Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
One day many years ago, winters
were longer, colder and more
harsh. There was even ice and
snow in November.
Martin was a soldier, he was riding
his horse and returning home on
the 11th day of that month, a journey
that would have taken him less than
four days. While he was on his
return journey he met a poor man in
the street, a man so poor that he
had nothing to cover and protect
himself from the snow and the cold
winter weather.
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
Martin saw the man, and taking the
cloak from his shoulders, cut it in
two using his sword and gave one
half to the poor man. As if by
magic, all around the snow melted,
the earth became dry and the
bright sun reappeared making the
air warm like summer.
Trento Longaretti
(Treviglio 1916 - )
San Martino dona il mantello al povero
(1975)
The morning after it started
snowing again and Martin met
another poor man shivering
because of the cold, and he gave
this poor man the other half of his
cloak.
For the second time, the snow
melted and the sun began to shine.
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
Martin did the same again on the third day, this time
giving his clothes to another man suffering from the
cold.
Martin’s journey would have been finished at the end
of that day and so he gave away the last clothes he
had…
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
God replied once again with a miracle and
for the fourth time, winter suddenly
transformed into summer.
The warm weather lasted for only half a
day more, just enough time for Martin
to arrive safely home.
From that moment on, the month of
November has three and a half days
of summer: St.
Summer.
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
Martin’s
St. Martin’s Summer in Italian Literature
In chapter 12 of the Promessi
Sposi by Alessandro Manzoni,
reasons are given for the famine
across the region including bad
harvests, too much waste and high
taxes. The Chancellor Antonio Ferrer
adopted a measure to lower the price
of bread, a decision heavily criticised
by Manzoni: because by lowering the
price of bread, raw materials such as
salt and flour became sparse and
could not be bought. Therefore the
price of bread increased and so the
people protested and began to steal
bread from the bakeries. This was
the beginning of St. Martin’s food
riots.
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
A Poem of St. Martin
San Martino
La nebbia agli irti colli
piovigginando sale,
e sotto il maestrale
urla e biancheggia il mar;
ma per le vie del borgo
dal ribollir de' tini
va l'aspro odor dei vini
l'anime a rallegrar.
Gira su' ceppi accesi
lo spiedo scoppiettando,
sta il cacciator fischiando
su l'uscio a rimirar
tra le rossastre nubi
stormi d'uccelli neri,
com'esuli pensieri,
nel vespero migrar.
Giosuè Carducci
San Martino
The fog on the hills
rises while it pours
and under the mistral
the sea screams and whitens;
but through the streets of the village
from the boiling vats
spreads the sour smell of wine
to cheer the souls.
On burning logs turns
the crackling spit roast,
the hunter whistling,
is staring from the door,
among the reddish clouds
flocks of black birds
like melancholy thoughts
migrate in the twilight.
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino
Proverbs and sayings of St. Martin’s legend
“On St. Martin’s day all wine will be
ready”
“On St. Martin’s day you can have
chestnuts and good wine”
“St. Martin’s summer goes on for
three days and a little bit more ”
“On St. Martin’s day there will be
snow on the thornbush”
“On St. Martin’s day all little poor
men sow their seed”
“On St. Martin’s day everyone can
drink good wine”
“On St. Martin’s day winter is close”
Istituto Magistrale Statale "Marco Terenzio Varrone" Cassino