Post by Matilda on Jan 9, 2021 23:10:24 GMT
I was intending to post about this on Epiphany, and then we had a bit of a distraction here in the USA. While still reeling from the news, I decided to return to my plan anyway. After all, as GeoX might put it, is anything truly more important than cartoon waterfowl?
Befana is the turn-of-the-year gift-giver in part of Italy, a pre-Christian witchy figure who got spiffed up centuries ago with a Christian backstory and who delivers presents on the eve of Epiphany (from which her name is derived).
The American Santa Claus and his near-counterparts (Italian Babbo Natale, for instance) have been in Duck comics since Barks. The Dutch Sinterklaas has appeared in *many* Dutch comics stories, interacting with Ducks or Wolves or whomever. I'm interested here in stories where Befana appears as a character or is mentioned as an actual though off-panel person.
Putting "Befana" into the keyword search on Inducks will get you some of these stories, but it doesn't get you all of them (e.g. doesn't include the "fatina per un giorno" story I own), and the ones it does list may or may not include Befana as a character. The list even includes a couple of American stories which feature Santa Claus, and I have no friggin' idea how *those* got on there--there's no summary written in Italian that mentions the Befana, as far as I can see.
I own the following:
a Silvia Zichia "che aria tira" cartoon, where Magica has all these people calling up to her, mistaking her for Befana, and she thinks she should really avoid going outside on January 6th.
a one-pager in which Ratface is hosting a party--one of the guests is Befana's sentient broom, and since it's the night of Epiphany Eve, this is delaying Befana's journey (yes, she is pictured and has one bubble of dialogue).
wherein a bunch of children mistake Magica for Befana, and she ends up acting the "good fairy" with/for them. An amusing thing about this story is that I first read it in French, where the children's identification of Magica as Befana was translated as (the French equivalent of) Mrs. Claus, which makes *no* kind of sense! Mrs. Claus not usually being imaged as wearing black and riding a broom.
Here are a few others, from the list that comes up if you put Befana in the keyword search on Inducks:
Topolino e l'anticipo natalizio --one of the summaries reads "la Befana contro Babbo Natale," the Befana vs. Father Christmas/Santa Claus. Can anyone tell me what happens in this story? I'd love a summary of the befana-relevant part of the plot, spoilers and all. And does Befana actually appear in this story as a character?
The Minnie story befana per amicizia where she apparently takes on the role of the Befana for Goofy?
The Goofy story Pippo e il dono della befana which is described as "the origin of the Befana as a good witch." Anyone read that and can summarize it for me?
A Donald Duckling story appears to concern a stocking DD leaves out for the Befana. There are a number of the items that come up on the Inducks "Befana" list that seem to concern Befana only in that they involve stockings, since the Befana leaves her presents in stockings. Those could mostly be seamlessly translated into English by replacing Befana with Santa, since Santa fills stockings for many American children.
The story from last January Amelia befana per forza is described thus: Magica replaces the "Befana" in her task of delivering coal to bad children, and this role grants her free access to all houses, including US bin. Again, anyone read it who can supply more of a plot summary? Does the Befana appear in it as a character? How does Magica get her new role as the "Befana for naughty children"?
There are also a couple of Chip & Dale 6-pagers in the Inducks list--I'm interested if Befana actually appears in them. And a Hard Haid Moe story!
Any and all details of these stories appreciated! I could theoretically order a copy of the issue of Topolino with the "befana per forza" story in it for 10 euros on eBay.it, but the shipping cost from Italy to the USA is 26 euros!! I believe I'll have to pass on that.