The ancestor of the carnival is the Feast of Fools. During the Middle Ages between Christmas and Epiphany, everything was turned topsy-turvy. The poor could mock the rich, the humble could deride the powerful. A “fool’s pope” was elected and one could disguise himself as a bull, a cow, a deer or other pagan divinities. In New Orleans, the carnival has preserved this sense of liberty. Suddenly, everything is permitted, even the most absurd extravagance.