This is a fascinating story that mixes elements of legend and local history. The narrative seems to reflect the tradition of miraculous stories and miracles linked to faith and religious conversion. It is said that a long time ago there were periods of drought but legend tells of a particular drought that struck the Lambro river. At that time the Lombard king Autari reigned in this place and, despite praying day and night to put an end to this ferocious drought, worried about the stability of his kingdom, he decided to convert to the God of his wife Theodelinda. She decided to turn to a hermit from the valley, named Eriprando, who is said to have had a direct connection with the divinity.
Eriprando walked along the riverbed in search of the source. It was precisely when, exhausted and without hope and his strength was about to abandon him, the miracle happened. Suddenly a hermit appeared to him with a quiver, who incredibly handed him a green hazel branch, which had not dried up despite the drought. It was as if the branch was crossed by an invincible force, because it stuck into the ground and allowed the water to flow as clear as in the good old days.
The figure of the hermit Eriprando, with its direct connection to the divinity and the vision of the mysterious hermit with the quiver delivering the green hazel branch, adds a touch of mysticism to the story. The fact that the hazelnut branch remained green despite the drought and allowed the Lambro river to resume its normal course is an evocative detail.
The current position of the mouth of the Lambro river (on the southern flank of the beach of Marinella a Palinuro) adds an element of geographical concreteness to the story, connecting the story to the reality of the territory. These types of legends often have roots in local history and help create a sense of identity and meaning for the community that passes them down.
