— by Carolyn Martino; Storyteller, Humorist, Educator, Inspirational Speaker
In Riccitello and Riccitella, the Italian version of Hansel and Gretel, the abandoned children find a cottage in the woods made, not of gingerbread (that’s German!), but one filled with sausages, ham, salami, bread, and cheese! That’s Italian!
That’s because folktales travel. The same tale is often found throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, and Far East. But it was in Italy that many of these oral tales were first written down. The earliest versions of Puss in Boots, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and many others were first recorded in writing in Italy. But, as the Tuscans say, “A tale is not beautiful unless something is added to it,” and Italian tales are definitely Italian!
In my program, Bella Notte, I tell Italian folktales, legends, jokes, cultural history. I was a presenter at the recent IFAFA Conference in Boston, MA, and I missed a lot of you.
Well, like folktales, I travel . . . and I would love to come to your organization and tell you more Italian tales. Call me for details at 401-721-9980 or email me at Cmartino13@verizon.net.
“Without stories, we would die of seriousness!”