"Piglet," or rather, "Little Piglet" - that is exactly how locals affectionately and lovingly call this figure, which has become Florence's second symbol after the lily.
This sculpture is already more than 400 years old. Over the centuries it has noticeably darkened, except for its snout, which has been polished to a shine. There is a belief that you need to make a wish while holding onto the snout and "treating" the little boar to a few coins, and then it will certainly come true.
The story of the appearance of "Porcellino" (translated from Italian as "piglet") goes back centuries. According to legend, a fierce boar burst into the city and scared away all the local residents. They hid in their homes, afraid to go outside. Only one boy approached the animal, stretched out his hand, and stroked its wet snout. After that, the beast calmed down and left the city. And this story became yet another confirmation that tenderness and love can work wonders. A similar plot can also be found in Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale "The Bronze Boar."
The author of the sculpture is Pietro Tacca. Today, copies of his creation have spread all over the world. Clones of the "Piglet" can be found in the USA, Canada, Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, and other countries.
Besides that, it has also "appeared" in movies. For example, in one scene of the film "Hannibal," the hero washes his hands in this very fountain. And Harry Potter fans solemnly insist that they saw "Porcellino" in the final part of the famous film saga.
