[Redbook4:300][19880109:1445b]{Robin
Hood and his Morris Men}[9th
January 1988]
.1445
[continued]
The
previous* entry {in Brewer['s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable]}
relates to the Morris Dance – {present} in England since the 15th
century. Dancers often (as part of the
May games) played characters from the Robin Hood stories, and others;
e.g.{:}
**Robin
Hood*** – Outlaw, Protector of Women, Redistributor from rich to
poor.
**Maid
Marian – Queen of the May; later Robin Hood's sweetheart.
(Maid
Marian moved from Morris Dances to Robin Hood) (See Malkin [below].)
**Bavian
the Fool (See Much the Miller's Son [below]).
**Malkin
(the Clown) – diminutive of Matilda; untidy slut, kitchen wench.;
sometimes as Queen of the May.
**The
Hobby Horse – draped wicker frame in which Morris dancer gambolled;
preceded by a (man dressed as a) woman, the 'Teaser'.
**or
A Dragon – the Greek word drakon from a verb meaning to see, look
out; watch, flash.
(cf.
Chinese festivals, e.g. New Year, with dragon in streets).
Foreigners
(probably Moriscoes, or Moors)
– [Moors:] Medieval European for all Moslems.
Little
John (Nailor) – a big stalwart man who tumbled Robin Hood into the
brook (with Quarter-Staffs [sic]?)
Will
Scarlet.
**Much
the Miller's Son – played the part of the Fool in the Morris Dance,
striking the heads of spectators with a bladder of peas.
Allen-a-dale
– Minstrel in Robin Hood (and [Walter] Scott's [']Ivanhoe[']):
Robin Hood helped him carry off his bride when she was about to be
married against her will to a rich old knight.
(As
Good As) George-a-Green – resisted alone a trespass by R[obin]
H[ood], W[ill] S[carlet] and L[ittle] J[ohn], as pound-keeper of
Wakefield.
Friar
Tuck – Chaplain and Steward of Robin Hood.
*[See
last previous entry.]
**(:
particular Morris Dance characters?)
***cf.
Robin of the Wood, Robin Goodfellow (Puck).
[PostedBlogger17for19092017]
