Read and listen to Gianni Rodari's tale The Apollonia of marmalade

Summary

The Apollonia of marmalade

Read with me:

In Sant'Antonio, on Lake Maggiore, lived one
little woman so good at making jam, so good that i
his services were requested in Valcuvia, in Valtravaglia, in
Val Dumentina and in Val Poverina. People, when he was there
season, came from all the valleys, sat on the
low wall looking at the panorama of the lake, he picked
a few raspberries from the bushes, then called the little woman
of the jam:

Apollonia! - What's up?
Could you make me a blueberry jam?
Here I am.
Could you help me make a good plum jam?
Right away.
Apollonia, that little woman, really had hands
d'oro, and made the best jams of the Varese area and of the
Canton of Ticino.
Once a little woman from Arcumeggia came to her,
so poor that she didn't even have to make jam
a packet of peach acorns, and then, on the way,
si era riempito il grembiule di ricci di castagne.
Apollonia, would you make me some jam?
With curls?
I didn't find anything else…
Patience, I'll try.
And Apollonia made so much that from chestnut curls
extracted the marvel of jams.

Another time that little woman from Arcumeggia didn't find it
nemmeno i ricci delle castagne, perché le leaves secche,
falling, they had covered them; therefore he arrived with a
apron full of nettles.

Apollonia, can you make me some jam?
With nettles?
I didn't find anything else…
Patience, we'll see.
And Apollonia took the nettles, sprinkled them, made them
boil as she knew and made a jam from
lick your fingers.
Because Apollonia, that little woman, had golden hands
and of silver, and would have made jam also with i
stones.
Once the emperor passed by and wanted to try it too
he the jam of Apollonia, and she gave him one
saucer, but the emperor after the first spoonful yes
disgusted, because a fly had fallen into it.
It disgusts me,' said the emperor.
If it wasn't good, the fly wouldn't fall for it,” he said
the Apollonia.
But by now the emperor was angry and ordered his men
soldiers to cut off Apollonia's hands.
Then the people rebelled and sent word to the emperor
that if he had Apollonia's hands cut off theirs
avrebbero tagliato la corona con tutta la testa, perché teste
to make the emperor they are found at all corners, but
golden hands like those of Apollonia are much more
precious and rare.
And the emperor had to pack up.