Storia: The Pumpkin That Wasn't There (La Zucca Che Non C'era)
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Arnold, an impassioned but clumsy gardener, had finally succeeded in growing a flawless, giant pumpkin. He was sure to win a big prize at the local fair, and he couldn’t wait to show it off.
However, on the eve of the fair, he found that his pumpkin had disappeared. There were distinct orange smudges marking a trail from his garden gate to his neighbour’s fence.
Arnold confronted his neighbour. “Did you take my pumpkin?” he asked.
“I wouldn’t bother taking such a pathetic vegetable,” his neighbour snapped.
“It was a very respectable pumpkin,” Arnold insisted. “And someone has taken it. I suspect that they felt they would only be able to win if they sabotaged my entry.”
“That’s an outrageous accusation,” said the neighbour. “You have always been a useless gardener. Your pumpkin wouldn’t have won a prize, even if they awarded prizes for the worst vegetables on earth.”
Arnold was hurt and he stormed back into his house.
The following day, Arnold attended the fair even though he had nothing to show. He stood alone behind his empty table, and looked foolish compared to all the other entrants, whose tables were brimming with produce. His neighbour stood smiling, with his enormous aubergine on display.
Sure enough, the neighbour won first prize, and he approached Arnold to gloat. “I guess the best man won, eh Arnold?” he said with a smirk.
Suddenly, there was a commotion at the tent’s entrance. Arnold’s pumpkin rolled in, as if it had a life of its own. Then Arnold’s dog came after it. It had been pushing and rolling the pumpkin all around town. The true thief had been revealed.
The judges were flabbergasted. “Look at the size of that pumpkin!” they exclaimed. The neighbour looked very worried.
The senior judge approached Arnold. “As we have already awarded the first prize, we can’t take it away,” he said. “But if your pumpkin had arrived in time, it surely would have won.”
The neighbour looked satisfied, and waved his trophy at Arnold.
“However, in light of these events, I feel we should award a special prize. Arnold, you shall be given the award for the Most Unusual Method of Entry! I doubt anyone will ever take it away from you.”
In years to come, Arnold’s neighbour would regularly show his friends his first prize trophy on his shelf, and his friends would yawn. “Did you see the prize Arnold has, though?” they would say. “It’s completely unique. It went down in history!”