Favola di Venezia (or Sirat al Bunduqiyyah) is a Corto Maltese comic story written and illustrated by Hugo Pratt in 1977.
It is the 25th adventure of Corto Maltese in chronological order (24th in publication order). The story is set in Venice between 10 and 25 April 1921.
Both titles, Favola di Venezia and Sirat al Bunduqiyyah (Arabic for The Story of Venice), have been used over the years, either together or separately, depending on the edition of the work.
Favola di Venezia was first published in serial form (eight strips per week) in the weekly magazine L'Europeo, from issue no. 21/22 (3 June 1977) to issue no. 51 (23 December 1977). The colouring was by Mariolina Pasqualini, while Guido Fuga assisted Hugo Pratt with the architectural drawings.
Two years later, the story was published as a single-volume edition by Milano Libri under the title Sirat Al Bunduqiyyah, in a horizontal format. In 1984, it was reissued in a square format, enriched with an introduction by Pratt himself and two articles on Freemasonry.
In 1997, Lizard Edizioni republished the work in its Bibliothèque series as the complete and definitive edition, featuring new colouring by Patrizia Zanotti. The introduction to this complete edition was written by Luca Raffaelli.
Intrigued by a riddle sent to him in a letter by his friend Baron Corvo (the pseudonym of the English writer Frederick Rolfe), Corto Maltese travels to Venice in search of the Clavicle of Solomon, a magical talisman engraved with mysterious inscriptions. To assist him in his search, he seeks the help of his Venetian friend Little Silver Foot (Gambetta d'Argento) and her son Boeke.
The adventure begins with a chase across the rooftops of Venice. While attempting to escape his pursuers, Corto falls through a skylight, and at that moment the tone of the narrative shifts, taking on an almost dreamlike quality. He lands in the middle of a meeting of the Grand Lodge of Italy, engages in an absurd conversation with one of its members, and is introduced to the gentle yet enigmatic Bepi Faliero.
During the night, together with Faliero, Corto becomes involved in a confrontation with a group of Fascists led by the belligerent Stevani, and encounters a series of remarkable and unexpected figures, ranging from the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio to the mysterious Neoplatonist philosopher of Venice, Hipazia.
This search leads Corto Maltese into a tangled web of mysteries, rivalries and hidden agendas. The talisman is connected to an ancient legend and to a series of secret symbols scattered throughout Venice, forcing Corto to investigate not only the physical locations where the object may be hidden, but also the stories and memories surrounding the city itself.
During his investigations, Corto becomes involved in a dangerous political situation. The atmosphere of Venice in 1921 is marked by the growing influence of Fascism, and he finds himself caught between different factions pursuing their own interests. His encounters with various characters reveal a world where political conspiracies, esoteric beliefs and personal vendettas intertwine.
After a series of events and misunderstandings, Corto is accused of having attempted to assassinate a prominent figure. He must therefore continue his search while trying to clear his name and discover who is truly behind the plot against him.
The adventure also revolves around a mysterious emerald, hidden somewhere in Venice, whose history is linked to the city's legends and to the secret societies that operate in its shadows. As Corto follows the clues, the boundaries between reality, myth and imagination become increasingly blurred.
More information: The Slings And Arrows
one on the "Street of the Love of Friends,"
the second near the "Bridge of Wonders,"
and the third on the "Path of the Marranos,"
near San Geremia in the old Ghetto.
When Venetians -or sometimes the Maltese-
grow weary of the authorities,
they go to these secret places and,
opening the doors at the back of the courtyards,
depart forever for wondrous lands and other stories...
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