Question about an Italian Nursery Rhyme Game
Maria wrote me…
My father was from Volpago, Italy. His mother died when he was quite young. Rso, my Zia became the surrogate mother to the three younger siblings.
I remember her petting the palm of my hand from heel to fingertip and saying these words…
Manina bella
fata panella
dova sen data
date la nona…and she would tickle the palm of my hand and say, Giddie, giddie, giddie!.
I’m sure my spelling is way off but, perhaps you can decipher it. I would so appreciate any help so, I can play with my great grandchildren as Zia did with me.
Thank you so much.
Maria
If anyone is familiar with this rhyme, or can offer any help, please comment below.
If you’re interested in other Nursery Rhymes and Songs from Italy, come visit the Mama Lisa’s World Italy Page.
Thanks!
Lisa
January 16th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
It looks like this one
Manina bella, Pretty little hand
fatta a pennello, Wonderfully made
dove sei andata? Where did you go?
dalla nonnina. At granny’s
Cosa ti ha dato? What did she give you?
pane, vino, latte Bread, wine, milk
Gatte, gatte, gatte. Cats, cats, cats
January 21st, 2006 at 10:44 pm
Monique later wrote…
I didn’t add that “gatte” in Italian = she-cats. I actually found it at filastrocche.it where there are 5 of them, that’s the one the most similar to the one she sent. The others come from http://digilander.libero.it/vecioparlar/pagine/filastroccheCentro.htm where you can hear a guy recite them.
I found these two which are said to be in a Venetian dialect:
Manìna bela,
Fata penèla,
dove sétu stata?
Dala nòna.
Cossa te àla dat?
Pan e late,
Gate, gate, gate!
Manìna bela,
Fata penèla,
dove sétu stata?
Dala nòna.
A far còssa?
A magnàr pan e late,
Gate, gate, gate!
I found this one too :
Manìna bèla,
fata a penèla,
dove sito ‘ndata?
Da la me nona.
E cossa gatu magnà?
Polenta e làte
gate gate gate.
Thanks Monique!
May 1st, 2006 at 8:28 am
Hi, I’am from Volpago.
Gate, gate, gate means I tickle, tickle, tickle you.
The filastrocca works by petting the palm of the hand from heel to fingertip many times (1) manina bela, 2) fatta a penela 3) dove sei stata, ecc.).
After this petting the plam of the hand gets a little bit sore, so the final tickle works very well.
Little kids (2-4 years old) enjoy this old game.
Bye,
July 27th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
My wife’s Mom would say this version of “Manina bella”:
Manina bella,
Fata penela,
Andove se statu?
Da la nona,
A mangiare,
Polenta e latte!
Gitte, gatte, gitte, gatte….!