Real or Fake #21

(1) Read the story. (2) Tell the story in your own words. (3) Ask the questions.
Every June, a small town in Spain holds a strange festival called El Colacho. The event has been around since the 1600s and is meant to symbolize the fight between good and evil. Men dressed as devils run through the streets, shouting insults and hitting bystanders with a stick.

The most famous part? Babies are laid on mattresses, and the “devils” leap over them.

It’s believed this jump helps cleanse the babies of sin and protects them from harm.

Afterward, the babies are sprinkled with rose petals and then returned to their parents.

Over the centuries there have been no reports of injuries, but the festival is still considered to be one of the riskiest in the world.
Vocabulary
bystander = a person who sees something that is happening but is not involved
Comprehension Questions
  1. When did this festival begin?
  2. Name 3 things that happen at the event?
  3. How many injuries have been reported?
Discussion Questions
  1. Would you like to see this festival in person?
  2. What’s the most interesting festival you’ve ever participated in?
  3. Should festivals like El Colacho be banned?
  4. Why do you think the babies are sprinkled with rose petals?
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