Legend of Maria La Bella
It is said that the beautiful princess looked out on the balcony of the Castello dei Lancia (the Castello di Brolo) to wait for the arrival of her lover, who came with a small boat to the port. Once the lover reached the tower, he clung to the long braids of his beloved to reach her in secret. During the day, however, the two communicated through an elaborate game of mirrors. Maria's brother, clouded with anger, ambushed the young lover and so in a dark and starless night the unfortunate lover came down for the last time along the side of the castle, lowered to the sea by Maria's blond braids: the brother he stationed himself on the rock in front of Brolo (which perhaps for this reason is called “del pianto” or “ploratu”), killed the young guardian and got rid of the body by putting it in a sack and making it sink deeply into the water.
The beautiful Maria waited in vain for the return of her beloved, sighing and crying, slowly letting herself die. Since then the beautiful princess had no more peace, and legend has it that her soul still hovers near the crying rock, advising fishermen when it is good to retire or wishing them good fishing when the sea is calm.
According to another version, the two young men tried to escape, but were captured by the assassins of the princess's parents and were buried alive in the cistern of the Torre delle Ciavole. It is said that since then the Tower was garrisoned by the Ciaule (the jackdaws) which give the name to the Tower and voice to Mary: according to the legend she shouts through the Ciaule.
Places indicated in the IWB register of the Sicily Region (Places of Identity and Memory) - Sector "Places of the legends of ghosts"
- Torre dellediavole. Lancia Castle (Brolo prov. Messina)
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