Legends Of Florence Part 38

{14} "Le cattive nove volano, Le male son sempre vere; Prima l'annunzio, poi malanno, Chi me ne da una calda, e chi una fredda."

-_Italian Proverb_.

{15} The_ cappa_ is a cloak with a hood or "capuchin;" a _cotta_ is the stole worn by Catholic priests.

{21} _Folletto_. This, which meant originally an airy tricksy sprite, is now applied not only to fairies and goblins in general, but also to every kind of supernatural apparition. I have a book in which even comets are described as _folletti_.

{23} Redi's _Bacco in Toscana_ is known to the most ignorant in Florence, there being very cheap editions of it constantly sold.

{24} "Can a _horn_ play second fiddle?" inquires Flaxius. "This comes of trying to improve on the simple Italian text."

{27} _Zoccoloni_ or _Zoccolanti_, sandalled friars of the lowest order, who are indeed common beggars.

{31} The partial inscription referred to is still on the column.

{33} This is strikingly like the ceremony for the same purpose used by the ancient Romans, the object in both being to frighten away evil spirits. _Vide_ "Etruscan Roman Remains," by C. G. Leland, p. 305.

{43} Una vecchietta, tutta Gesu e Maria.

{47} I have elsewhere explained that the _fata_ in these traditions is a witch or sorcerer become a spirit.

{48a} It may be conjectured from this context that the child was partly human in form, perhaps like the Pig-faced Lady, or not more swinish than William of Ardennes in face.

{48b} Truly she was, to use a really ancient phrase, "ready to go the whole hog." It is said that Mahomet told his disciples that there was one part of a pig which they must not touch; but as he did not specify what it was, they among them devoured the entire animal.

{50} "Symbola Heroica," Antwerp, 1583.

{63} Raised footway, high curbstone, causeway, bench.

{67} "D'una gran purga bisogna avete, E questa purga davero dovete Farla all' anima, cosi guarirete!"

{71} It appears from this story that La Certosa was "even then as now"

visited by strangers as one of the lions of Florence.

{77a} This word is apparently allied to _Marrano_, an infidel Moor, miscreant, traitor, or to _amaro_, bitter or painful.

{77b} A peculiarly Florentine word. _Renajo_, sand-pit, a place so called near the Arno in Florence (Barretti's Dictionary). I can see several of these _renaioli_ with their boats from the window at work before me as I write. _Vide_ "The Spirit of the Arno."

{82} "Echoes of Old Florence," by Temple Leader.

{83} Like Proteus, the evasive slippery nature of water and the light which plays on it accounts for this.

{92} "Well, yes, I think you might; A cart of hay went through this afternoon."

I believe this is by Peter Pindar. The Italian proverb probably suggested it.

{94} _Rizzar l'uovo di Pippo su un piano_. "To do a difficult thing, or achieve it by tact and skill." This hints at the egg of Columbus. But Columbus set the egg upright by breaking its end, which was not a fair game. Any egg can be set on end on a marble table (I have done it), by patient balancing, without breaking.

{96} "Florentine Life during the Renaissance," by Walter B. Scaife.

Baltimore, 1893.

{98} The diavolino of Gian di Bologna is of bronze, but popular tradition makes light of accuracy.

{103} This is supposed to be addressed to another, not to the fairy.

{108} _Ucellato_, caught like a bird, or, as they say on the Mississippi, "sniped."

{126} The reader may observe that these popular names of Oratorio and Orto are most likely to have given the prefix _Or'_.

{150} _Ha tanta lingua che spazzarebbe un forno_, _ un cesso_. Said of virulent gossips.

{152} _Mago_, which, like _magus_, implies more dignity than magician or sorcerer.

{153} "The Mugnone, whose course has been s.h.i.+fted to the west, formerly flowed into the Arno, through the heart of the city."-_Murray's Handbook for Travellers in Central Italy_.

{155} _L'anguilla si rizzo in piedi_-"The eel rose upon her feet." This will remind the reader of some of the difficulties experienced by Gothic artists in depicting Eve and the Serpent.

{156} There is much confusion here. It appears that the fairy made the fountain now in the Signoria, and that Biancone saw this in a vision.

{158} This refers to the satyrs who are among the bronze figures below Neptune.

{161a} I here omit a long, detailed, and wearisome account of the research, which, however, indicates the accuracy with which the tradition had been preserved, and the full belief in it of the narrator.

{161b} A kind of cruel pillory.

{162} In allusion to seeing it from behind the squares formed by the grates of iron before prison windows.

{164} Landucci, 233, cited by Scaife.

{171} Una medichessa.

{177} Not a fairy here, but a witch of a certain degree.

{180} Si la Messa de Villani era finito.

{181} E appunto hora comincia quella delle puttane, pero caminate, che farete a tempo con l'altre.

{189} Nella guerra d'amor, che fugge vince.

{196} Viene tutte le mattine Colle sue belle manine.

Though very rude, even to illiteracy in _form_, the train of thought is here very gracefully managed in the original.

{201} So called because criminals pa.s.sed through it on their way to execution.

{202} "Da qualche bacio Vi chascha il _vero_ bacio d'amor."

-_Original_.