Many people think that it's the Scarecrow of Maslenitsa that is consigned to fire on the last day of winter, but that is not so - this is not Maslenitsa that is burned - this is the rite of saying goodbye to winter. Aforetime, each men and woman used to take one sheaf of straw from their yards, piled up these sheaves in a one big pile whereof they made a big Scarecrow, which they dressed like a woman - in bright skirts, blouses and scarves and carried it in sledges around the city thus saluting madam Maslenitsa. After that, the Scarecrow was burned and people threw pancakes symbolizing the memorial dish into the fire. Parents said to their children that all the fat food had burned thus explaining why people eat only meagre food during the Lent. Sometimes instead of the Maslenitsa Scarecrow a well-dressed girl or a brightly made up old woman played the role of Madam Maslenitsa and was sledged along the streets. At the end of the festivity the sledge with the actress was drawn out of the city and there the woman was thrown into a big snowdrift to hilarious laughter and hooting of the onlookers. Thus, they were "burying" Maslenitsa.
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