1. Mamma, nun mi mannari all'acqua sula, Picciotta sugnu e mi mentu a ghiucari; Pri strata mi cascò la tuvagghiula, E un picciutteddu mi l'happi a pigghiari. Toinella, toinà, toinella toinà! 2. E poi mi dissi, ch'è bedda sta gula, Ca un vasuneddu ci vurrissi dari, E sì ti'ngagghiu 'n'autra vota sula Tutti li santi ti fazzu chiamari.

1. Mamma, pray do not send me to the spring alone, For I am young, and may begin to play there; To-day by chance I lost the kerchief I had on, A fine young fellow found it on the way there. Toinella, toinà, toinella, toinà! 2. And then he said to me: “Your neck is very sweet, And I should like to kiss it, tho' no leave be given; But if another time alone we chance to meet, I'll make you call on all the saints in heaven!”

Return to Folk Songs Page

Additional Resources
Famous Italians	Folk Dances	Folktales
Folklore/Legends	Proverbs/Proverbi	Traditions

Marzo, Eduardo. Songs of Italy; sixty-five Tuscan, Florentine, Lombardian and other Italian folk- and popular songs. New York: G. Schirmer, 1904. 166

Share
	Tweet

Follow Us
Follow @italiansrus

Buy Now on Etsy

Buy Now

American Grown
With Italian Roots
Shirts & Novelties