Befana as delighted parade participants join in the cacophony. Sometimes, the Befanas dance with parade goers and dust down the willing as parade goers walk by. There are poems about Befana, which are known in slightly different versions throughout Italy. Here is one of the versions: "La Befana vien di notte"<br> "Con le scarpe tutte rotte"<br> "Col vestito alla romana"<br> "Viva, Viva La Befana!" The English translation is: "The Befana comes by night"<br> "With her shoes all tattered and torn"<br> "She comes dressed in the Roman way"<br> "Long live the Befana!" Another version is given in a poem by Giovanni Pascoli:
Befana legend of La Befana starts at the time of the birth of baby Jesus. Befana spends her days cleaning and sweeping. One day the magi, also known as the three wise men, came to her door in search of baby Jesus. Befana turned them away because she was too busy cleaning. Befana notices a bright light in the sky; she thinks this is the way to baby Jesus. She brought some baked goods and gifts for baby Jesus in her bag and took her broom to help the new mother clean and began her search for baby Jesus. She searched