L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, JANUARY 7, 2021 www.italoamericano.org 32 L'Italo-Americano Once upon a time in Italy: legends and lore in Italian culture N othing beats a good story. From the dawn of mankind, leg- ends and lore have entertained and fascinated the cultures from which they arise. They also satisfy that human need to know why something is as it is. While it's well known that Italy is a tapestry of beauty, wonders, and experiences, it's probable that fewer are aware of the rich and imagi- native legends that are as much a part of the fabric of Italian culture as any of the more tangible sorts. Sit back w i t h m e f o r a b i t a s w e explore some of this fascinat- ing lore. Once upon a time… The legend of Rainbow Lake Her emerald waters twin- kle and dance, sunlight tick- ling out the jeweled colors of t h e r a i n b o w f r o m l o v e l y Lake Carezza. Yet how did this small lake in South Tyrol merit such beauty? Legend tells that long ago, a stunning n y m p h b y t h e n a m e o f Ondina dwelled within the lake. Her shoreside songs were bewitching. A passing sorcerer's ear was captivated by her tunes; he instantly declared his love, his unre- lenting wish to make her his own. When even his magic was unsuccessful in seducing her, he sought the advice of a witch: "Build a rainbow to draw her forth, disguise your- self as a seller of gems to lure her to you!" But alas, the sor- cerer in his excitement forgot t o d o n t h e d i s g u i s e a n d O n d i n a e s c a p e d i n t o t h e d e p t h s o f t h e l a k e . D i s t r a u g h t , t h e s o r c e r e r smashed the rainbow, plung- ing its remnants along with the gems into the waters. Neither he nor the nymph were ever seen again, the prismatic colors of the lake the only reminders of the tragic tale. The mythical Badalisc of Val Camonica The tranquil Alpine beauty of northwest Lombardy shifts g e a r s d r a m a t i c a l l y e a c h January when the towering, horned beast with glowing r e d e y e s k n o w n a s t h e Badalisc comes to town. Unlike most other legends, this particular one is con- j u r e d i n t o r e a l i t y e a c h E p i p h a n y ! T h e m e n a c i n g Badalisc lurks within the nearby woods, only to be cap- tured each year and led into the village of Val Camonica by a procession of costumed citizens, musicians…and a head-turning signorina – the lure for the creature's atten- tions. And then what? The t o w n g a t h e r s t o h e a r t h e Badalisc's oratory, conve- niently interpreted as he is d u m b , l a y i n g o u t a l l t h e year's gossip, sins, and mis- deeds…set to rhyme…oh my! All in good fun, merriment follows with feasting, singing, and dancing. On the second d a y , J a n u a r y 6 t h , t h e B a d a l i s c i s r e l e a s e d t o amble away until the next year's festivities. Alaric's treasure All good tales hold ele- ments of truth, as with the legend of King Alaric of the Visigoths. In 410 AD, Alaric invaded Rome, claim- ing her treasures as his own. Not one to overstay his wel- come, he amassed his troops and newfound fortune within several days' time, then set sights on North Africa. A ter- rible storm blocked their pas- sage, causing the entourage to retreat towards Calabria. O v e r c o m e w i t h w h a t w a s probably a fever, Alaric took his last breath on the soil of Cosenza. His men wished to honor him with a tomb, but not your everyday model by a n y m e a n s . I t i s s a i d t h e waters of the Busento river were diverted at the conflu- e n c e w i t h t h e C r a t i , a n d there a massive tomb was dug. Alaric, his horse, and all his treasures were interred. The river was restored, its waters rushing over the site obscuring it forever. A trea- sure tale this good couldn't lay ignored for eternity, how- ever. A grand exploration commenced in the mid 18 th century with hopes of laying claim to the long-buried trea- sures. The results were disap- pointing - nothing was found. T r e a s u r e t h e o r i s t s t o d a y speculate the tomb is in a dif- ferent location, and suppos- edly there is evidence to sup- port the notion. Time will tell! The seven-headed dra- gon What would a collection of legends and lore be without a d r a g o n t a l e ? I t a l i a n l o r e offers several, but perhaps t h e f i e r c e s t i s t h a t o f t h e s e v e n - h e a d e d d r a g o n o f Oltre il Colle, an idyllic borgo located in northern Bergamo. Taking residence in a nearby cave, the menacing dragon regularly made meals of local livestock and jealous- ly guarded the waters of a spring said to bring immor- tality. Despite the best efforts of the villagers, the beast and his seven heads could not be contained. A battery of sol- diers took it upon themselves t o b a n i s h t h e d r a g o n . A l t h o u g h n o t m o r t a l l y wounded, the scaly creature disappeared into the magical waters, turning them rank a n d u n d r i n k a b l e f o r e v e r after. My personal research reveals no word on the cur- rent status of the waters but rest assured – the dragon has never since been seen. His legend lives on, however, in O l t r e i l C o l l e by way of l o c a l e s w i t h i n t h e t o w n r e f l e c t i n g t h e n a m e " I l Drago." Cascata delle Marmore – the MarmorefFalls O n c e a g a i n , a l o v e l y nymph lies at the heart of a t r a g i c t a l e o f l o v e l o s t . A vision of beauty known as Nera succumbed to rapturous love with a handsome shep- herd, their joy on display to the world. The goddess Juno, perhaps feeling miffed at her h u s b a n d J u p i t e r , b e c a m e wildly jealous of the lovers. In her rage, she transformed the nymph into a river destined to perpetually flow and never rest. The inconsolable shep- herd could not bear life with- out his beloved; he cast him- self off the emerald Umbrian hillsides near Marmore. His final act was foredoomed to repeat over and over in the form of a flowing cascade of water, forever careening over the hillsides seeking to join his Nera. Romantic it is, but a real story exists for these gor- geous falls, interesting unto itself. As a result of Roman consul Curius Dentatus' 271 BC order to divert stagnant, malarial waters away from nearby communities, a mas- sive canal was dug to steer the dank effluence over the cliffs. In effect, this created the largest man-made water- fall in the world, a title held to this day. Now a tourist a t t r a c t i o n , a s w e l l a s t h e hydraulics for a nearby power plant, the falls come alive twice a day to delight viewers and hikers…and hopefully young lovers awash in its mist. If these tales and legends have sparked your interest, why not investigate further? What if Lake Como really does harbor an Italian ver- sion of the Loch Ness mon- ster? Why is a lowly but leg- endary fisherman immortal- ized under Venice's Bridge of Sighs? Could the lost life of a distraught maiden explain the treacherous yearly storm, the Sarneghera, that over- takes Lake Iseo every fall? Chissà…who knows…but we all love a good story! Romantic legends are associated with the cascate delle Marmore (Photo: Nikirov/Dreamstime) LOS ANGELES ITALIAN COMMUNITY PAULA REYNOLDS

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