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Goat Day
Aug 21
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"🎶 Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy
A kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you?"
~ Mairzy Doats, Milton Drake, Al Hoffman, and Jerry Livingston, 1943
Now if the words to this doggerel song sound queer, or funny to your ear, it may be because goats and oats rarely come to mind in the context of dancing. But we do appreciate the sure-footedness and fancy footwork which make the goat especially adapted at climbing rock mountains! This fun dance was devised for a special birthday as a reminder of holidays on the Isle of Arran, home to Goat Fell (Gaoitbheinn), the highest peak on the island, standing at 874 meters (2,867 feet) Wild goats, descendants of their domestic ancestors, still roam the rugged areas. Channel your inner "kid" for this easy to learn galloping jig which consists of chases around the line of partners in both directions, slips down the middle and up, then a wild turn by all at the end. Beginners or very young dancers should enjoy this one! 😊 🐐 🐐 🐐
The Goat Fell Gallop
Goats are among the earliest animals domesticated by humans. Ancient societies herded wild goats primarily for easy access to milk and meat, as well as to their dung, which was used as fuel, and their bones, hair and sinew for clothing, building and tools.
Goats are reputed to be willing to eat almost anything, including tin cans and cardboard boxes! While goats will not actually eat inedible material, they are browsing animals, not grazers like cattle and sheep, andwill chew on and taste just about anything remotely resembling plant matter to decide whether it is good to eat.
Goats have been used by humans to clear unwanted vegetation for centuries. There has been a resurgence of this use in North America since 1990, when herds were used to clear dry brush from California hillsides to reduce potential wildfires. In the Pacific Northwest, they are also used to remove invasive species such as throned blackberry and poison oak.
Because of their early association with man, goats figure prominently in mythology and folklore, both positively and negatively.
According to Norse mythology, the god of thunder, Thor, has a chariot that is pulled by the goats Tanngrisnir and Tanngnjóstr. At night when he sets up camp, Thor eats the meat of the goats, but takes care that all bones remain whole. He wraps the remains up, and in the morning, the goats come back to life to pull the chariot.
Interestingly, the mineral bromine is named from the Greek word "brόmos", which means "stench of he-goats".
Goat Fell is the highest point on the Isle of Arran. At 874 metres (2,866 ft), it is one of four Corbetts on the island. The name is believed to have been derived from the Norse 'geita' for 'Goat Mountain.'
For a remarkable and richly illustrated description of the wide variety of goat folklore, click the famous tree goats of Morocco.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
