Through the gates of Orkenise

a carter wants to enter.

Through the gates of Orkinese

a tramp wants to leave.

And the town guards

hasten up to the tramp:

‘What are you taking away from the town?’

‘I leave my whole heart there.’

And the town guards

hasten up to the carter:

‘What are you bringing into the town?’

‘My heart to be married!’

What a lot of hearts in Orkenise!

The guards laughed, laughed.

Tramp, the road is hazy,

love makes the head hazy, O carter.

The fine-looking town guards

knitted superbly;

then the gates of the town

slowly closed.

Translated by Winifred Radford