Legend of the Colored Stones (Pizzu di Lauru)
Photo: Guidasicilia.it, author: unknown
Pizzo di Lauro (Pizzu di Lauru) is a cliff located a few hundred meters from the village exit of Villalba on the SP18 (coming from Villaba on the right). There are various legends related to this cliff, one of these is the legend of the colored stones entered in the LIM register (Places of Identity and Memory) of the Sicily Region.
Legend of colored stones
It is said that a young man succeeded in the impossible feat of climbing the steep and smooth wall of that piece of rock called "Pizzu di Lauru". On the top of the rock there was a bag containing colored stones: the man took it and took it with him to the village. But on the way back he heard voices telling him: "Return what you took!", But he stubborn and indifferent did not heed the warnings and continued walking until he reached the village and his house. During the night, angry spirits appeared to him and beat him badly. As soon as dawn broke the man, in a hurry, took the bag with the colored stones back to the point where he had found it, that is, on top of the rock. From that moment on he was no longer disturbed. (Source: web, author unknown).
Places indicated in the IWB register of the Sicily Region (Places of Identity and Memory) - Sector "Places of Plutonic legends and treasures"
- Pizzu di Lauru (Villalba, province of Caltanissetta)
Another legend linked to Pizzu di Lauru is reported in the volume by Giuseppe Ganci Battaglia, Witches, sorcerers and witchcraft in Sicily, Organiz. Ed.David Malato, Palermo, 1972, p. 141, which we report:
Pizzu of Lauru
At noon of Villalba, a village 55 kilometers from Caltanisetta, not very far from the town, lies a large and severe rock, surrounded by mystery, loneliness and fear, called "Pizzo di Lauro", which dominates the top of a hill and rises out of a rugged mountain range.
How many stories around that rock! Stories of hidden treasures and terrible dogs, inexorable guardians of the treasure, of ugly witches and beautiful fairies; wild and cruel fairies who rule over the dwarves, the devils, the witches and the treasure, and for centuries have lived in that rock where they have, at their disposal, high palaces all of gold and gems and where they spend, with mysterious characters, all the nights in songs and dances of love. And woe, woe to anyone who tries to get noticed, at night, in those neighborhoods!
The top of this mysterious rock, frightening but at the same time fortunate for the countless treasures it contains, is high, erect and difficult to earn. Whoever was lucky enough to reach it would become the richest in the world and the happiest, because, in addition to enriching himself, he would also enrich the whole country, of which he could even with so many riches, pave all the streets with gold. Yet no one ever, in the many centuries since the legend began, attempted to reach the summit of the rock, which, although from the rear it seems to invite you to climb, yet, once you reach half of its height, the climb is so steep and dizzying that more than one daredevil has fallen from the top of it down into the ravine below. In fact, the peasants of that district tell us that at night, passing by those nearby, they heard the sepulchral and lamentable voices of the souls condemned to always live here, repeating the joke with an anguished voice:
Pizzu di Lauru, prior to wealth
nui pirdemu the way and salvation
(Pizzo di Lauro, for your wealth
we have lost life and salvation).
The day when some brave, will know how to gain the summit of the rock, disenchant dwarves, witches and fairies, and take away the wealth, the poor condemned souls, will be freed.
The legend is also remembered by Santi Correnti in his book "Unusual guide to the mysteries, secrets, legends and curiosities of Sicily" pag. 94
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