January 6 in Italy is known as the day of La Befana, an old witch flying on its broom, coming to every house during the night, and leaving a sock full of sweets to the good kids, and a sock full of charcoal for the bad kids. I still remember one year receiving stockings (!) filled with nougat, chocolates and tangerines!
There's also an old ryhme which all Italian kids learn for the occasion:
La Befana vien di notte
con le scarpe tutte rotte!
Viva, viva la Befana
che le feste porta via!
Befana comes at night
with her broken shoes
cheers for the Befana
who sweeps away all the festivities!
HAPPY BEFANA, everyone!
3 comments:
Why le scarpe rotte?
Don't know exactly...it's an old witch, she's scary looking, with grey wild hair, and broken shoes! but she's generous!
Her shoes are ruined because they are so old.
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