Traveling and filming in Sardegna was one of those serendipitous moments in my life when the stars aligned and everything good that could happen, did. I had left the states feeling unprepared and overwhelmed. I knew that I only had 16 days to accomplish what other film makers spend weeks or months accomplishing. I had hoped I would have people lined up to talk with, that I would have a day-by-day production schedule, that everything I had envisioned would come true. Ultimately, that was not the case. It was better.

Other than interviews with a few individuals, like the 99 year old women you will see later in the film, I was arriving empty handed. Little did I know at the time what a magical experience I would encounter just letting the winds of fate blow me here and there. In the process I met dozens of amazing people. One of those was Enedina Sanna.

You will hear about her background in my film so I won’t spend time on the details, but I did want to say something about“ Contami unu Contu – Racconti Popolari della Sardegna” or “Tell Me A Story – Popular Stories from Saredgna,,” a CD of stories and fables from Sardegna compiled and by Enedina.

I was touched by the old voices who, although speaking in a language I do not understand, Sardo, are telling the stories of Sardegna. Today as I was revisiting that work I discovered that one of the fables on the CD is similar to one often told in english: In english it is called the, “Old Women and Her Pig. In Sardo it is called “The Little Hen”

It is exciting to me that even through a fable or story one can find some common connection with a land and people half way around the world. And that 10 years after first listening to this CD that I see even more clearly, that finally surrendering to the needless worry and fear of not having everything planned, allowed 16 days to happen- as-they happen, and allowed me to meet Enedina Sanna and hear about this work. As you will see in a later segment, that care free attitude really is the Sardinian way anyway.

Preservation of the past has become the motivation of much of the work I have done in Italy and Sardegna and I believe it is important to preserve the stories of others as well as our own. With this film I hope I am accomplishing both. Someone once said, “perhaps we die twice, once when your heart stops beating and again when the living stop talking about us.” I hope Contami unu Contu gets new life from this film.

And here’s hoping the winds of fate take you to Sardegna and leads you, just as they did me.

To see the entire translation of the Little Hen in english and Sardo : click here

Pullighitta deppia criare e non criada chenza nialle, e andada a petire s’ou a comare, «Comare, giaiemmi un’ou, ca ‘ollede a criare Pullighitta». Di giughe’ s’ou e Pullighitta non criada. Tandro, zerriada a margiane: «Margiane, pappande a Pullighitta ca Pullighitta non bolle criare po torrare s’ou a comare»

Pullighitta had to lay an egg and wouldn’t do it without an egg to sit on and so she goes and asks comare* for an egg: “Comare, give me an egg because Pullighitta wants to lay an egg and she won’t do it without an egg to sit on”. She brings the egg and Pullighitta didn’t lay the egg. So she calls the fox: “Fox, eat Pullighitta, because Pullighitta won’t lay an egg to give it back to Comare”

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