The Morris Ring

Fools and Beasts have separate, and certainly older, origins than the Cotswold Morris they are more often associated with today. The medieval Feast of Fools celebrated the fools’ status and tournaments and pageants of the time featured hobby or tourney horses as well as mythical beasts and they were thought ancient then! Not every side is blessed with these characters, but many are fortunate enough to have provided a home for both and some exceptionally lucky sides have more than one of each.

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the Morris Side.
Peterborough MM Fool and Beast (photograph Chris Porsz of www.chrisporsz.com)

The Fool

The Fool is an integral part of any side performing dances from the South Midlands. The Fool provides a link between the dancers and the audience: he will entertain and provoke. However, historically he would have been the best dancer in the side and would on occasions be asked to demonstrate his skill by performing a solo jig. There is no specific costume for a Fool; each dresses as he wishes. Often the Fool will carry a short stick with a pigs-bladder attached by a piece of string. This performs a very important function should any man not be putting enough effort into his dancing, or if they do something wrong, it is the Fools job to encourage them to do better. What better way than to whack the offender's head or bottom with a bladder!

Roger Comley - Letchworth and
Fool to The Squire of The Morris Ring

The fabulous Bristol Horse

The Beast

Alongside the Fool, there may be a mythical and mysterious Beast! Traditionally, this would have been a Hobbyhorse, but now it is just as likely to be a Dragon or a Unicorn. Be assured all morris Beasts are friendly and just love doing what Beasts do best: tormenting and teasing the audience, especially children. Additionally, they like sunbathing, riding bicycles, drinking beer, and eating - eating money of course … coins of the realm.

The Illustrious Order of Fools and Beasts

Supported by the Morris Ring, the Morris Federation and the Open Morris, The Order has been in existence in various guises since 1980 to encourage excellence in these ancient arts and provide a forum to develop the characters' skills. The official website can be found at www.foolsandbeasts.org.uk, where you will find much more information about Fools and Beasts in the Morris. There is also an active Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FoolsAndBeasts

Convener & Scrivener is Robert Chisman, who can be contacted by email here: triggertrotter [at] aol [dot] com (Rob Chisman)

The Annual Unconvention

The annual meeting of the Illustrious Order takes place in different venues usually about the end of October. For more information see the official website.

Reading Unconvention 2011

Banbury Hobby Horse Festival

This takes place at the beginning of July each year, and is a gathering, not just of Hobby Horses, but other Beasts as well. Based in and around Banbury, it starts on the Friday with an informal get-together. On Saturday there are tours around Banbury, usually with some visiting morris sides. On Sunday, all may join in on the Banbury Civic Parade to the People's Park, and join in the fun - and can even enter in the famous Hobby Horse Race and, for this year only, The Hobby Horse Olympics!

Cost of the weekend is minimal: it is basically self catering, a Feast at the Town Hall is organised on the Saturday evening. Free (basic) camping is at St Mary's Primary School; if you want something a little more star rated, then try Bo-Peep camping site at Adderbury, or even one of the hotels and guest houses in the town.

Information:  verna [dot] wass [at] btinternet [dot] com (Verna Wass)