Some of the Italian titles applied to the characters in these stories
are retained. They are untranslatable; to omit them takes away from
the Sicilian flavor, which is their great charm. Thus the words
_compare_ (_con_ and _padre_) and _comare_ (_con_ and _madre_),
literally godfather and godmother, are used in almost the same way as
"uncle" and "aunt" in our country districts, only they are applied to
young as well as old; _gna_ is a contraction for _signora_,
corresponding somewhat to our _mis'_ for "Mrs." _Babbo_ is like our
"dad" or "daddie." _Massaro_ is a farmer; _compagni d'armi_ are
district policemen, not quite the same as _gens d'armes_;
_Bersegliere_ is the member of a special division of the Italian
army.