Fierucola (Real)

The "Little Fair"; a fair or festival held by the peasants on the seventh of September, the eve of the Nativity of the Virgin, in the Piazza dell' Annunziata. Tito Melema, whose interest has been aroused by Nello's description of the Fierucola, goes to see the celebration, find Tessa in the Church of the Annunziata, wanders through the fair with her, and ends by going through a mock marriage ceremony which she ignorantly believes to be real. Guido Biage, in his edition of Romola, points out that it is not certainn that the Fierucola was celbrated as early as the time of Romola, as, according to one tradition, the festival commemorates the taking of Siena in 1555.

<em>Romola</em>

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