The legends of San Rabano in the Maremma Park

Many are the legends born amongst the Monti dell’Uccellina, today known as the Maremma Park. In the following service I am going to tell you about some legends regarding the complex of San Rabano Abbey, tower built in the XIth century and recently restored, that definitely worth a visit.

 
Let’s start from the legends about the treasure of San Rabano.
It is said that pirates beheaded some friars of the abbey and that their ghosts wander in the tower and in
the woods to protect a fabulous treasure.
The ghosts walk in a single line, flowing as they were on a rail, and wear a cowl over a dark shadow
replacing their head, if you meet them you could die of fright!
One night a poacher looking for a shelter went inside the abbey ruins. Knowing the story of the hidden
treasure, he started seeking anywhere..He finally found it, but he found also a creepy friar ghost as a guard.
His hair turned white from dread and many days later he was found speechless wandering around the
tower.
Other books mentioning this legend, tell the story of a good man who, convinced by his wife, started
looking for the treasure during a stormy night, thinking that not even ghosts could have come out on a
terrible night like that.
He found a cavern with a huge spider web and a big black spider at the entrance. He remembered his wife
always telling him that spiders stay closed to riches, so he looked with his torch to see if the treasure was
there. The spider wasn’t there anymore, but stones started hitting him. He looked around but didn’t see
anyone, he shifted the torch and saw a hooded man with a glowing light in place of his head.
The friar told him “go away!” but he didn’t listen and asked about the treasure, so the ghost brandished a
shining sword and killed him.
The next day he was found dead, but with no wound. The spider, who seemed to be sneering, was again in
his place and was impassively looking at the goodman’s wife.
There is also another story about the legendary treasure: “The golden hen”.
Inside the San Rabano ruins lives a golden hen with its twelve golden chiks. They go out once every
hundred years, during a stormy night where the sea howls and beats against the rocks of the bay Cala di
Forno.
If you meet them you will be dazzled by their brightness and doomed to go crazy, your hair will turn white
from fright and your eyes will get dull.
If you follow them you will find the treasure, but it’s really dangerous, the golden hen and chicks are well-
protected: a big black cat with green eyes and a friar that makes the air gelid passing by. If you manage to
get closer to the treasure you will find many other ghosts, they will pounce on you, the cat will start to
scratch your face and the hen to peck at you.
 

 
That was what happened in a dreadful night to a hunter who saw the golden hen and found the treasure: a
cavern filled with rubies, emerald, diamonds and pearls, gold and silver, but he didn’t manage to take them
away and was attacked by the cruel guards.
Luckily, he managed to escape, but never forgot that night: his hair and eyes reminded him the terrible
adventure till the end of his days.
The treasure is still there..hidden in the San Rabano ruins or somewhere amongst the Monti dell’Uccellina.
Who knows how many years passed since the last stroll of the golden hen.
Would you come with me during the next stormy night to look for it and the treasure??
Article by  Katia Signorini
Translation by Gemma Bancalà