Customs and traditions of Carnival (January or February). The masks, the sweet ravioli and the burnt puppet in the square. Crunch them

During the Carnival period, costumes (masks) were made which were worn not only by children, but often by adults as well. Women usually dressed as men, because in those days everything - or almost everything - was allowed; for example, it was forbidden to carry weapons and sticks, as the decrees of the intendant already forbade in the 19th century. However, it was not forbidden to frighten the travellers, and there were also those who covered themselves with sheets and played jokes on the people passing by. For the preparation of the costumes, old clothes that were found in the house were often used, but there were also those who resorted to the ingenuity and skill of the tailors of the town, who during the year put aside some scraps or some garments for the 'occasion. The tailors were proud of their creations and competed with each other to see who could create the most beautiful and realistic disguise.
The greatest entertainment for the children was going house to house to ask for sweets and delicacies. Very coveted were the sweet ravioli, a typical dish of the period, which some counter-guerrillas still prepare today. The ravioli were filled with sheep ricotta and then boiled in boiling water or fried in oil. After which they were sprinkled with grated pecorino (later replaced by Parmesan, which began to spread in the 1950s), sugar or cinnamon, depending on the tastes of the family.
At Carnival it was customary to prepare a puppet, similar to the New Year's puppet, which was then burned in the square. At the end of February, the crucchiə were driven out: the peasants gathered in the evening and went to the fields to make as much noise as they could, slamming pot lids, old crockery and metal tools. This "ritual" was believed to drive away mice and moles that infested the countryside. The symbolic value of this rite is testified by the nursery rhymes that were recited on the occasion. One of these is the following, collected by Mario Frattarelli: «Iscia febbrarə ca entra marzə, tuttə li crucchiə massera s’ammazzə. Chi pə marə, chi pə terra, tutti li crucchiə jo a Pərella. Chi pə nən qua, chi pə nən là, tuttə li crucchiə jo a Jajà. Chi pə nən su, chi pə nən gnò, tuttə li crucchiə io a Vracalò. Chi pə terra e chi pə marə, tuttə li crucchie la a li Palmarə» [February comes out and March enters, all the crocchi are killed tonight. Who by sea who by land, all the crocchi down in Pərella. Who on this side, who on the other side, all the bunches down to Jajà. Who up, who down, all the bunch down to Vracalò. Who by land and who by sea, all the buns there come on Palmarə]