"L'Alber, o ALBERER, è un enorme uccello di fuoco che porta sventura a chi lo vede."

— Dario Spada: Gnomi, fate, folletti e altri esseri fatati in Italia, p. 14

I find the "Alber" to be a very interesting creature indeed. It is a "bird of fire" whose approach is heralded by a disturbing whistle, and then everyone has to flee inside their houses and bar doors and windows so that they don't perceive it and suffer misfortune as a result. That description would make me inclined to identify it as a #WildHunt -type phenomena, perhaps similar to the Australian Wildg'fahr.

But what also makes me curious is its name. Is "Alber" derived from "albero", Italian for "tree" or "mast"? If so, perhaps this is no "bird" after all, but a flaming pole - which would make it kin to the "flaming pole"-type apparitions from German folklore as well.

#Italiano #folklore