[Federico loves a girl of ill repute, so his family arranges a marriage with a childhood sweetheart. The heart-broken lad compares his sad adventure to the well known tale of a shepherd boy. He knows he will never forget his one true love.]

E la solita storia del pastore
Il povero ragazzo voleva raccontarla
E s'addormi
C'e nel sonno l'oblio
Come l'invidio!
Anch'io vorrei dormir cosi
Nel sonno almen l'oblio trovar!
La pace sol cercando io vo'
Vorrei poter tutto scordar!
Ma ogni sforzo e vano
Davanti ho sempre
Di lei il dolce sembiante
La pace tolta e solo a me
Perche degg'io tanto penar?
Lei! sempre lei mi parla ancor!
Fatale vision, mi lascia!
Mi fai tanto male
Ahime!

[English translation:]

[It's That Familiar Tale]

It's that familiar tale you've heard of the shepherd
That penniless young man, attempting to retell it
Fell sound asleep
In such slumber there's oblivion
How I've envied him!
Like him, I would sleep all of my days-
At least if I slept, I might forget!
I seek only peace, it's all I need!
Forget it all, never recall!
Yet all is futile effort
Before me will always be
That sweet face of hers, alas!
My peace and my quiet, forever gone!
Why must I suffer so, oh why?
She, always she, speaks again to me!
Vision so fatal, please vanish!
How you have harmed me!
Alas!