'Or Munaciello & 'To Bella 'Mbriana
Without doubt 'Or Munaciello and' the more character' named and more' feared by the Neapolitans. These it represents the spiteful and eccentric goblin that, with his/her unpredictable behavior, of it ago the entity' more' quoted in the legends. To the spiteful behavior they are often accompanied benevolent "legacies" in cash coin. In this case it doesn't need to reveal the episode to anybody, punishment the fury of the Munaciello in our comparisons. Not and' rare a rattuso behavior in presence of the young and beautiful women.
There are two hypotheses on his/her origin:
The first hypothesis wants the beginning of the whole story around the year 1445 during the Aragonese kingdom. The beautiful Caterinella Frezza, daughter of a rich merchant of cloths, falls in love him of the beautiful Stephen Mariconda, a labourer. Naturally the love among the two and' strongly opposed. Fate wanted that it ended in tragedy. Stephen is murdered in the place of their secret meetings while Caterinella he confines in a convent. Of there to few months a child will be born from Caterinella. The nuns of the convent will adopt him/it sewing him them same dressed similar to those monachal with a hood to disguise the deformities' of which the boy suffered. It was so that for the roads in Naples you/he/she was called " lu munaciello." Magic powers were attributed him thin to reach the legend that today all the Neapolitans know. Also lu munaciello mysteriously died.
The second hypothesis wants the Munaciello to be the manager of the ancient wells of water that, in many cases, it had easy access in the houses passing through the burrows that served to lower the bucket. The spites it did them, according to me, because' the owners of the well didn't handle to pay him/it for his/her services.
However the mystery of this in partnership character stays very often to the bad part of the human mind, to the demon that hides him and that and' always ready to grab us and that the Neapolitans try to avoid for a long time.
The suitable character as 'To Bella 'Mbriana, represents instead the benign spirit. And' a sort of anti-munaciello. Possession this presence in the houses means comfort and health. And' represented as a beautiful woman very well dressed comparable to the fairy of the fables of his/her/their children. And' also said Meriana or 'Mmeriana.
The etymological derivation originates from the Latin meridian whose mariana almost points out the shade to represent a shade under which to take refuge or points out the ethereal meaning of the being. To testimony of the affection of the Neapolitans toward this figure, and' very common to Naples the last name consequential Imbriani, note, from 'Mbriana.
Last important detail: in the house it always needs to leave a free chair because' you/he/she could enter 'To beautiful 'Mbriana and to sit for resting. If everybody the chairs were busy our Friend could go away with all the consequential calamities from the missed hospitality!'
