love of acting makes things difficult for the foreign traveller. There is a story in the form of a dialogue between a foreigner in Palermo inquiring of a native about a tree that was clipped into a fantastic shape. It can hardly be given in English because it turns on the double meaning of “naturale,” which means sometimes “natural” and sometimes “naturally,” but if it be added that “scusi” = “excuse me”; “quest’ albero” = “this tree”; “è” = “is”; “o” = “or,” any reader will be able to understand it:
Foreigner: Scusi, Signore; quest’ albero è artificiale o naturale?
Palermitan: Artificiale.
For: Oh, artificiale?
Pal: Naturale.
For: È naturale?
Pal: Artificiale.
For: (getting irritated): Scusi, Signore; quest’ albero è artificiale o naturale?
Pal: Artificiale, naturale.
And then the foreigner goes home and writes a book about his travels, saying that the natives are so stupid they do not even know whether their trees are clipped into odd shapes by nature or art. But the apparently grave and courteous Palermitan knew what he was doing all the time and was enjoying it as a child enjoys committing a harmless piece of mischief.