NOTES

New Zealand Tablet, 3 November 1921, Page 26

NOTES

Book-Keeping There is a branch of instruction known to teachers and pupils as Bookkeeping, but with this we have nothing to do. The Book-keeping we are dealing with ■ was that referred to by an old Irish priest when he said: ‘"‘Father Gilhooly is a great- book-keeper, God forgive him his sins.” We all know great book-keepers of this kind, and we all have our devices for protection against them. Some are simply absent-minded people who forget to remember the clear moral distinction between the words “mine” and “thine”; others are kleptomaniacs tout court, to whom a book is at all times a proximate occasion; and others, the worst offenders, are simply careless concerning the property or the needs of their neighbor. For the, benefit of readers who understand Latin we quote the following little book verse, designed as a reminder to bookborrowers who are not ignorant of the same language: Librum meum — recole —• M ambus tuis tenes. Quamprimu restituas Si vis ut sint lenes , Qui tormentant fures Infernorum poems. Nomen mi hi N.N. est Nosff übi dego. Memento quod etiam Aliquando lego. A free translation, for the benefit of those who resent Latin, is: Remember, my book You hold in your hands. Return it soon Or you’ll suffer some day In the hands of Old Nick In the hot spot below. My name is N.N. And you know where I dwell. And I want to read it As well as yourself. The Martyrdom of St. Lucy Here is an Italian folk-song in honor of Santa Lucia. If you sing it when you go to Naples you will receive the freedom of the city if your voice is respect' able. If not don’t try : Santa Vandava in su la via Sola, soletta—c senza compagnia. Ei primo incontro — che lee Vha fatto Si Ve stato —el Re de Fran da. El Re de Francia Vha vista Santa Lucia-. Ghe domanda se la — maridarse. Santa Lucia — dij al Re de Francia Che la voreva. e-Averginella. El Re de Francia— Ve tomato a casa El s’e dichiaratoammalato ; E per guarireVha dij die ghe voreva 1 suoi begli occhio —de Santa Lucia. Santa Luciala s’e cavaa gli occhi E li ha mandati la basila. In equally artless if less poetical language we may render the song as ‘follows; Santa Lucia, alone, all alone. Without a companion was walking one day, And the first one she met, now who should he be But the great King of France who was coming the way. When he looked at Lucia and saw her so fair . He told her he wanted to make her His wife. But Santa Lucia then said to the King, . .“A virgin I’ll be all the days of my life.”

The poor King of France went home and Tell ill, And his doctors were puzzled atyhough they were wise. i Said the King, “You can’t ..cure me, and I’ll never be well ’ \ Unless Santa Lucia will give me her eyes. Santa Lucia then pitied his fate And sent him her beautiful eyes on a plate. When you translate it word for word as we have done (almost) it seems too simple for sophisticated people of the twentieth century. But all the old folk-songs are like that. And perhaps the peasants and fishermen who sing them get more enjoyment from them than most of us could get from the most polished lyrics of our poets. One poet alone was able to match the artless simplicity of folk-songs with faultless words, and it is dreadful for patriotic people to think that he was a German — like the great and good Queen Victoria’s husband! Hot Beranger, not Burns, not Moore can rival Heine as a singer of songs that have in them all the sweetness and tenderness of a thrush’s strain as well as melody and perfection of versification. For instance: Ein Fichtenbaum steht einsam In Nor den auf holder hoeh’. Ilm schlaefert ; mit w'eisser Deche U mhuellen ihn EisundSchn^e. Es traeumt von einer Palme, Die fern im Morgenland Einsam and schwiegend trauert Auf hrennender Felsenwand .