The Clown of Sorrento, Italian Folklore

The boot-shaped country of Italy has a small dent in its lower part. It is called the Bay of Naples. Its calm waters are overlooked by a picturesque town of Sorrento. It is perched atop rocky coastline. A long time ago, in this pastel-colored town lived a small boy with a big heart named Giovanni.

He didn’t have a mother or a father. So his home was any doorway he could sleep in. He had nothing, but he was a happy boy. He knew how to make other people smile, which earned him bread or a hot soup.

Giovanni loved to juggle. Every day he juggled at Signor Baptista’s stand at the marketplace. He juggled any fruit or any vegetable he could put his hands on. Crowds loved to watch him juggling oranges, apples, lemons creating colors of a rainbow. It was magical. When the boy was done, the people would buy from Signor Baptista and his wife. In return they would serve the boy a bowl of soup. The arrangement worked well for both parties.

However, one day a circus was passing by Sorrento. The boy was mesmerized by colorful clowns and beautifully dressed dancers. “Oh, I would love to juggle in those colorful clothes,” sighed Giovanni.

After the play, he rushed to the Maestro, but he did not want to listen to the boy. He brushed him off. But Giovanni was persistent and added, “I can make a rainbow juggling different fruits.”

“Show it me,” said Maestro. He was pretty impressed by the boy and agreed to take him. Giovanni rushed to say his good-byes to the people of Sorrento and off he was traveling to the most amazing places in Italy.

Giovanni received his own costume, was taught how to make his own make up and learned how to juggle sticks, plates, rings and burning torches. He always finished his show juggling colorful balls and creating the rainbow he was famous for. The crowds loved it. It wasn’t long before Giovanni became pretty famous throughout the Italy. He then said his good-byes to his circus friends and off he was traveling on his own.

He traveled north and south, west and east. The towns were no longer unfamiliar to him. He juggled for a duke and a princess. The crowds always cheered. Wherever he went, whoever he juggled for, he always made people happy, bringing smiles on their faces and filling the places with laughter.

Years went by. Giovanni grew old and that’s when he decided to go back to Sorrento. This time the thought of his birthplace brought a big smile to his face. He had great times traveling throughout Italy, meeting different people and making them happy. But now, it was time for him to head back home.