Literal translation
to have the caul
Meaning
to be lucky
Explanation
Crespino designates the caul, the fatty membrane wrapping the intestines, but also, through a meaning shift specific to Provençal, luck or good fortune. Some children are born with a fragment of this membrane on their head, a rare occurrence traditionally seen as a sign of a favorable destiny, somewhat like the caul in French folk belief. Saying someone has la crespino thus means they were born under a lucky star and that success comes to them without apparent effort. The expression stems from an old popular belief and is used mainly in its figurative sense today, to comment, with a mix of admiration and envy, on how consistently some people avoid trouble or get what they want. The register is familiar, tinged with rural superstition, and the image remains very much alive in everyday speech to describe uncanny good luck.