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May 01, 2008
Dancing round the Maypole.
I'm sat in my parlour, panting in my upright stickleback chair. What a day it has been! The maidens,I use the term loosely, as Mrs Minchin from the Knights' hall scarcely comes withing spitting distance of maiden category, were out with the dawn chorus washing their faces in the dew. I suspect Mrs Minchin had been there all night as the Butt and Stranglers Arms is a stones throw from the Village Green, and she certainly looked no better, but one suspects the wash was an event in itself. Then Master Wattle and Mister Daub the builder delighted us all with their colourful pole which they erected in the middle of the green. There was some argy bargy as old Copper Pennywise pointed out that they were on the wicket prepared for cricket at the weekend and there was much scurrying and we all collected mole hills to fill in the hole. I'm sure no one will notice.Once the ribbons floated down and the child catcher arrived with the Morris Dancers, and one eyed Alan produced his squeeze box, the merriment began.How we danced! Mid morning when we were gasping, Mine host from the Stranglers staggered out
with a tray of ale for the Morris Men. The child catcher insisted on his usual Bacardi Lite. You have to hand it to him, since child catching has become more trouble than you can shake a stick at, he has diversified and now keeps ferrets in his trousers and it seems to work, and today proved a popular attraction.
Mistress Grout from the general store did us proud with some Ptarmigan pasties which were not all bad in spite of murmurs from Sir Leery Mark. I don't know what he was doing there anyway. It was for the village people.
The witch who was lined up for the ducking stool didn't show but Master Wattle fell in the pond which was a good thing as a disappointed May Day Crowd can turn nasty and Mrs Minchin was slumped in the stool as she's a martyr to her lumbar regions and there's only so much dew a woman of her age can take.
The Villagers in Bracombe will sleep soundly tonight.
Posted by Martha at May 1, 2008 06:37 PM