Your faithful Chippings advance scout and correspondent had been frequently baffled by the appearance of this mermaid-like creature swimming in a field of red and yellow. She has three naked legs. Out of the curly locks of her golden hair spring two angel wings and two hissing vipers.
She is everywhere. On the provincial flag of Sicily. On the sides of official vehicles. On signs marking forest preserves and historical sites. I see her on plates, plaques and ceramic tiles surfacing alongside images of the Virgin Mary and Padre Pio.
Finally, I asked Pepe, my hip Italian language teacher, "Per piacere, Pepe, dimmi chi e questa signorina?"
And I learn that she is not a ragazza nor a mermaid nor a German babe. She's a "medusa," a jellyfish, and she represents the autonomous island province of Sicilia.
Pepe explains that the three legs, splayed in triangular fashion, stand for the three corners of the island. The angel wings are what Sicily would hope to be, close to God, heavenly, aspiring to fame and fortune. The vipers are what she has to be to protect herself, to sting, to bite back at the many invaders who have despoiled her resources and oppressed her people for the last 3,000 years.
So now when I see the medusa, I shuffle on, wary and attentive.
Location:Sicilia
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