The « masco » Old Provence
What Provençal never heard of masks, « lei masco », as they were called
An ancestral belief
Today no one believes in it, I mean... I think. This expression is used more than to designate someone who « does the bregue » (the moat), that is to say, looking at you with wicked little eyes. Yet our elders believed it hard as iron and their only evocation was enough to worry the most reckless. The belief in their existence was tenacious, even until the 20th century.
Why the terror?
One side believed in the Gospel, which - which is well known - could only bring good things and the other to mascos, who brought evil fate, diseases and even death. No one could say anything about it, we lived with these fears and if we let a blasphemous swear escape, we would never have dared to insult a masco because if God forgives, the masco, no!
Contrary to a well-established idea, the masco was not necessarily a woman, it could be a man. If you were caught up in any way, you'd be in a mess! Fever, malignant diseases, insomnia, pain in the hip, bad harvest and what else do I know was on you, you were safe from nothing!
The masco could touch you even through your animals; So if your cow calved with a still-born calf or your rooster didn't sing in the morning, there was no point in looking further, you were certainly caught.
How can I get out of this bad step?
Especially don't think you'd get away with going to the doctor, his power in front of the one who put you up to him could be considered a sucker. Pharmacopoeia and science could not face the dark forces of evil, even the parish priest did not have saving prayers.
The bosses, the benches, the blinds, and other infirm women passed to be punished for a serious fault and not only had to endure their physical disgrace but were considered to be powerful emmascaira. They said:
« Aqueli que lou boun Diéu marco
Your devil caught in cargo »
« Those whom God has marked, are taken over by the devil.. »
What then?
Fortunately all hope was not lost, there was sometimes a parade.
The dark masco world consisted of two types of people: « Emmascaire » who cast the spell and the « demascaire » who could sometimes conjure him. In fact, it all depended on the power of his power vis-à-vis that of the Emmascaira, a question of power ratio in a way. After you exposed your case to him, the demascaire took a serious look, scratched his head and if he thought he was up to it, he indicated an infallible recipe that would deliver you from the spell. For example it recommended to cook a liver in which you would have previously planted needles that will be as many darters planted in the heart of the masco provided of course that you cook the liver at midnight after having traced in front of your door the cabalistic signs indicated by your savior... But it may also be that the demascaire admits its impotence:
« You can't stand it. Aqueous that you have emmasca a mai de podé que iù. You're a demascariou... In a poop.
(I can't expose you. The one who put you together has more power than me. It'd be another one, I'd expose you... From him, I can't... He has too much power.) »
All you had to do was ask for a more powerful masquerade, even if you went to get it far away.
In conclusion
No one could escape a bad fate cast by a masco. From the poorest of the chemins to the notable of the corner, everyone could be caught. It was one of the few justices that existed in life then.
All equal against masks.
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