Note: Discussed in this part: Alan proposes (in Italian) donkeys, animal and human, as a subject for an extemporized ottava rima. Vittorio happily complies on the spot, to bystander applause. Strambotto (from a Provencal improvised couplet) is the root of the stornello, always formerly in the form of a debate. A stornello is heard (a dispetto, or song of spite) from Arezzo, the town where musical notation (do-re-mi- scale) was invented.