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~ …… (oon∙poh∙dee∙PEH∙peh) Cristina writes about interesting stuff /Cristina scrive di cose interessanti

Un po' di pepe

Tag Archives: Buona Strega

La Befana

06 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by Un po' di pepe in Bilingual posts, Feste, Italian Folklore

≈ 15 Comments

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Befana, Buona Strega, Italian Christmas, Italian Folklore, L'Epifania, La Befana, Natale

La Befana di Anna La Befana di Anna

Today is la Festa dell’Epifania in Italia, celebrating the arrival of i Re Magi (the 3 Wise Men) Gasparre, Melchiorre & Baldassarre with their gifts of oro, incenso e mirra (gold, frankincense and myrrh) for newborn Bambino Gesù (baby Jesus).

The night between January 5th and 6th is also the 12th night between Christmas and the Epiphany, and marks the end of the Christmas holiday season.  As the proverb says, ‘L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via’.  What does this have to do with La Befana, the ‘Buona Strega’?

La Befana is the traditional ‘gift-bringer’ in Italian folklore. According to legend, which varies from region to region, she is an old woman who prides herself on being a good housekeeper. While she was sweeping, the 3 Wise Men stopped at her house to ask for directions to Bethlehem. She didn’t know the way but they invited her to join them to greet the newborn king and bring him gifts. She was quite abrupt and told them she had housecleaning to do and could not possibly join them.

Once they had left, she realized she had made a very big mistake not going with them.  Befana quickly gathered food and gifts for the newborn King into a sack and uno scialle (a shawl) in case she was cold and set off to join the Wise Men. She even brought her scopa (broom) so she could sweep the floor for Bambino Gesù. Befana searched and searched but could not catch up to the 3 kings. She did not know they had taken a different route home.

To make up for the opportunity she missed, every year on the eve of l’Epifania, Befana flies on her broom delivering small gifts to children, in the hope that one of them is Bambino Gesù. Traditionally she fills calze (socks) with ‘caramelle o carbone’ (candies or coal).  She leaves dolcetti (sweets), fichi secchi, noci, mandarini, cioccolatine (dried figs, nuts, mandarine oranges, little chocolates) and torrone for children who have been nice and leaves carbone (coal), cenere (ashes), cipolle e aglio (onions and garlic) for cattivoni (naughty children). Christmas markets in Italia sell black candy that looks like lumps of coal! A glass of vino and mandarini or biscotti are left on the kitchen table for La Befana and she sweeps the floor before she leaves.  La Befana and her broom also symbolize the old year that is ‘swept away’ after the Christmas festivities.

Her name comes from Epifania which turned into Befania in dialetto and eventually Befana.  ‘Una Befana’ can also mean an ugly old hag. If someone calls you a Befana it is not a compliment-unless they are referring to your gift-giving generosity!

LaBefana

‘La Befana vien di notte

Con le scarpe tutte rotte

S’è scucito la sottana

Viva viva la Befana!

Porta cenere e carboni

Ai bambini cattivoni

Ai bambini belli e buoni

Porta chichi e tanti doni!’

 In Italiano

Oggi è la festa dell’Epifania in Italia. Si ricorda la visita dei tre Re Magi a Betlemme con regali di oro, incenso e mirra per il neonato Bambino Gesù. La notte tra il 5 e il 6 gennaio è anche la dodicesima notte dopo il Natale e la fine delle feste Natalizie. Il proverbio dice ‘L’Epifania tutte le feste porta via’. Ma questo che c’entra con La Befana, la buona strega?

Si dice che La Befana era una vecchietta molto preoccupata con il lavoro di casa. Mentre scopava fuori, i Re Magi hanno chiesto se lei conosceva la strada per andare a Betlemme perchè là era nato il nuovo Re.  La Befana non conosceva la strada.  I Re Magi l’hanno invitata ad andare con loro a portare dei regali al Bambino, ma lei ha detto che aveva troppo lavoro da fare e non era possibile. Dopo che  se n’erano andati, La Befana ha capito che aveva sbagliato e ha deciso di raggiungere i 3 Re per andare a trovare il Bambino Gesù.  Con uno scialle e un sacco con dolcetti e regali sulle spalle se n’è andata.  Ha portata anche la scopa, per pulire il pavimento per il Bambino Gesù.  La Befana ha cercato dappertutto ma i Re Magi erano già troppo lontani.  Allora, ogni anno, nella notte tra il 5 e 6 di gennaio, volando cavalcando la scopa, La Befana porta regali ai bambini nella speranza che uno di loro sia il Bambino Gesù.  Lei reimpie le calze dei bambini con ‘caramelle o carbone’.  Dolcetti per i bambini bravi e cenere e carbone per i cattivoni.  Si lascia un bicchiere di vino e un mandarino o biscotti sul tavolo per La Befana e lei scopa il pavimento prima di andare via.

Buona Befana a tutti! Cristina

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