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 she declined, stating she was too busy with her housework. Later, La Befana had a change of heart, and tried to search out the astrologers and Jesus. That night she was not able to find them, so to this day, La Befana is searching for the little baby. She leaves all the good children toys and candy ("caramelle") or fruit, while the bad children get coal ("carbone"), onions or garlic. Another Christian legend takes a slightly darker tone as La Befana was an ordinary woman with a child whom she greatly loved. However, her child died, and her resulting grief