THE GONDOLA'S LEGEND

Historical news of the birth and the origin of the gondola isn't certain, in fact a French writer said: "It is better to rely on the legend of the gondola rather than seem pedantic and erudite about her origin.

The origins of the gondola, an original and poetic swing-boat, are attributed to the oddity of destiny or to the fantasy of an artist rather than to the dexterity an anonymous builder working, in the past, in one of the many dockyards ('squeri') present in Venice.

A legend tells the story of two young, poor lovers who were looking for a secure hiding place for their secret happiness; a white-hot moon crescent helped them it let itself drop down into the sea sacrificing its gleam to shelter the two young lovers. The story was made into a poem by the dialectal author Antonio Negri:

One night, under a moon crescent,

white and bright,

two shy sweethearts

are starting at the lagoon,

saying: "If only we could

run far away,

kiss, exchange our souls,

far from everybody's look".

The moon, high up in the sky,

hears their words,

stretches out towards them

so that she can touch the water,

small waves skim her,

dim her,

extinguish her:

that white crescent

has turned coal black;

just two points come out

as bright as silver and iron they are.

The moon says to the shy

young couple: "Step on board, I don't scorch!

I float on the water,

pull me with an oar.

 

And go far from gossip,

look for your peace,

kiss each other truly and freely,

 

do what you please!

Tonight I will bid

the most beatiful stars

to twinkle: the clouds

will not hide the stars!".

 

The shy sweethearts

have accepted her offer:

with one oar in the water

they sail the moon:

outside the world their tender

kisses were allowed,

neither would the bright stars

comment on them!...

 

So the gondola was born,

water's gallantry

made for such a lagoon:

rich, small dark boat

long, narrow, light,

with two iron points

with two silver points

she is due to the talent

of a moon crescent

that, good-heartedly, one night,

sheltered

the little secret

of two young lovers.