The Befana

Well, it's nearly Epiphany, which means the Befana will be setting out shortly:

The Befana comes by night
With her shoes all tattered and torn
She comes dressed in the Roman way
Long life to the Befana!

Here comes, here comes the Befana
she comes from the mountains in the deep of the night
snow and frost surround her
snow and frost and the West wind
here comes, here comes the Befana!

"And just who the hell is the Befana?" you might well ask. Well, wikipedia exists so that I don't have to exert myself too much: La Befana.

Now that's what I call the interpenetration of pagan worship with the cult of the Great Whore of Babylon^TM - woohah!

When I was talking about her with Monica and said that the Befana was a witch, she strenuously denied this, saying that she didn't do magic. When I pointed out that she flies on a broomstick she retorted that Santa Claus has a flying sleigh - which is a fair point.