But all good things must come to an end, and so it is that farsang (or actually some kind of athropomorphised farsang dummy) is laid to rest in a funeral ceremony on the weekend before Lent kicks off (ie this one). Villagers from all over the county convene on one spot - which changes annually- to perform their mock funeral ceremony, drink palinka (I assume - it certainly seemed like a well lubricated event) and consume large quantities of töltött káposzta (stuffed cabbage). It was all very enjoyable and I thought I would share with you some pictures (all of which can be blown up to a more viewable size by simply clicking on them).
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Dancing round the funeral pyre - in the background you can see the castle for which Szárhegy is famous.
![](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgfpwZFjMI/AAAAAAAAAC0/l_CGFnH9abs/s320/farsang+099.jpg)
The Szentdomokos funeral procession
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgfgAZFjLI/AAAAAAAAACs/ra6tinKWdzc/s320/farsang+107.jpg)
On-stage funeral. The big bale of straw you can see is actually a bloke dressed as a bale of straw. It was dancing and stuff.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgfWgZFjKI/AAAAAAAAACk/Pmx_mRFubNs/s320/farsang+109.jpg)
The body of the Farsang is brought to face it's final rites. Sadly you can't see from this picture the fact that it had a carrot and two onions attached to it in a particularly suggestive place.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgfJgZFjJI/AAAAAAAAACc/PlERLJQw0J8/s320/farsang+117.jpg)
This is a bull apparently. To me it looked more like a beehive with a pot on its head, but I was assured that it was a bull.
![](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgfAAZFjII/AAAAAAAAACU/oZOhazgELxA/s320/farsang+120.jpg)
A man is beaten to death for wearing a sheep's skull on top of his head. And rightly so.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgexgZFjHI/AAAAAAAAACM/4uDh3EuW8GA/s320/farsang+092.jpg)
The farsang is dead. Until next year, when he will rise, phoenix-like from the ashes.
![](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_00JRV27Xd-g/RdgelgZFjGI/AAAAAAAAACE/EKBkWzF5Skg/s320/farsang+089.jpg)