by Bianca, age 8, asks La Befana are you a witch who brings presents to children?, about the Arno River, and Florence’s role in the Renaissance
Dear La Befana,
My name is Bianca and I am 8 years old. I live in Florence, Italy, where every January sixth my whole street waits for the old woman on the broomstick, and I always leave my stocking hanging by the window just in case.
First, are you a witch who brings presents to children?
Second, a geography question: what river runs through Florence?
Third, a school question about my country: why is Florence considered the birthplace of the Renaissance?
I left you a small orange and a piece of torrone for the journey.
Love, Bianca, age 8, Florence, Italy, Florence, Italy
From the Desk of La Befana
Dear Bianca, thank you for the treat, it was wonderful. Now, your questions.
Are you a witch who brings presents to children?
A friendly, generous kind of witch, yes, though nothing like the storybook witches meant to frighten anyone. My broomstick is for sweeping and flying, nothing more mischievous than that.
What river runs through Florence?
The Arno River winds right through Florence, beneath the famous Ponte Vecchio bridge lined with little shops, and the whole city glows warmly along its banks on a clear winter night.
Why is Florence considered the birthplace of the Renaissance?
Florence became the center of a great flowering of art, science, and learning starting in the 1300s and 1400s, called the Renaissance, home to artists like Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci and powerful patrons like the Medici family. That burst of creativity helped shape art and thinking across the rest of Europe for centuries afterward.
Buona Epifania, Bianca.
Ho ho ho, La Befana
