“No, thank you,” I replied.
“Please take some more pollo.”
“Thank you, Peppino, I have eaten too much already.”
“Please take to the drink.”
“I have had quite enough, thank you.”
“Some more wine? Do not think about Letterio. You shall not be meeting your dolce cuore—your sweetheart, this day. You have not yet taken one glass.”
“Excuse me, I have drunk quite as much as is good for me—much more than a glass—nearly a bottle.”
“It is good till you shall drink the three glasses of Noah. Did you know what is the glass of Noah? All right, I shall tell you.”
Then he told me about Noah and the Devil.
The patriarch Noah was working in his field one day when the Devil came along, put his arms on top of the gate, and looking over, said in a friendly way: