“Miei cari, lasciatemi raccontare della micia e Scucchia.” “My dears, let me tell you about the cat and Scucchia.” That is how grandmother would begin, sitting by the fireplace with her grandchildren around her.
In the village there was a figure who was a witch by day and at night turned into a black cat, running through the fields and slipping into people’s homes.
Secrets by the fireplace
One evening a family was gathered around the table by the light of an oil lamp: “We have to decide about Maria’s dowry. It’s a very delicate and private matter.” By the fireplace, curled up, lay a black cat.
The next day, a hunchbacked old woman went from one neighbour to another: “Hey, you should know, I heard last night… they say there’s hardly anything for Maria’s dowry!”, “Did you know Maria is getting married but won’t have a dowry?”. And the women stood there open-mouthed.
The proof
The following evening the black cat was back again, in front of the fire. This time the man of the house grabbed the poker and chased it out with a few blows: “You’re here again today? Go away, we don’t want you telling our business around town!”
The next morning the old woman walked through the village even more hunched and sore. And that is how everyone got the proof that she was the cat, and that the cat was Scucchia.