Folklore of Italy

Folklore of Italy refers to the folklore and urban legends of Italy.

Folklore

	Folklore	Remarks	Notes
Similar to Santa Claus	Befana	Is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus.	[1]
	Santa Lucia	Is a holy woman who delivers gifts to children of Bergamo and province on 13 December, in a similar way to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus.	[2]
Creatures	Badalisc	Is a mythical creature of the Val Camonica, in the southern central Alps.	[3]
	Wolf of Gubbio	Was a wolf that, according to the Fioretti di San Francesco, terrorized the city of Gubbio until it was tamed by St. Francis of Assisi acting on behalf of God. The story is one of many in Christian bloby bits narrative that depict holy persons exerting influence over animals and nature, a motif common to hagiography.	[4]
	Seven headed-dragon	It was a dragon with seven heads who lived near Oltre il Colle (in the province of Bergamo), devouring livestock and drinking of water that would provide immortality, was attacked by farmers and hunters, in vain, then he was attacked by an army composed of the best soldiers of the armies of the small states of Italy and fled, defeated, in the water, which became muddy and undrinkable water of Oltre il Colle. It is not the only monster in the area of Oltre il Colle: there is also a wicked maga (sorceress in Italian) to threaten it.
	Ferocious Beast	It was an enormous animal similar to a wolf. It ate pets and childten and terrorized Milan during 1790s and the milanese organized a hunt against it. After months they killed the Ferocious Beast and put its body at the University of Pavia. Today it is not there, someone says it is relived, someone it was taken by Austrian or Nazis during Italian occupation, no one know where is it.	[5]
Other	Egg of Columbus	Refers to a brilliant idea or discovery that seems simple or easy after the fact. The expression refers to a popular story of how Christopher Columbus, having been told that discovering the Americas was no great accomplishment, challenged his critics to make an egg stand on its tip.
	Giufà	He is referred to in some areas of the country, is a character of Italian folklore	[6]

See also

• Italian folk dance
• Tarocco Piemontese

References

1. Illes, Judika. Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses (2009) p. 269. ISBN 978-0-06-135024-5
2. Illes, Judika. Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses (2009) p. 269. ISBN 978-0-06-135024-5
3. "Festa del Badalisc ad Andrista (località di Cevo)" (in Italian). Retrieved 2011-01-03.
4. "Wolf of Gubbio". wiki.franciscanweb.com. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
5. http://www.placidasignora.com/2013/04/11/la-bestia-feroce-che-mangiava-i-bambini-a-milano-una-storia-del-settecento/
6. Ashliman, D. L. "Eat, My Clothes!". Clothes Make the Man - folktales of Aarne-Thompson type 1558 selected and edited by D. L. Ashliman. Retrieved 2009-10-13.

External links

• Italian Folklore/Legends of Italy