The Snapper That Would Not Die
On the negotiable boundary between life and what comes after it.
Italy
A Folktale of the Dolomites and the Origin of Edelweiss
This story explains the origins of the edelweiss flower and why the Dolomite peaks are so hauntingly bare.
Art, Literature, and Rooming Houses
In 1976 and 1977, I attended University in Perugia, Italy. I received my degree (in an accelerated programme) after subjecting myself to two years there, studying what was termed Humanities and Interpreting. The Interpreting part of the curriculum is straightforward; the Humanities, perhaps less so. My studies on that side
Tanna, Queen of the Crodères: A Neolithic Folktale
Several years ago my son and I went hiking through the Lavaredo Pass, high in the Dolomites. It was warm down in the valley, but as we went higher, the temperature dropped considerably despite the sunny weather. As we climbed, we came upon the remnants of trenches, fortifications and tunnels
Sanguanél, Salvanèl, Mazariol, and Mazaròl
Continuing recent essays about quirky northern Italian stories, here are some intertwined creatures that roam through their folklore. These particular stories, not very well known in English sources, touch upon memory loss, losing one’s way, and environmental concerns. Sanguanél and Salvanèl The first little creature has two slightly different
Camalò: Centre of the World or Portal to the Underworld
Lately, I find myself recalling places and stories from Italy. Here is a recollection from the Province of Treviso, in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy. The village is called Camalò. It’s not particularly remarkable to look at or to pass through. Back in the 1970s, when driving to