Hi,

I'll post this last Italian traditional version of "L'Avvelenato" for comparison since it has a translation:

[Appendix]: Dove andashti ieri sera?
by A. Martin Freeman and Lucy E. Broadwood from Journal of the Folk-Song Society, Vol. 5, No. 19 (Jun., 1915), pp. 247-248

DOVE ANDASHTI IERI SERA?

SUNG BY DOMINICA PERSI (IN SERVICE). Noted by A. Martin Freeman FROM PIPERNO, ROMAGNA, ITALY, FEB. 18th, 1915.

w/Music

1. "Dove andashti ieri sera,
Bela brunetta, di, rosa frese' e rosa meschi?
Dove andashti ieri sera?"
"A farla una scena,
Bella brunetta, di, rosa frese' e rosa meschi?
A farla una scena."

2. "Chi cena fu la
Variant of last phrases.
A farla una scena.
Dove andashti ieri sera?

2 *Che cena fu la tua?
Bella brunetta, etc."
"Una foglia d'insalata.
Bella brunetta, etc.
Una foglia d'insalata."

3 "Ch' e cena avvelanata!" [as before]
"Andade a chiamra lo notaro."

4 Che t' e le fa lo notaro?
"Pe' fa lo teshtamento."

5 "Che ce lassa a patto ?"
". . . ."

6 "Che ce lassa a mammada?"
"Lo bastone della vecchiaja."

TRANSLATION.

1 "Where did you go last night,
Pretty brunette?
Tell me, fresh rose, and poor little rose.
Where did you go last night ?"
"I went to a supper,
Pretty brunette, etc.
I went to a supper."

2 "What did you have for supper " [as before]
"A leaf of salad."

3 "Which is a poisoned supper!"
"Go and call the notary."

4 "What is the notary for?"
"To make my will."

5 "What do you leave to your father?"
" . . . ."

6 "What do you leave to your mother?"
"The staff of old age."

Asked whether there might not be different words for the refrain in the second half of the verse, the singer answered that she thought she had dictated it correctly. When asked why she said "a farla" and not "a fare una cena," she answered "Because it is past." "Patto" and "mammada" are for "tuo padre" and "tua mamma." Similarly, in another of her songs, "maridomo "stood for" mio marito."

I must leave it to those who may be skilled in the dialect of Piperno, Romagna, to explain other difficulties. An obvious emendation is to read "scena" (in the sense of "cena") wherever the word occurs. But as I am not competent to edit the text, consisting of dialect infected with literary Italian, I have not touched it. -A. M. F.

"L'Avvelenato" of Dr. Bolza's collecting begins:

"Dove si sta jersira,
Figliuol mio caro, fiorito e gentil?
Dove st std jersira?"
"Sen sta dalla mia dama;
Signera Mama, mio core sta mal!
Sdn std dalla mia dama;
Ohime! ch'io moro, ohime!"

and a Venetian version, also quoted by Child, (from whose Ballads the above verse is taken), gives a very similar refrain to the second half of the stanza. Probably, therefore, Dominica Persi's repetition of "Bella brunetta, etc.," has replaced some forgotten words of the same kind as those beginning "Signora Mama."-L. E. B.
* * * *

Richie