Bridge Story Day
Mar 4
Other Scottish Country Dances for this Day
Today's Musings, History & Folklore
"Now, do thy speedy utmost, Meg,
And win the key-stane of the brig:
There at them thou thy tail may toss,
A running stream they dare na cross."
~ Tam O'Shanter, Robert Burns, 1790
This 96 bar stately strathspey with its unusual bridge like formations and arches, weaving figures which might remind one of "cranked" (crooked) cobblestones, and multiple chances to display your Highland Schottische steps, is a fine tribute to the still standing Brig o' Doon, also known as the Auld Brig or Old Bridge of Doon, a late medieval bridge with a single arch located in Ayrshire, Scotland. This bridge has gained special prominence through its depiction in Robert Burns's renowned poem, "Tam o' Shanter." The narrative follows Tam, a man who, after indulging in a night of drinking at a tavern, rides his horse, Meg, home amidst an approaching storm. Along the way, he encounters a haunted church, ablaze with light and echoing with peculiar music. Peering inside, Tam is astonished to see witches, warlocks, and even the Devil himself engaged in a frenzied dance, with the Devil playing the bagpipes. His shock escalates when he vocalizes his amazement at a particularly scantily dressed witch, drawing the attention and wrath of the supernatural assembly. They chase him to the thrilling climax of the tale, where Tam, on horseback, is pursued by the witch Nannie. In a narrow escape, he crosses the Brig o' Doon, exploiting the belief that witches and warlocks cannot cross running water and are confounded by the bridge's uneven cobblestones. Nannie's attempt to seize him fails, managing only to tear off Meg's tail! 🌉 🐎 🥃 🧹
Brig O' Doon
Bridge Day, celebrating construction of bridges large and small is celebrated on the March 4, 1890 anniversary of opening of The Forth Bridge, a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth. It was voted Scotland's greatest man-made wonder in 2016.
A lesser Scottish bridge, however, has made its name in popular culture, due to the 1947 Broadway musical, Brigadoon, about an enchanted village, trapped in time. The name was allegedlyinspired by the actual Brig o' Doon (sometimes called the Auld Brig or Old Bridge of Doon) a late medieval bridge in Ayrshire, Scotland.
This single arched bridge, with a steeply humped span of 72 feet and a rise of 26 feet, it is believed to have been built in the early fifteenth century which by 1593, fell into disrepair and was described as "ruinous."
The line of the cobbles in the roadway are deliberately crooked, due to the old belief that this pattern would stop witches from crossing!
The bridge is famous as the setting for the final verse of the Robert Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter. In the poem, Tam is on horseback, being chased by Nannie the witch. He is just able to escape her by crossing the bridge (over a running stream, another witch-barrier) narrowly avoiding her attack as she is only able to grab the horse's tail which comes away in her hands.
And for more about the the bridge, click the painting by Scottish painter John MacWhirter (1839-1911) also showing the Burns monument.
Click the dance cribs or description below to link to a printable version of the dance!
