Fornalutx is a rather postcard pretty pueblo not far from Sóller. In fact, Fornalutx was part of the Sóller municipality, until the village (town?) gained independence in 1837.

Right now, Fornalutx is busy celebrating the Mare de Déu de Setembre festivities. You may or may not know that for some historical reason, these festivities include a correbou (bull run).

The Fornalutx run of the bou is normally not a dangerous affair. For a start, the animal chosen is always a young one, and there is only one of them running, unlike in Pamplona. And more importantly, the bull is not allowed to run wild and move freely but, instead, is reined in by a long and strong rope, held by a dozen or two of strong young men, thus keeping control over the bull’s movements. Anyway, that’s the idea.

As life would have it the idea does not always meet with the bull’s own free will. At yesterday’s parading of the bull, a young novillo called Viturbe II and weighing in at 350 kilogrammes, seems to have gotten somewhat irritated and excitable. Upon the bull’s arrival at the town’s central square and its lovely old fountain, the toro saw fit to smash the pueblo’s fountain into bits and pieces. I was not present to see the mishap for myself and thus, cannot offer you a photo but, no doubt you will be able to see the evidence in today’s Mallorcan Sunday papers.

The annual bull run usually ends with a young maiden crowning the bull with a wreath of laurel, but I am not sure that yesterday the bou would have been praised in that fashion.

The Festes de la Mare de Déu conclude on the patron’s day, September 8th. A Missa solemne will be held in the parish church at 11h00. The folkloric group Aires Sollerics will perform some splendid Ball de Bots, a theatrical play will be performed and the ubiquitous fireworks will see the day out, unless another mishap occurs.

Molts d’anys.

The photo shows the correbou event in Fornalutx, albeit in 2008. The photo was taken by Cati Cladera and published on the Internet by elmundo.es.

Moltes gràcies.