The story of the young Nichola of Messina, who remained underwater to support the weight of Sicily Once upon a time in Messina there was the young Nicola, known as “Cola”. The boy was the son of a fisherman and was a very skilled swimmer, so much so that he was nicknamed Colapesce by his fellow citizens. It was said that Colapesce was able to stay underwater for weeks, if not even whole months. When he returned from his underwater adventures, he would bring numerous treasures to the surface and tell his friends about the wonders of the underwater world. Colapesce’s fame was such that it reached the ears of Federico II of Swabia, king of Sicily. The king wanted to meet the boy and see with his own eyes his great swimming skills. He decided to give Colapesce a task: he threw a cup in the middle of the…