Notes

*Il Càssaro, aka Corso/Via Vittorio Emanuele is the oldest street in Palermo, Sicily.
Li Banneri (Via Bandiera) is another Palermo street famous for its stately mansions.
Ann originally translated the 5th and 6th lines as, "Going down to the barracks, Going down for the flags." We believe these lines are about two streets of Palermo.

**Gentleman, or soldier

Game Instructions

Rosaspina wrote that this nursery rhyme is sung at the table while eating a tangerine. (I'm loosely translating here...) Take a slice of tangerine with its peel on. Open it up and put it on your index finger like a hat and sing the rhyme. On the last line, "Bongiorno cavaleri!", have your finger bow and then put the tangerine in your mouth to eat.

Comments

Grazia wrote about this song on her site (here translated into English): "...it's about the story of a very beautiful hat to put on when one goes for a stroll around the most important streets of Palermo and for some special event like a new engagement."

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Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Ann Mancini for contributing and translating this song with her Mom, Dorothy Dietrich (the song was taught to her by her grandmother, Maria Ferrantelli).

Grazie mille!