volume 3 Campidano

5. Pullighitta Pullighitta (Litle hen) Listen the track Real Audio

Introduction

Although the plot of Pullighitta (TATTI cat.78) is short and essential, it is a text of particular importance because it is of a type that has been scarcely documented in Sardinia: narrative texts of this type are characterised by a particular formal structure called 'superimposition' or 'chain-like'. The story of Pullighitta, narrated by Greca Tatti from Samugheo, is based on the motif of the little hen who refuses to lay an egg and the mistress causes other animals and objects to intervene (AT 2030). The plot is constructed by way of the use of a single formula which as the tales proceeds becomes larger and larger, without the addition of other information, which continues until the moment in which a link of the chain is broken: the last to intervene accepts the obligation to act and determines the dissolution of the chain. As Thompson says "the chain-tale never fails to be resolved, by degrees in a long final epilogue, that contains the whole sequence" which alone is sufficient to inform of the contents of the text, the value of which lies above all in the ability of the narrator to conclude it without making mistakes.

Chiarella Addari Rapallo
Enrica Delitala
University of Cagliari

Samugheo, 1974. Narratrice: Greca Tatti. Fonte: TATTI cat 78. Classification: Formula Tale - AT 2030 - The old lady and the pig.

Pullighitta The track in Real Audio Pullighitta deppia criare e non criada chenza nialle, e andada a petire s'ou a comare, «Comare, giaiemmi un'ou, ca 'ollede a criare Pullighitta». Di giughe' s'ou e Pullighitta non criada. Tandro, zerriada a margiane: «Margiane, pappande a Pullighitta ca Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» «Noo!» E tandro: «Cane, pappa a margiane, ca margiane non bollede pappare a Pullighitta, Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» «Noo!». «Fuste, iscude a cane, ca cane non bolle pappare a margiane, margiane non bolle pappare a Pullighitta, Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» «Noo!» Tandro: «Fogu, pappa a fuste, ca fuste non bollede iscudere a cane, cane non de 'ollede pappare a margiane, margiane non bolle pappare a Pullighitta, Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» «Noo!». «Abba, istuda a fogu, ca fogu non bolle pappare a fuste, fuste non bollede iscudere a cane, cane non de ollede pappare a margiane, margiane non bolle pappare a Pullighitta, Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» «Noo!» «Boe, buffa a abba ca abba non bolle istudare a fogu, fogu non bolle pappare a fuste, fuste non bolle iscudere a cane, cane non bolle pappare a margiane, margiane non bolle pappare a Pullighitta, Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» Tandro «Noo!». «Loru, accappia a boe, ca boe non bolle buffare a abba, abba non bollede istudare a fogu, fogu non bolle pappare a fuste, fuste non bollede iscudere a cane, cane non bolle pappare a margiane, margiane non bolle pappare a Pullighitta, Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s'ou a comare» «Noo!» Tandro, andada a su macellaiu, andada a ciappare su boe po du pangare. Cando est'andau su macellaiu, su boe po non du pangare d'a nau: «Giai buff'abba, giai buff'abba!», s'abba: «Giai istudo a fogu, giai istudo a fogu», su fogu: «Giai pappo a fuste, giai pappo a fuste!», fuste: «Giai iscudo a cane, giai iscudo a cane», cane: «Giai pappo a margiane, pappo a margiane!», margiane puru: «Pappo a Pullighittta, pappo a Pullighitta!», Pullighitta: «Giai crio, giai crio!». E tandro a criau e torrau s'ou a comare.

Pullighitta (Little hen) Pullighitta had to lay an egg and wouldn't do it without an egg to sit on and so she goes and asks comare* for an egg: "Comare, give me an egg because Pullighitta wants to lay an egg and she won't do it without an egg to sit on". She brings the egg and Pullighitta didn't lay the egg. So she calls the fox: "Fox, eat Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" "Well then, dog, eat up the fox because the fox won't eat up Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" "Stick, beat the dog because the dog won't eat the fox, because the fox won't eat up Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" "Well then, fire, burn the stick because the stick won't beat the dog, because the dog won't eat the fox, because the fox won't eat up Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" "Water, put out the fire because the fire won't burn the stick because the stick won't beat the dog, because the dog won't eat the fox, because the fox won't eat up Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" "Ox, drink the water because the water won't put out the fire because the fire won't burn the stick because the stick won't beat the dog, because the dog won't eat the fox, because the fox won't eat up Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" "Rope, tie up the ox because the ox won't drink the water because the water won't put out the fire because the fire won't burn the stick because the stick won't beat the dog, because the dog won't eat the fox, because the fox won't eat up Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won't lay an egg to give it back to Comare" "Nooo!" So she goes to the butcher , she goes to catch the ox to kill him. "I'll drink the water, I'll drink the water", the water: "I'll put out the fire, I'll put out the fire", the fire: "I'll burn the stick, I'll burn the stick", the stick: "I'll beat the dog, I'll beat the dog", the dog: "I'll eat up the fox, I'll eat up the fox", the fox: "I'll eat up Pullighitta, I'll eat up Pullighitta", Pullighitta: "I'll lay the egg, I'll lay the egg". So she laid the egg and gave it back to Comare. * Translator's note: Comare indicates the relationship between mother and godmother for the ceremonies of baptism or confirmation. This relationship is still strongly felt in Sardinia and the person may be addressed as 'Comare' rather than by their Christian name.