;
E po' prese lo spec[c]hio, e sìet ll'apella,
E disse: «Vien' qua, figl[i]uola cortese.
Riguàrdati se·ttu se' punto bella».
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Fair Welcome and the Old Woman
"My Lady, I fear Jealousy so much
that I would not dare to take this gift;
for if tomorrow she would ask me:
"Who gave it to you?' what would I tell her?"
"I would not conceal a good answer from you:
if any other answer would fail you,
you can say at least that I gave it to you,
and I'll tell her that this is the case."
Then the Old Woman took the garland
and put it on the young woman's golden braids,
and she did not resist too much.
And then she took the mirror and calls her,
saying: "Come here, gentle daughter.
Look at yourself, and see how beautiful you are!"
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Bellacoglienza e la Vec[c]hia
Al[l]or Bellacoglienza più non tarda:
Immantenente lo spec[c]hi' eb[b]e i·mmano,
Sì vide il viso suo umile e piano;
Per molte volte nello spec[c]hio guarda.
La Vec[c]hia, che·ll'avea presaen sua guarda,
Le giura e dice: «Per lo Dio sovrano,
Ch'unquanche Isotta, l'amica Tristano,
[.................................-arda]
Come tu·sse', figl[i]uola mia gentile.
Or convien che·ttu ab[b]ie il mi' consiglio,
Che cader non potessi in luogo vile.
Se non sai guari, no·mmi maraviglio,
Ché giovan uon non puot' esser sottile,
Chéd i', quanto più vivo, più asottiglio.
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Fair Welcome and the Old Woman
Thus Fair Welcome does not delay.
As soon as she took the mirror in hand,
she saw her humble and honest face:
she looks at herself many times in the mirror.
The Old Woman, who had taken her under her wing,
swears to her saying: "In the name of God the sovereign,
never did Isolt, Tristan's friend,
[. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]
as you are, my noble daughter.
It's best that you have my advice,
so that you might not fall into a bad situation.
I'm not surprised if you don't know a lot,
for a young person cannot be wise,
because the longer I live the wiser I become."
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