Altre Leggende portfolio plate: ''La cura'' (The Cure)

This is my first, and likely last, Toppi color piece: a beautiful illustration from his "Altre Leggende" portfolio, rendered in his trademark vibrant colors and style.

Once again, a big "thank you" goes out to Francesco of tavoleoriginali.it, who had a far easier time with this trade. I'm getting way too soft with age, buddy! ;)


This is the text written by Sergio Toppi to complement this illo (with thanks to Eduardo Simone):

Era poco più di una bambina quando l’aveva visto partire, alto sul suo cavallo, per imprese ardue e lontane.
Da allora nessuno aveva più occupato quel suo luogo segreto, dove si conserva ciò che ci è più caro.
Il tempo era passato e quel ricordo era diventato una malattia che l’andava lentamente consumando.
Vennero dottori esperti d’ogni morbo, alteri nelle loro vesti cupe e sontuose. Ma lei, la più bella del regno, non guariva.
Venne un sapiente, poveramente vestito.
“La cura” disse ”sarà il rumore degli zoccoli di un cavallo, a sera, sulla strada maestra”. Fu deriso e cacciato.
Una sera, sulla strada maestra, risuonarono gli zoccoli di un cavallo. Segnato dal tempo e dall’impresa lui era tornato.
I medici illustri, sconcertati, videro sul volto di lei rifiorire i colori della salute.
Più tardi, quando le nozze furono festeggiate, nessuno si accorse di un uomo, poveramente vestito, confuso tra la folla. Sorrideva.

She was little more than a child when she saw him leave, high on his horse, for ventures arduous and far away.
Since then, no one had occupied that secret place of hers where what we hold most dear is kept.
The time had passed and that memory had become a disease that was slowly consuming her.
Doctors came, experts of every disease, lofty in their dark and sumptuous robes. But she, the most beautiful of the kingdom, would not heal.
Then came a learned man, poorly dressed.
''The care,' he said, 'will be the sound of a horse's hooves at night, on the high road.'' He was mocked and thrown out.
One evening, on the main road, the hoofs of a horse resounded. Marked by time and by the venture, he was back.
The illustrious physicians, bewildered, saw the colors of health flourish on her face.
Later, when the wedding was celebrated, no one noticed a man, poorly dressed, mixed in the crowd. He smiled.