In Abbateggio, eggs symbolised fertility. The villagers offered Maria so many eggs that she didn't know what to do with them: they ate three for lunch and three for dinner every day, and she even sent a caseful to her mother-in-law in Rome, but there were still plenty left over.

A woman called Filomena was assigned to help Maria around the house, cleaning and going to fetch water from the well. 'Sell the eggs,' Filomena said,

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