Six Fools and One Dancer
'Ant', Bristol Morris Fool, sometimes exasperating,
an excellent dancer, and a brilliant Fool!
Of the characters .. the Fool is the most usual and the most important. He is called by the dancers the "Squire," or, occasionally, "Rodney." The former title is indicative of the high position that he has always held, viz., that of leader or master of ceremonies. He is usually one of the best dancers, and his stock joke on arrival is, "Here we be, masters ! six fools and "- pointing to himself "one dancer." Morris Dance Book, Vol. I, C.J.Sharp, Novello & Co., 1912
Six Fools and a Dancer is also the title of book by
Anthony Barrand, who, whilst an
Englishman by birth, is an American Morris Dancer, and well known for his activities as a
Morris Fool, or as he prefers to be called “Mother”. Yes, the Morris tradition has
moved to North America, and is danced in their own (American) fashion, but is still unmistakeably
morris dance. Of course, the Fool accompanies them, now where is that Horse ....
There is also a theory, first put forward at the turn of the nineteenth century by Joseph Strutt, that the
very origin of Morris dancing is with a Fools dance. So, the Fool
may have an even older vintage than the Morris!
