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Listen to the legend of Cristalda and Pizzomunno

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Summary

Ciao a tutti voi cari amici di Eugenio e miei!

La favola di questa sera, si chiama La leggenda di Cristalda e Pizzomunno. E’ una storia , dà un bel significato sull’amore!

If you want to read it, sit here:

Many years ago the current city of Vieste (FG), on the Apulian coast, was just a fishing village, who lived in huts near the sea, to facilitate the transport of the catch from their boats.

Among these fishermen, the young man stood out for his strength and beauty Pizzomunno.

Tutte le ragazze del villaggio non avevano occhi e attenzioni che per lui. Alto, affascinante, di buon animo, non si faceva irretire dal loro corteggiamento.

His heart was only for the sea, which he sailed every day with his boat, and for Cristalda, the most beautiful in the village: blond hair like the sun, rose-colored skin and eyes the color of the sea.

Even the girl's heart was only for him. The two could be seen huddling on the seashore every evening; when Pizzomunno returned with his boat, Cristalda was there waiting for him.

Un amore indissolubile che suscitava invidia nelle ragazze del villaggio… e non solo.
Pizzomunno ogni giorno affrontava il mare con la sua barca e puntualmente le Sirene emergevano dai flutti marini per intonare dolci canti in onore del pescatore.

The sea creatures didn't just sing, but offered him immortality several times if he agreed to become their king and lover.

Ma l’amore che legava il giovane a Cristalda era così forte da resistere ai tranelli delle Sirene e tornare sempre a casa sano e salvo.

When he was sitting on the beach embracing Cristalda, during the calm summer nights, just hearing the song of the sirens in the distance, Pizzomunno pitied them. But the wrath of a Siren cannot be pitied, it can only be feared.

Rifiutate, le Sirene decisero che il suo affronto andava punito ed escogitarono una terribile vendetta, per porre per sempre fine all’amore tra i due amanti.

One night, like so many others, the two lovers stood embracing by the sea looking at the stars; the Sirens approached and, with a flash, they forcibly snatched the beautiful Cristalda from his arms, dragging her with them to the bottom of the sea.

In vain Pizzomunno launched himself in pursuit of the Sirens, the desperation for having lost Cristalda attacked him and in the end he petrified, transforming himself forever into that imposing, white stack in front of the beach of Vieste, which still bears his name today.

L’improvvisa trasformazione del giovane colpì profondamente le Sirene, che si resero conto del dolore che avevano provocato e s’impietosirono di fronte alla forza di un simile amore.

So they allowed them to hug each other again, but only for one night, every hundred years.

Since then, every hundred years, and for one night only, Pizzomunno becomes human again and Cristalda re-emerges from the depths of the sea, so that they can embrace again on their beloved beach.