Pcal, the legendary character

THE ROMANIAN TRADITIONAL HUMOUR

The earliest Romanian character found in anecdotes is Pcal.
His name is derived from a (se) pcli ('to fool oneself/somebody')
and, since this word cannot be found in any other related language,
we can safely assume that he's part of the pure Romanian humour.
An irreverent young man, seemingly a peasant, he reserves
contempt and irony for the village authorities (whether
priest, boyar or judge), but often plays the fool.
Pcal, the popular hero story, and then of the cults, is a
character able to arouse laughter, making fun of the others, but also
being capable of monstrosities and absurdities.
The texts of the folk stories offer a very interesting biography
for Pcal, a biography that has many elements from the popular.
His quality of man in the world is realized through the
encounter of the other, with Tandal.
Pcal is not to be met only in the popular stories but he is
also present among us, as an exponent, as a feature of the
Roumanian people.







Bravery

Pcal was complaining to Tndal:
- I was at a wedding last night and someone slapped me so hard
I couldn't feel my cheeks any more!!!
But I cursed him badly too!
Tndal asked Pcal:
- And did he hear you?
Pcal answered:
- Of course not, I was over the hill!








What is good to know!

- I'd like very much to know my future!
- I wouldn't!
- What??? You wouldn't like to know what might happen to you
tomorrow?
-Well, you know I don't bother so much.still I would like to know
the place I will die in.
-And the date??
-Ohh, I don't care about the date!
-So why do you want to know the place???
- Not to ever go there , my friend!








Merci!
One day a servant named Pcal asked the priest:
-Priest, What's the meaning of the word "merci"?
-Oh, this word is very expensive, my son, and it's used to fool the
servants. This word makes 5 zloties.
After two months the servant's father died. Pcal went to the
priest and asked him to burry his father.
-You don't have money, my son! the priest told him.
-Don't worry, priest, you'll be satisfied!
The priest came to the funeral and said a few
words in the memory of the deceased like he did
at the poor's funerals. After the funeral the
servant shook the priest's hand and told him :
- Merci, merci makes 10 zloties and one merci,
, meaning 5 zloties, are from me as a bonus, priest!







Shoot at a pigeon and kill a crow!

-My brother, lend me 200 lei!
-I'll be glad to, but I don't have any on me.
- What about at home?
- At home?? They are all healthy and good,
thanks for asking!







The shepherd
A wealthy man having a lot of sheep had a shepherd
named Pcal. After a few days the wealthy man came to check
the shepherd and how things were with his sheep. The sheep were
grazing on a hill. Pcal was standing on the top of the hill leaning
against his cane. The master yield from the bottom of the hill:
- Pcal, Pcal!!!
- Oh, you! Pcal answered.
- Did the wolf come?
- Of course, it's not the priest who came.
- Did he take any sheep?
- Of course, he didn't come to bring any.
- Black or white?
- He didn't stay to choose.
-And where did he go: to the hill or to the woods?
-He didn't go to the church, that's for sure, damn him!!






The grievance

-Pcal, did you give my complaint to
the mayor ???
-Yes.
-And what did he say?
-To go to hell!
-And what did you do?
-I came to you.






The Lazy and the hard-working

A lazy man went to a hard-working one to cut woods in the
forest. They hardly started the work when the lazy man told the
hard-working:
- Look what I think: you cut the wood and I
say hey, hey, hey, hey.
The hard-working looked at him and nodded;
but he approved. When the lunch time came
they sat to eat.
Then the other man told the lazy one:
-Look what I think: I'll eat and you'll
swallow.






The train

Pcal and Tndal were traveling
together by train.
The conductor came and asked for
Pcal's ticket first, this one being
closer to the compartment's door.
-But Pcal, the conductor said when
looking at the ticket, this train doesn't
take you to Cluj town!!!
Hearing that, Tndal springs from his
seat and asks quickly:
-Me neither, Mister???






For the world to see
Pcal was staying with his horse at stock fair. Some buyers
approached him:
-Is this horse for sale?
-Yes, it is.
-Is it good for wheelbarrow?
-No!
-Is it good for riding?
-No!
-Is it good for ploughing?
-No!
- So why did you bring it to the stock fair?
-Why?? Because I wanted the world to see what my torment
is like with this horse!





Nichita
Two friends met after a period of time and one asks the other:
- How is it going, Nichita?
- I got married!
- Good for you, Nichita!!
-It's not so good because I married an ugly woman.
- I'm sorry for you, Nechita!
-Don' be sorry; I am rich now, i have a lot of sheep.
-Good for you, Nichita!
-It's not so good; some of my sheep died.
- I'm sorry for you, Nechita.
-Don't be; the ugly one died, too.







The apricot

Somewhere in a village a lord had two apricots in a tree.
In fact, the apricot tree made more fruit but he kept eating them
until there were only two left, somewhere very high on a branch.
The lord called his servant who was Pcal in flesh and bone.
-Pcal, the lord spoke from his veranda, climb that tree and bring
me those two apricots.
-Right away, my lord!
He climbed the tree and when seeing the apricots so ripped and
juicy he couldn't help himself and ate one almost without chewing it.
He got off the tree and gave his master the only apricot left.
- Where is the other apricot, Pcal?
- I ate it, my lord!
-How did you eat it, Pcal?
-I just ate it, my lord!
-How did you just eat it?
- - Like this, my lord!
And he swallowed the other one too.






















Theres nor life humour. It can make the
wonderful moments of life truly glorious,
and it can make tragic moments bearable.

(Rufus Wainwright)