Folktale week: darkness

Puoi leggere l'articolo in italiano

One day, in the mountains of Val Troncea (in Piedmont, in the Northwest of Italy) Count Trucchetti was ascending, accompanied by his minstrel, when, in an opening between the rocks, he saw a beautiful fairy. He fell hopelessly in love and followed her into the darkness of the cave where she lived, and swore eternal love.

The minstrel tried to follow him, but the mountain magically closed behind the two lovers. As time passed the Count regretted his choice. After asking the fairy permission to leave the cave, the Count went to a prelate to ask for forgiveness. But the religious rebuked him and said that he would forgive him only if his pastoral flourished.

The mountains of tha Val Troncea, where the story takes place

That night, the religious dreamed of a pastoral surrounded by dry leaves and realized he was wrong in refusing forgiveness. But now it was too late, and the count had already returned to the cave. It is said that sometimes on these slopes you can see a man with ancient clothes and a long white beard: he is the faithful minstrel, waiting for the return of the Count.