Curve 14. Teresa and Her Ramicellos

In the cultures of the Aethalia Peninsula, including the Duchy of Milan, there was an object called a “cornicello.” The term comes from the word “corno,” meaning “horn,” and the diminutive suffix “-cello,” meaning “small.” So, in other words, a cornicello can be translated as a “small horn.”

The cornicello also has several other names, including:"cornetto," meaning “little horn” or “hornlet”; “corno,” meaning “horn”; and “corno portafortuna,” meaning “horn that brings luck.” For your information, the word “porta” can be a noun meaning “door” or “gate,” and it can also be a verb meaning “to carry, wear, or deliver.”

A cornicello, or corno portafortuna, is a talisman or amulet worn for protection against bad luck in general and against the evil eye, or “malocchio.” The evil eye itself can be defined as “a belief that one can harm, curse, bewitch, or afflict another person simply by looking at them.” Usually, the evil eye is inspired by envy.

The cornicello was what inspired Teresa Maria Caetana to search for something. On this particular afternoon, the little girl wandered under the trees in the backyard of their spacious Como home. Two maids accompanied her and followed Teresa's requests to find something suitable for her.

Teresa said to her two female companions, "Miss Maid One, look over there. Miss Maid Two, look over there. If you find anything that fits my description, just show it to me."

The three women hadn't been working long when a man approached them. The man was none other than Rami Ramiro Raminelli. Their long conversation, which lasted from seven to nine in the morning, had ended. His friend, Nuvolo Arditi Figliuoli, and the three bodyguards had left to return to their respective towns and villages.

After a lengthy conversation with the Agnesi family—excluding Teresa, who wasn't involved—Rami immediately set off to explore the Lake Como area to assess the situation. He rode one of the two horses pulling his four-wheeled wagon. He set off at the same time as Nuvolo, who was heading home.

Rami asked Nuvolo if he wouldn't explore Como first, stay the night, and return the next morning. Nuvolo replied that he was thinking of returning in a few weeks with a nephew. At that time, Nuvolo said, "I'll take a few days off with my nephew. I'll have him drive the cart or wagon so I can just sit back and enjoy the scenery. Hahaha..."

After parting ways with his friend Nuvolo, Rami wandered around the defensive walls of Bellagio. He not only enjoyed the city's scenery but also noted important points, such as food stalls, grocery stores, healers, veterinarians, tool repair shops, and so on.

Afterward, he walked along the shores of Lake Como. He not only enjoyed the beautiful scenery but also considered potential spots for training Agnesi in Aecte Aerts. However, he only explored and surveyed a portion of the lakeshore, as the lake's shoreline is 170 kilometers long. He returned to the Caetana family's house as evening fell.

Upon arrival at Caetana's family house, Rami walked towards the back of the house. That's where he saw Teresa and two maids doing something. Rami walked closer to them and offered to help. He greeted and asked, "Good afternoon, Princess Teresa and the maids. What are you doing? May I help you?"

Teresa felt that the offer of help from someone she had just met was actually a threat to her secret mission. She shouted, bombarding Rami with prohibitive words, “No, no, Mister! This is my team! You are not invited! Not invited, don't go! You must not disturb us! My holy work!”

Rami didn't force the little girl to accept his help. He quickly withdrew without asking what the three women were actually doing. He said, "Uh... Oh... Okay. I hope everything goes smoothly for you guys..."

(***)

The next morning, the day after Teresa's "adventure" with two maids in the backyard of their Como house yesterday afternoon. This morning, Teresa and her parents were scheduled to take their caroche back to their home in Milan. Of course, Teresa and her parents were also required to say goodbye to Agnesi.

Pietro Fortunato Caetana and Anna Maria Caetana punctuated their farewells with advice and an impromptu extra allowance they gave Agnesi. The impromptu allowance was only a small percentage of the allowance they had previously given her.

In the end, Teresa also had her turn to say goodbye to her sister. Ultimately, the jailer had to release Agnesi from the house arrest she had been under for about a third of a month. Finally, the jailer gave her something as a sign that she recognized Agnesi's innocence.

Teresa said, “My great, my lovely, my genius, older sister. Honestly, I’m upset I can’t play with you anymore for a long time. It’s clearly a crime. But I have to admit that it’s not your fault.”

Agnesi, who wasn't facing an academic question, seemed to struggle to find the right words to respond to her sister's remarks. Finally, she replied, "It's okay, it's okay. And I'm not a criminal. Thank you, Teresa..."

Teresa said again, “Then, I will hand over some things to you. You must take care of them, my older sister.”

Agnesi asked her three-year-old sister, “What things?”

Teresa turned to a maid, one of the maids who had come here this afternoon to accompany her to look for something. She said, “Miss maid, bring the box.”

The maid immediately walked over, carrying a small wooden box. She handed it to Teresa. Teresa then opened the box and showed Agnesi its contents.

Agnesi spontaneously laughed when she saw what was inside the box, “Hahaha....”

Agnesi laughed at the sight of the small objects, knowing Teresa meant to shape them into cornicellos. A cornicello is an amulet shaped like a small, curved horn with a pointed tip. The horn's curve is said to have been inspired by the shape of an eland horn. The horns of a cornicello can be made from materials such as gold, silver, bone, red coral, or terracotta.

Typically, the top of the cornicello, which lacks a pointed horn, is framed by a small crown made of metal. This metal can be gold, silver, or brass. The metal crown serves as a support or hanger. Above the crown, there is usually a hole for attaching a rope, necklace chain, or key ring.

The horn part of Teresa's cornicellos were made of wooden twigs, which are called "rami" in their language, the Aethalian language. Of course, Teresa and the two maids couldn't find any twigs that resembled the shape of an eland horn. Furthermore, the crowns at the tops of Teresa's cornicellos were made of paper. But it was precisely these things that made Agnesi find her little sister's antics so amusing.

Agnesi immediately knelt and hugged her sister. She said, “Thank you for the ramicellos you made, Teresa. Your older sister will always take care of them.”

Rami, standing next to Agnesi, could easily see what was in Teresa's small box. He thought to himself, "Oh, so yesterday afternoon Miss Teresa and the two maids were looking for twigs, looking for rami..."