Giulietta Masina credited as playing...
Gelsomina
- The Fool: If you won't stay with him, who will? I'm an ignorant man, but I've read a book or two. You may not believe it, but everything in this world has a purpose. Even this pebble, for example.
- Gelsomina: Which one?
- The Fool: This one. Any one. But even this one has a purpose.
- Gelsomina: What's its purpose?
- The Fool: Its purpose is - how should I know? If I knew, I'd be...
- Gelsomina: Who?
- The Fool: The Almighty, who knows everything. When you're born. When you die. Who knows? No, I don't know what this pebble's purpose is, but it must have one, because if this pebble has no purpose, then everything is pointless. Even the stars! At least, I think so. And you too. You have a purpose too.
- Nun: Do you like traveling from one place to the next all the time?
- Gelsomina: That's how his work is.
- Nun: We travel around too. We change convents every two years. This is my second.
- Gelsomina: Why?
- Nun: So we don't get too attached to the things of this world. You grow fond of where you live, even of a a plant. You risk forgetting your most important attachment, which is to God. So you see, we both travel. You follow your husband and I follow mine.
- Gelsomina: Do you remember how beautiful it was, Zampanò? Watching the rain from the window that day?