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Encyclopedia Britannica



BEFANA (Ital., corrupted from Epifania, Epiphany)

This article appears in Volume V03, Page 651 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: BEC-BER
BEFANA (Ital., corrupted from Epifania, Epiphany) , the Italian
female
  counterpart of
Santa
  Claus, the
Christmas
  benefactor (St Nicholas). On
Epiphany
 , or Twelfth Night, she plays the fairy godmother to the children, filling their stockings with presents. Tradition relates that she was too busy with
house
  duties to come to the window to see the Three
Wise
  Men of the
East
  pass on their journey to pay adoration to the Saviour, excusing herself on the ground that she could see them on their return. They went back another way, and Befana is alleged to have been punished by being obliged to look for them for ever. Her legends seem to be rather mixed, for in spite of her
Santa
  Claus
character
 , her name is used by Italian mothers as a bogey to frighten the babies. It was the custom to carry her effigy through Italian towns on the eve of the
Epiphany
 .


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