THE MAGIC STORY OF SOMBREUIL

A long time ago, in a small

village called Sferracavallo, in

the core of Italy, there lived a

young French woman and her

daughter Sombreuil. For living,

they grew roses.

One morning, while Sombreuil is having

breakfast, some drops of tea fall in a

basket full of seeds of roses.

The little girl, for fear of being punished,

doesn't say anything to her mom. She

greets her and goes to school.

Meanwhile the woman takes the

basket with the seeds and goes

to the field to plant them. Days

and months go by and from the

ground...

Very dainty and charming roses blossom; they are white

with shades of pale pink in the middle and with a

delicious scent of tea. The woman is surprised by this

beauty without knowing how it happened.

While she admires those roses, a rich man comes on his

horse. He is the Count of Ripesena and he is stuck by the

beauty of the flowers. He goes to the woman and asks her

to sell the seeds of these wonderful flowers. To this

question the woman has no answer, but fearing to lose

this wealthy customer, she tells him to come back after

three weeks, pretending she has run out of them. The

Count, then, thanks her and rides towards his

magnificent house situated on top of a rock.

Going back home, the woman is worried and sitting on a

chair, she bursts out crying desperately.

Sombreuil, her daughter, goes and hugs her, asking what

happened.

The woman starts telling that she doesn't know how to

find the seeds of those particular roses with the scent of

tea. At that point, Sombreuil stands up and, faltering, she

tells that she accidentally spilt some tea in the basket

where the rose seeds were.

Hearing those words, her mother jumps out of the chair

and joyfully hugs and kisses the girl.

So together, the two women start to produce the

seeds of that elegant rose that they will call

“Sombreuil”.

When everything is ready, they decide to go and

take the seeds to the Count's house.

As they get there, they are fascinated by the

magnificence and beauty of the building.

The gate opens and there is the Count who is

surprised by the visit of the two women.

He, then, enthusiastically decides to buy all the

seeds with a remarkable sum of money and at the

same time, suggests to the mother to work for him

taking care of his gardens.

The woman accepts immediately changing her

future for ever. Every trouble disappears and for

the two women a new life begins.