ABSTRACT
And the poor man continued shouting like this, until he finally went crazy. Collected by Vincenzo Gialongo in Polizzi-Generosa.
They’ve told this tale in Casteltermini about two masterful swindlerscalled Vicienzu and Filippu. Well, one day, when they both werestarving to death and at their wits’ end, Filippu said to Vicienzu, “Old friend, what are we going to do about this desperate condition we’re
in?” “Leave it to me,” replied Vicienzu. “My idea is that we take the painting
that’s hanging in your house and see what a pawn-broker will give us for it.” So they took the painting to the shop of a certain Gnuri Filici, and he gave
them three carlini,233 since it was just an old painting. They left his shop with the agreement that they could have the picture back when they returned the three carlini.
