This week, matters here in rural France turned
towards the occult!
‘Do you know the fountain in the village?’
inquired the lady with whom I practice French conversation. I confirmed that I
was familiar with the oddly Swiss looking, recently restored ‘lavoir’, bedecked
with scarlet geraniums, which abuts the village car park. ‘It is one of the
local examples of the cohabitation of paganism and Christianity in the area.’
she went on.
A wise and perceptive woman, she smelt
curiosity and retrieved a learned tome, published 1954, on the very subject. A
map therein marked literally hundreds of ‘pagan healing springs’, all within a fifteen mile
radius of our house. For each, the book helpfully named the gifted sage(s) in
the relevant village empowered with the pagan credentials to effect cures. Paganism
is a well organised business, no scattergun approach to curing the sick here!
Each fountain covers a specific set of ills and cites dates and names of
beneficiaries to quash the cries of the unbeliever.
Our local spring in Massignac is effective
in ‘ridding children of fear’. Among a multitude of ills listed, several in the
region specialise in incontinence, one in leprosy, a couple in casting out
devils. Predictably, there is much call here, proximal to the Burgundy
and Cognac
regions as we are for amelioration of gout, no fewer than twenty springs claiming
success.
As I made to leave, my hostess proffered generous
portions of patisserie and pinot (a local sherry-like offering). I must make
special note of those gout curing fountains in case of future need methinks.
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