On a cold autumn evening, a baby is born in a village. He is as tiny as a bean, with wrinkled skin and a voice like a kitten's. People think that he will die, but his parents turn to the masca Micilina (masca is a mysterious figure from folklore tradition). But who is she? Who knows? She is neither ugly, not old, not young… But she can do great magic, because she knows how to heal, even if everyone fears her and there are rumours in the village about her. Thanks to her intervention, tiny Tommasino, knows as Masino, grows up and becomes big, strong and brave. So much so that he travels to discover the wonders of the World. When he returns to the village, he discovers that the masca is in danger because everybody thinks that she is responsible of the disappearance of sheep, goats, cows… A fascinating story, rewritten from a traditional Italian tale and illustrated with stunning elegance by Pia Valentinis.
- going beyond rumors and prejudices;
- understanding the narrative mechanisms of fairy tales;
- discovering who a "masca" is and what she does.
