- published: 20 Dec 2013
- views: 323474
In the Italian folklore, Befana is an old woman who delivers gifts to children throughout Italy on Epiphany Eve (the night of January 5) in a similar way to Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus.
The character may have originated in central Italy, then spread as a tradition to the rest of Italy.[citation needed]
A popular belief is that her name derives from the Feast of Epiphany or in Italian, "La Festa dell'Epifania". Epifania (Epiphany in English) is a Latin word with Greek origins. Epiphany means either the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) or “manifestation (of the divinity)."
There is evidence to suggest that Befana is descended from the Sabine/Roman goddess named Strina. In the book Vestiges of Ancient Manners and Customs, Discoverable in Modern Italy and Sicily by Rev. John J. Blunt (John Murray, 1823), the author says:
"This Befana appears to be heir at law of a certain heathen goddess called Strenia, who presided over the new-year's gifts, 'Strenae,' from which, indeed, she derived her name. Her presents were of the same description as those of the Befana—figs, dates, and honey. Moreover her solemnities were vigorously opposed by the early Christians on account of their noisy, riotous, and licentious character".
Actors: Tiziano Bernardini (producer), Tiziano Bernardini (editor), Tiziano Bernardini (composer), Carla Marcialis (director), Carla Marcialis (writer), Alessia Gatti (actress), Simona Mondello (producer), Gianlorenzo Tennenini (composer), Gianlorenzo Tennenini (actor), Sebastiano Gavasso (actor), Diego Migeni (actor), Rosalba Sacco (actress), Diego Lanzirotti (actor), Guido Mondello (actor), Cristina Ballarini (actress),
Genres: Short,Actors: Walter Massey (actor), Rick Jones (actor), Susan Glover (actress), Mary Tyler Moore (actress), Tony Randall (actor), Michael Rudder (actor), Mark Camacho (actor), Dario Fo (actor), Arthur Holden (actor), Michael Rudder (actor), Mark Camacho (actor), Rick Jones (actor), Bruce Dinsmore (actor), Bruce Dinsmore (actor), Terrence Scammell (actor),
Plot: When Santa's helper Granny Rose falls ill and must take off a Christmas Eve, she recruits Mr. Grimm to help deliver all the toys. What no one but the toys knows is that Mr. Grimm plans to auction off the toys to the highest bidder! His plan means that the toys won't make it to the children who are their destinies. The toys decide to deliver themselves, and the story follows them as they struggle to avoid the heartless Mr. Grimm and to find their true homes.
Keywords: based-on-novel, children, christmas, christmas-gift, escape, fairy-tale, home-delivery, talking-doll, toy, toy-storePavanne, cold steel woman Pavanne
How do you love a woman
With eyes cold as the barrel of her gun
Who's never missed her mark on anyone
Pavanne, Pavanne, Pavanne
Casino doors swing open, the rich men raise their eyes
They say who is this beauty as elegant as ice
And later there's an accident, another charge d'affair
Is lying in a pool of blood, no witness anywhere
And they say she was a hundred miles away
The hotel porter saw her climb the stairs
And the maid with trembling hands knows what to say
When the judge says "Are your sure," "I'm sure" she
swears
Pavanne, cold steel woman Pavanne
How do you love a woman
With eyes cold as the barrel of her gun
Who's never missed her mark on anyone
Pavanne, Pavanne, Pavanne
At the presidential palace a thousand people saw
His excellency leave his car and never make the door
The blood flows from his fingers as he clutches at the
stain
He staggers like a drunken man, lies twisted in the
rain
And they say she grew up well provided for
Her mother used to keep her boys for sure
And father's close attentions led to talk
She learned to stab her food with a silver fork
Pavanne, cold steel woman Pavanne
And they say she didn't do it for the money
And they say she didn't do it for a man
They say that she did it for the pleasure
The pleasure of the moment
Pavanne, cold steel woman Pavanne
How do you stop this woman
When everyone is moving in a trance
Like prisoners of some slow, courtly dance
Pavanne, Pavanne, Pavanne