During the court of King Roger II of Sicily and the dark times that surrounded the Sicilian Middle Ages, there was a young man named Nicola, son of Messinesi fishermen. The young man had strong swimming skills and a passion for diving with great resistance for holding his breath, so he could explore the seabed of the island, constantly looking for hidden treasures.
Word spread of his deeds and his courage and one day reached the ear of King Roger. Doubting the stories that were told of this young man one day he decided to meet him. Arriving in his humble village, the King immediately put him to the test by throwing a golden cup to the bottom of the sea, challenging him to go and retrieve it. The young man immersed himself and after a few minutes re-emerged with the cup in his hands. Then the King went out on his boat, took off his crown and threw it into the water, and asked the young man again to retrieve it. The young man immersed himself again, the wait was longer than the first, but with great obstinacy he managed to recover this too. Then the King chose an even deeper place to throw his ring, and said I challenge you again to recover it. So the young man plunged, disappearing into the dark depths. The wait was very long, but when he emerged under the general amazement and with the King's ring in his hand the young man carried with him sad news. He said that he had gone very deep, and that he had seen Sicily resting on 3 columns, but that one of these had corroded by the flames and was about to fall. The King did not believe his words, so Colapesce-as he had been called- said, my King I will bring you evidence of what I say. I will bring a piece of wood with me. When I get down there I will die but the piece of wood will rise to the surface burned so you can see what I'm saying.
The young man immersed himself again. The wait was very long, the young man had gone down so deep that you could not see him. Time passed but the young man did not come back up. Suddenly something dark emerged, it was the piece of burnt wood that Colapesce had taken with him. He never resurfaced. There are those who say that sacrifices have been made to support that now worn column, to prevent Sicily from sinking into the abyss.
Each legend has its own philosophy. Sicily has always been beautiful but unfortunate. Those who live there have suffered from the countless dominations, the Nobles, the Drought, and the difficulties in cultivating these lands, a people of migrants. But at the same time those who remain are none other than those columns that make up the identity of a people with a thousand faces, full of hopes and strength of broken dreams, a people who dream and love above all things this unfortunate island.