Legends Of Florence Part 5

The legend, which was after long inquiry recovered by my collector, distinctly describes the _reconstruction_ of the cross, and as certainly sets forth a _mysterium magnum_ with an apparition of the Virgin on this very spot, which would have a.s.suredly caused a pillar, if not a church, to be erected in the thirteenth century. The story of this mystery is as follows:

LA CROCE AL TREBEIO.

"Where the _Croce al Trebbio_ now stands, was in very old times a great palace occupied by one of the most ancient families of Florence. And when it died out, there came into the house three families, but none could remain there, being so terrified with fearful sounds and an apparition.

"It was the custom in those days in Florence to ring a bell at ten o'clock at night, which was a signal for every citizen to go home at once; therefore, after that hour no one was seen in the streets except police guards, military patrols, and riotous young men, whom the former aimed at arresting. It often happened that such irregular folk took refuge in the old palazzo, but if they remained there one night, they had enough of it, and never returned, so great was the horror which they were sure to feel.

"The first occurrence which gave the place a bad name was as follows: Some time after the death of the last of the old line of Signori who had occupied the palace, and the three families spoken of had come into it, on the first night at midnight they heard some one put a key in the house-door, open the same with great noise, and come storming and swearing up the stairs into the great dining-hall. Then there entered a tall and magnificently dressed gentleman, of very handsome and distinguished appearance, but his face was deadly pale, his eyes had a terrible gleam, and it seemed as if a light bluish flame flickered and crept about him, ever rising and vanishing like small serpents.

"And entering, he began to scold and blaspheme in a diabolical manner, as if at servants whom he was accustomed to have promptly at his call, saying, '_Birbanti di servitori_-you scoundrelly waiters-you have not got supper ready for me, nor laid the tables.' Saying this, he seized on plates and gla.s.ses, and dashing them down violently, broke them in mad rage. Then he entered the best bedroom in the house, where some one lay asleep, and this man he maltreated and hurled forth, saying that the bed was his own.

"And if after that any one dared to sleep in the old palazzo, he was found there dead in the morning, or else lived but a few days. So it came to pa.s.s that no one would inhabit it; nay, all the houses round about began to be deserted, and the whole neighbourhood regarded it as a pest. And from all this they were relieved by a marvellously strange occurrence and a great miracle.

"There was a gentleman who was very pious, honourable, and brave, a good man at every point, but wretchedly poor, so that he with his eight children and wife had all been turned into the street, because he could not pay his rent.

"Then in his distress he went to the city council and begged for some kind of relief or employment; and they being much concerned at the time about the haunted palazzo, knowing him to be a man who would face the devil, with little to fear on account of his integrity, proposed to him to occupy the building, adding that he and his family should every day be supplied with food and wine gratis, and that if, as was generally supposed, there was hidden treasure in the palace, and he could find it, he should be welcome to keep it.

"To which this brave man willingly a.s.sented, and at once went his way to the haunted palace. But while on the road he obtained olive sprigs, salt, and frankincense, also certain images of saints, and then with much holy water sprinkled all the rooms, stairs, and cellars, praying withal.

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"And the first night there was again heard the grating of the key in the lock, the crash of the door, the rapid heavy footfall, and the spirit appeared with the waving plume of flame on his splendid _beretta_ or cap, when suddenly he was checked and could go no farther, because the hall had been blessed, yes, and thoroughly. Then the spectre began to bellow and roar, and utter whistling screams and all horrible sounds, worse than a wild beast.

"But the new master of the house did not let fear overcome him in the least, and the next day he renewed the sprinkling and blessing, and finding there was a chapel in the palace, he called in a priest, who there read a ma.s.s for the soul of the ghost, so that he might rest in peace.

"Now there was a beautiful little garden attached to the palace, and the children of the new tenant were delighted to play in it.

"And in the middle of the garden they found a cross with a Christ on it, and the cross had been shattered. But the children took the pieces and carried them one by one into the chamber where no one dared to sleep, and there they put them piously together, and dressed a little altar before it, and began to sing hymns.

"But while they were thus singing in their simple devotion, wishing to aid their father, there was a knock at the door, and a lady entered whose face was concealed in a veil, but who seemed to be weeping as she beheld them, and she said, 'Children, keep ever as you are; always be good and love G.o.d, and He will love you!'

"Then she continued, 'The master of this house was a gambler and a blasphemer; when he lost money at gambling he would return home and beat this image of Christ, till one night, being in a mad rage, he broke it and threw it into the garden.'

"'But soon after that he fell ill, and knowing that he was dying, he buried all his treasure in the garden. Love G.o.d, and you shall find it.

So he died, blaspheming and condemned. Love G.o.d, and He will love you!'

And saying this, she vanished.

"The children, all astonished, ran to their father and mother, and told them that a beautiful lady had visited them, and what she had said.

"Then they said to the children, 'You must indeed be always good, for that Lady who spoke to you was the Holy Virgin, who will always protect you.' And then the father called in a priest to say midnight ma.s.s at the time when the spirit would appear. And he came, and said, 'I am he who broke the cross, and for that I was d.a.m.ned!' Then the priest began to sprinkle holy water, with exorcisms, when all at once the accursed one disappeared in a tremendous, over-whelming crash of thunder, and the whole palace fell to gravel and dust-there was not left one stone standing on the other, save the cross which the children had repaired, which rose alone in the middle of the garden.

"Then the next day the good man dug away the rubbish by the cross, and when this was removed, they found a ma.s.s of charcoal, and under this the treasure.

