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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Eating -- Eggs and Poultry -- by Region
Larino, Molise*
o in Italian (Dialect): A galline se pele dope morte.
o in English: (Literally) A chicken is plucked after it dies. (Equivalent) There's a time for everything. Or, Look before you leap. Or, Be patient and don't jeopardize a good thing (e.g. in reference to inheritance).
o in Italian: (Dialect) Te se cume la galina orba, che la gira, la gira e la trova mai n'due fa l'ov.
Casacalenda, Molise
o in English: (Literally) You are like a blind hen that is turned around, turned around and so one finds that she has never hatched any eggs. (Meaning) You're running around like a mad woman and not getting anything done.
Contributed by: Antonio (Tony) Fantillo
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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Food -- Bread -- by Region -- Molise
Casacalenda, Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Lu pane a chi nun tene li dienti.
o in English: Bread is for those who don't have teeth.
o in Italian: La maglie e mezzo pane, lei mangiera la sua parte e la parte di suo marito.
o in English: (Literally) A wife is half a bread, she eats her half, and that of her husband's. (Equivalent) Having a wife costs a fortune -- she'll spend all the money she makes, and yours as well.
o in Italian (Dialect): Chi spera a re luotte, sta sembe a pancuotte.
o in English: (Literally) A. He who is always working in the fields ends up eating dry bread. B: He who plays the lottery ends up eating dry bread. The word "luotte" usually refers to fields when said in dialect; however, according to the Italian dictionary, the word, "luotte" means lottery. So the saying can mean: If you are born poor, rest assured you'll not be eating well. Or it can mean, If you're playing the lottery, then you will not be eating well as you will have no money to buy good food. One thing is certain -- prior to World War II "pancuotte" was seen as the food of the poor and therefore something to be avoided. Nowadays, "pancuotte" is perceived more favorably so the saying might no longer be in use.
Note: Prior to World War II "pancuotte" generally referred to bread that had dried out and so was moistened with a bit of water. However, sometimes the word "pancuotte" was used to mean stale bread -- something only the poorest of poor would eat (to fend off starvation).
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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Eating and Drinking -- Food -- Bread and Onions -- by Region -- Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Pane e cepolla a la casa teja.
o in English: (Literally) Bread and onions at home. (Meaning) There's nothing really good to eat -- just bread and onions.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1168465
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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Eating and Drinking -- by Region -- Molise
o In Italian: Sciocca fa le pane.
o In English: (Literally) A flake of corn makes bread. (Meaning) It's as likely to happen as a flake of corn turning into a loaf of bread. No way! | Contributed by: Image courtesy of the Library of Congress #3b31365r
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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Eating and Drinking -- by Region -- Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Ru pesce ruasse ze magne ru pescerille.
o in English: The big fish eat the little fish. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #3g09663r
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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverb or Folk Saying on Food -- Coffee -- by Region -- Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Remore de tazze e senza cafe.
o in English: Noise of cups, but no coffee! | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #94432
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Molise | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Food -- Dogs -- by Region -- Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Sci come un cane de l'urteiane, n'ze magne a'cepolle ma manche a'fa magna.
o in English: (Literally) Like a dog that doesn't eat onions but won't let others eat them either. (Meaning) Said of someone who is not only lazy, but manages to impede others from working hard as well.
o in Italian: (Dialect) Leccature de sicchje ne 'ngrassene cane.
o in English: Licking the bucket will not make the dog get fat. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #2580104
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Molise | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Folk Sayings or Proverbs on Wine -- by Region -- Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Le vine buone se venne senza frasca.
o in English: (Literally) Good wine can be sold without branches. (Meaning) Good products sell themselves -- they don't need any fancy advertising. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The Library of Congress #3b48502r
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Molise | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Italian Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Food -- by Region -- Molise
o in Italian: (Dialect) Pe canosce nu cresc-teine te c'eda magnie 'ziembra nu tumbere de seale.
o in English: (Literally) To know a person you have to eat together 50 kilos of salt. (Meaning) It takes a lifetime to consume 50 kilos of salt, so too it takes a lifetime to get to know someone really well. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #427187
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Molise, Italy | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Eating -- Fruit -- by Region -- Molise
Casacalenda, Molise*
o in Italian (Dialect): Nell' uorte di periente ze cogliene i melune.
o in English: (Literally) In your relatives' gardens you pick melons. (Meaning) Without sarcasm -- One can help oneself to one's relatives' food (One doesn't have to be asked). With sarcasm -- One takes advantage of one's relatives' generosity.
o in Italian: Al contadino non far sapere quanto e buono il formaggio con le pere.
o in English: (Literally) Don't let the peasant know good good cheese is with pears. (Meaning) Don't let the poor know how good it is to be rich.
*Contributed by Antonio (Tony) Fantillo
o in Italian (Dialect) Lampa e trona ca le fica so bone.
o in English: (Literally) Lighting and thunder makes the figs so good. (Meaning) Summer rains will help bring in a good harvest of figs. | Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1110833
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