Horsing Around at Dawn

Tarot Equus- The Fool

Unite and unite, oh let us all unite,

For summer is a-comin' today,

And whither we are going, we all will unite,

In the merry morning of May

~Pastow May Song

Mist on the Princeton Battlegrounds

Happy May, Lovelies!

I have been a practicing Pagan for almost half my lifetime, and completely horse-crazy for damn near all of it.  Beltane is a sabbat I hold near and dear to my heart.  It marks my entry into the Pagan community, and an annual event where my love of that community, folklore, and horses all merge.  The Fool card for Tarot Equus is an homage to that first experience.  

My very first ritual with Grove of the Other Gods, my Druid Grove, was on May 1st, 2006. At dawn on the Princeton Battlegrounds I watched in fascination as the mists rolled back to reveal dancers in white.  They carried scarves to wave or sticks to crack together.  Bells tinkled on their shins and colorful bandoleers.  Half way through the dancing, my new friends and I stepped up to sing an old song, modified from "Padstow" to "Princeton". 

Millstone River Morris

 A strange creature took the field, accompanied by a pirate.  The pirate hopped about in a high-stepping jig.  He held a sun-backed mirror, which he used to lead the beast around the field.  The creature had the vague shape of a horse and rider.  The rider was veiled and swathed in a wide, swinging curtain of colorful skirts.  They flared out as the creature spun and cantered about, revealing the legs of the dancer underneath.  The beast's head was black, with red eyes and a wide smiling snapping mouth.  The mane and tail were white wool yarn full of tangles, flowers, and bells.  Half way through the song he dropped to the ground, to die with the last of winter's chill.  The song paused, crescendo-ed, and the horse jumped up and back to life, symbolizing the new summer and the rebirth of the Earth.  After the song was over, the little 'Oss pranced through the watching crowd, accepting pats from the adults and pulling small pranks on the children. His name is Happy Snappy, the Princeton 'Oss.  The morning wrapped up with a Maypole dance, and everyone joining in to sing Hal-an-Tow.

Happy Snappy

All of this was completely new to me.  I had never heard of Morris Dancers, the 'Obby 'Oss, or Padstow, where these traditions go back centuries, but I was hooked. Its an event I never miss.  As of today, I met Happy Snappy and Grove of the Others Gods 14 years ago.  I served six of those years as Snappy's dancer.  He's been on the Princeton Battlegrounds, at dawn, almost every year for the last 25. The Padstow horses have been dancing far, far longer, and I will write a post about them at a future date, but today I want to remember.  I chose Happy Snappy as my Fool card, in part because the hobby horse's dawn revels began my own journey as a Pagan.

A few of us met over Zoom at dawn this morning to sing the Hobby Horse song and Hal-an-Tow together.  Happy Snappy danced in his own yard in New Brunswick. The Morris Dancers are are doing the same.  I miss my Grove, my community, and I hope that by staying away, no one will be missing when we meet again.  Stay safe.  I love you all.  Happy May, and Blessed Beltane.