While the Salván was corpulent, the Salvanel was a small, mischievous elf. Dressed in red from head to toe, he enjoyed teasing travellers who ventured into the woods. He was greedy for milk and some nights he went into the shepherds’ stables to steal all the milk he could find. Woe betide those who entered a wood to pluck flowers, cut down trees or even light a fire without paying attention: the Salvanel was very jealous of his woods and was prepared to make anyone pay for not treating them with respect!
With any luck you could meet the beautiful Vivanas, perhaps near a stream. They were sweet, friendly, graceful creatures who lived in the woods near streams. Vivanas, who were just as good as fairies, in the past helped travellers who had got lost in the woods or they would go down to the village to help the villagers with their chores. To thank them, the people who lived in the village used to have wooden windows made with a small aperture, in order to leave some food for them on the windowsill. Still today, these small apertures, which you can see in the window shutters of the more traditional houses, are called “Portelle delle Vivane” (“Small doors for the Vivanas”).
