(Cont.d)He was more afraid of people than of the birds;
he feared the poor beggarwomen
who, slyly slyly came like turtledoves
to steal grain. The midday hour
was the most relished one.
That’s when the lively women came from town
with dinner and filled the tureens
with urusones1 and seadas2.
Then I sat down with the old man
and we ate from the same plate,
He said to me: son, this year
the sieve has little work to do;
every year there was the same lament:
God has given us a bad year
to keep us on our toes.
His heart was too greedy.
He never forgave either the birds
or the women who came to glean;
he didn’t remember the rich Dives
who had to invoke Lazarus.
1 A kind of ravioli
2 A sweet made of honey and cheese