"Then the Signore, grown rich, had, to commemorate this, a beautiful column built, on which he placed the cross, and this is known to this day as the Croce al Trebbio, or the Crucifix of the Cross-roads."

If the Croce al Trebbio really commemorates one of the most iniquitous ma.s.sacres which ever disgraced even the Church, then to find this tender and graceful little tale springing up from it, reminds me of what I once heard of a violet which was found growing in the Far West, and blooming in an Indian's skull. The conception of the children playing at worshipping, and yet half-worshipping, is very Italian. I have seen little boys and girls thus rig up a small chapel in the streets of Rome, and go through the ma.s.s and other ceremonies with intense interest.

It may also be observed that in this, as in many other legends, charcoal is found over a hidden treasure. The folk-lore of coal in connection with money is so extensive and varied, that one could write on it a small book. I believe that the two are synonyms in all canting jargons or "slanguages."

"Hence probably came," remarks Flaxius, "the saying, 'To haul one over the coals,' meaning to go over money-accounts with any one who has cause to dread the ordeal. Truly 'tis but a conjecture, yet I remember that in my youth it was generally applied to such investigations.

"'And so 'twas held in early Christian time That glowing coals were a sure test of truth And holy innocence, as was full proved By Santa Agnatesis of the Franks, And fair Lupita of the Irish isle.'"

Since writing the foregoing I have found the whole of the ancient inscription of the cross, as it was preserved by two chroniclers. This will be found in another chapter.

THE TWO FAIRIES OF THE WELL A LEGEND OF THE VIA CALZAIOLI

"When looking down into a well, You'll see a fairy, so they tell, Although she constantly appears With your own face instead of hers; And if you cry aloud, you'll hear Her voice in the ringing echo clear; Thus every one unto himself May be a fairy, or an elf."

"And truly those nymphs and fairies who inhabit wells, or are found in springs and fountains, can predict or know what is to take place, as may be read in Pausanias, and this power they derive from their _habitat_, or, as Creuzer declares (_Symbolik_, part iv. 72), they are called Muses, inasmuch as they dwell in Hippocrene and Aganippe, the inspiring springs of the Muses."-_On the Mysteries of Water_.

FRIEDRICH (_Symbolik_).

Long after Christianity had come in, there were many places in the vast edifice of society whence the old heathen deities refused to go out, and there are even yet nooks and corners in the mountains where they receive a kind of sorcerer's worship as _folletti_. A trace of this lingering in a faith outworn, in nymphs, dryads, and _fata_, is found in the following story:

LE DUE NINFE DEL POZZO.

"There once lived in Florence a young n.o.bleman, who had grown up putting great faith in _fate_, _ninfe_, and similar spirits, believing that they were friendly, and brought good fortune to those who showed them respect.

Now there was in his palazzo in the Via Calzaioli, at the corner of the Condotta, a very old well or fountain, on which were ancient and worn images, and in which there was a marvellous echo, and it was said that two nymphs had their home in it. And the Signore, believing in them, often cast into the spring wine or flowers, uttering a prayer to them, and at table he would always cast a little wine into water, or sprinkle water on the ground to do them honour.

"One day he had with him at table two friends, who ridiculed him when he did this, and still more when he sang a song praising nymphs and fairies, in answer to their remarks. Whereupon one said to him:

"'Truly, I would like to see An example, if 't may be, How a fairy in a fountain, Or a goblin of the mountain, Or a nymph of stream or wood, Ever did one any good; For such fays of air or river, One might wait, I ween, for ever, And if even such things be, They are devils all to me.'

"Then the young Signore, being somewhat angered, replied:

"'In the wood and by the stream, Not in reverie or dream, Where the ancient oak-trees blow, And the murmuring torrents flow, Men whose wisdom none condemn Oft have met and talked with them.

Demons for you they may be, But are angels unto me.'

"To which his friend sang in reply, laughing:

"'Only prove that they exist, And we will no more resist; Let them come before we go, With _ha_!_ ha_!_ ha_! and _ho_!_ ho_!_ ho_!'

"And as they sang this, they heard a peal of silvery laughter without, or, as it seemed, actually singing in the hall and making a chorus with their voices. And at the instant a servant came and said that two very beautiful ladies were without, who begged the young Signore to come to them immediately, and that it was on a matter of life and death.

"So he rose and stepped outside, but he had hardly crossed the threshold before the stone ceiling of the hall fell in with a tremendous crash, and just where the young Signore had sat was a great stone weighing many _quintale_ or hundredweights, so that it was plain that if he had not been called away, in an instant more he would have been crushed like a fly under a hammer. As for his two friends, they had broken arms and cut faces, bearing marks in memory of the day to the end of their lives.

"When the young Signore was without the door and looked for the ladies, they were gone, and a little boy, who was the only person present, declared that he had seen them, that they were wonderfully beautiful, and that, merrily laughing, they had jumped or gone down into the well.

"Therefore it was generally believed by all who heard the tale that it was the Fairies of the Well, or _Fonte_, who thus saved the life of the young Signore, who from that day honoured them more devoutly than ever; nor did his friends any longer doubt that there are spirits of air or earth, who, when treated with pious reverence, can confer benefits on their worshippers.

"'For there are fairies all around Everywhere, and elves abound Even in our homes unseen: They go wherever we have been, And often by the fireside sit, A-laughing gaily at our wit; And when the ringing echo falls Back from the ceiling or the walls, 'Tis not our voices to us thrown In a reflection, but their own; For they are near at every turn, As he who watches soon may learn.'

"And the young Signore, to do honour to the fairies, because they had saved his life, put them one on either side of his coat-of-arms, as you may see by the shield which is on the house at the corner of the Via Calzaioli."