are few
peculiarities of form, and they refer almost exclusively to the
beginning and ending of the stories. Those from Sicily begin either
with the simple "_cc'era_" (there was), or "_'na vota cc'era_" (there
was one time), or "_si raccunta chi'na vota cc'era_" (it is related that
there was one time). Sometimes the formula is repeated, as, "_si cunta e
s' arricunta_" (it is related and related again), with the addition at
times of "_a lor signuri_" (to your worships), or the story about to be
told is qualified as "_stu bellissimu cuntu_" (this very fine story).
Ordinarily they begin, as do our own, with the formula, "once upon a
time there was." The ending is also a variable formula, often a couplet
referring to the happy termination of the tale and the relatively
unenviable condition of the listeners. The Sicilian ending usually is:--

"Iddi arristaru filici e cuntenti,
E nuatri semu senza nenti."

(They remained happy and contented, and we are without anything.) The
last line often is "_E nui semu cca munnamu li denti_" (And here we are
picking our teeth), or "_Ma a nui 'un ni desinu nenti_" (But to us they
gave nothing), which corresponds to a Tuscan ending:--

"Se ne stettero e se la goderono
E a me nulla mi diedero."

(They stayed and enjoyed it, and gave nothing to me.) A common Tuscan
ending is:--

"In santa pace pia
Dite la vostra, ch'io detto la mia."

(In holy pious peace tell yours, for I have told mine.) In some parts of
Sicily (Polizzi) a similar conclusion is found:--

"Favula scritta, favula ditta;
Diciti la vostra, ca la mia e ditta."

(Story written, story told; tell yours, for mine is told.) So in
Venice,--

"Longa la tua, curta la mia;
Conta la tua, che la mia xe finia."

(Long yours, short mine; tell yours, for mine is ended.) The first line
is sometimes as follows:--

"Stretto il viuolo, stretta la via;
Dite la vostra, ch'io detto la mia."

(Narrow the path, narrow the way; tell yours, for I have told mine.) The
most common form of the above Tuscan ending is:--

"Stretta e la foglia e larga e la via,
Dite la vostra che ho detto la mia."

(Narrow is the leaf, broad is the way, etc.) This same ending is also
found in Rome.[12] These endings have been omitted in the present work
as they do not constitute an integral part of the story, and are often
left off by the narrators themselves. The narrative is usually given in
the p