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Thunderstorms and Wind Storms around
the Lake of Iseo can be quite spectacular, especially when the storm blows in
from the south shore toward the Valcamonica, the deep valley of glacial origin
behind the mountain on the side of which Villa La Briciola was built. This
weather condition is called by the locals la “Sarneghera”. This phenomenon, that
happens on average once a year in early fall, has left its mark also in the
local folklore. The old people say that back in the middle ages, a beautiful lady from Montisola (the big Island, in the middle of Lake Iseo) had been betrothed, against her will to an old nobleman of Franciacorta. The lady, in addition to her stunning beauty, was also gifted in the art of healing. She loved to help everybody; even the powerful dragon that tradition wanted asleep in a cave not far from the south shore of the lake had asked and obtained her help to remove a thorn lodged in the skin of its forehead above the left eye. Distraught and overcome by the sorrow for the unwanted betrothal, the young lady found shelter into a hunting pavilion overlooking the lake and cried all of her tears praying to her Guardian Angel for help. The Angel unfortunately could not hear her sobs and prayers, so the lady decided to put an end to her life and hurled herself in to the lake from a high cliff. The dragon however had heard her cries of desperation, so he sprung from the depth of his cave toward the lake to save her. Although he unleashed his mighty power through earth and sky, the dragon could not reach her in time; she had already disappeared into the dark waters of the lake. Since that time, the dragon mourns her disappearance and every year, around the anniversary of her death in early September his sighs and sorrow cause the spectacular thunderstorm of the Sarneghera. At Villa La Briciola, at night when the wind rises the dragon’s sighs still carry the lady’s voice in one of the upstairs bedrooms of the Villa; a sweet mournful wail who calls out: “Aiutami!” (Help me). According to popular tradition La Dama Bianca (The White Lady) used to haunt the pavilion upon which Villa La Briciola was rebuilt. She is said to appear to people skilled in the art of healing as young woman with streaming red hair, dressed in white and wearing only one slipper. Have I seen her? …No. Although I have lived at the villa and spent there most of the summers of my childhood, I have only heard her voice on windy nights and at the time of the Sarneghera…… |
"Sarneghera" seen from Villa La Briciola Upper Porch |
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