27 JUNE 2024 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GIACOMO LEOPARDI!

THE GOOD GNOMES OF COLOGNE

The innkeeper, on the other hand, loved wine

to such an extent that on a step

he would fall asleep from a hangover,

and the good gnomes of Cologne

came swiftly and in a flash

they were busy: every flask was full.

The barrels on the ground were rolling,

Then carefully they lifted them up again,

stacked the demijohns

and oddly shaped bottles.

And now the innkeeper stood up a little dumb,

everything was done, clean, ready.

One evening the tailor instead

was in a mood-like pitch:

the royal coat had to be finished,

but fed up he went to rest.

Our dwarfs arrived quickly

and with some very perfect stitches

the golden thread they threaded

sewed and cut

and the red mantle

in a moment

was ready before morning,

to the great joy of the tailor.