The Befana is a folkloristic character linked to the Christmas holidays, resulting from the lexical corruption of Epiphany, diffused initially in some Italian regions has spread to the whole peninsula, while it is little know in the rest of the world. Popular tradition describe about an old lady, who flies on a broom to visit children in the night between 5th and 6th January, filling the stocking that the same children left on the fireplace or near the window. For kids who have well behaved during the year the stocking will be filled with sweets, dried fruit and lollies, for kids who didn’t with sweet coal and garlic. Its origin comes from the magic pre-Christian traditions and in the popular culture, blends with folk and Christian elements: the Befana brings presents in memory of those offered to the Child Jesus by the Three Wise Men.
According to the legend, the Three Wise Men along the road to Bethlem, not being able to find the way asked an old woman for information.
Against their best efforts, to go with them to visit the Child, the woman declined. Later, regretting not going with them, she prepared a basket full of sweets, she went out looking for them without success. So she stopped at each house she found along the way, giving sweets to all the kids she met, hoping one of them could be the Child Jesus. Since then, she goes around the world giving sweets to kids. In some Italian regions it is tradition to sing and play serenades an starlings of the Befana in the night between 5th and 6th January.
Several nursery rhymes were written with variation, here are some:
The Befana comes in the night
with her shoes all broken
with patches on her skirt
long life the Befana!»
its variation:
The Befana comes in the night
with her shoes all broken
with a Roman-style nose
(or: with a Roman-style hat
or: with a Roman-style dress)
long life the Befana!»
this variation is diffused in Tuscany:
The Befana comes in the night
with her shoes all broken
she goes on all the roofs
brings dolls and confetti»
or
The Befana comes in the night
with her shoes all broken
she will buy new shoes
with the pen and the ink well»
