"This rhyme is from Tuscany, but is known all over Italy in many different versions. Children recite these rhymes while chasing fireflies on warm summer evenings. In some areas there is the custom that when children catch a firefly they put it under an upside down glass before going to bed; in the morning they find that the firefly has left some money under the glass." -Ernestine Shargool

Lucciola, Lucciola - Italian Children's Songs - Italy - Mama Lisa's World: Children's Songs and Rhymes from Around the World - Intro Image

Notes

Literal translation:

Firefly, firefly, yellow, yellow,
Bridle the mare
The king's son wants her.
Firefly, firefly, come with me.

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Gian Carlo wrote, "About the rhyme 'Lucciola lucciola', the following is the version chanted here in Lombardy:

Lucciola lucciola vien da me:
ti darò il pan del Re,
pan del Re e della Regina.
Lucciola, lucciola, vien vicina.

English translation

Firefly, firefly come to me:
I'll give you some King's bread,
Some King and Queen's bread.
Firefly, firefly, come near to me."

Here is a longer version that's similar to the one above:

Lucciola, lucciola, vien da me,
ti darò pane da Re,
pan da Re, pan da Regina!
Lucciola, lucciola maggiolina.

Lucciola, lucciola, abassa, abassa,
ti darò una materassa,
materassa da crinolina!
Lucciola, lucciola maggiolina.

English Translation

Firefly, firefly come to me:
I'll give you some King's bread,
King's bread, Queen's bread.
Firefly, May firefly.

Firefly, firefly, come down, come down,
I'll give you a mattress,
A horse-hair mattress.
Firefly, May firefly.

Listen

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Sheet Music

Sheet Music - Lucciola, Lucciola

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Ernestine Shargool for contributing and translating this song. Many thanks also to Gian Carlo Macchi for contributing the Lombardy version.

Image: "Grilli Canterini" (1920), illustrated by Corrado Sarri.

Grazie mille!