In Mobile Mardi Gras, the Order of Myths emblem shows Folly chasing Death.
The Order of Myths, commonly abbreviated OOM, was founded in Mobile in 1867 and became one of the city’s most enduring mystic societies. Its emblem depicts Folly pursuing Death around a broken column, often interpreted as the column of life.
The imagery is dramatized in the society’s parade. A performer dressed as Folly, usually in a jester-like costume, chases another performer dressed as Death around a column represented on the float. At the conclusion, Death is defeated and Folly wins, expressing the triumph of vitality and celebration over mortality.
This symbol is distinct from the names and imagery of other Mobile societies. The Order of Myths is especially notable because it is the oldest continuously parading mystic society in Mobile, even though other organisations in the city have older origins. Its traditional parade remains one of the signature events of Mobile Carnival.