The Morris Book, Part 1 / A History of Morris Dancing, With a Description of Eleven Dances as Performed by the Morris-Men of England

by Cecil J. Sharp; Herbert C. MacIlwaine

First beat, No. 1, with butt end, taps No. 2 on top end.

Second beat, with top end, taps butt.

Third beat, with butt, taps top.

Fourth beat, with top end, taps top of No. 2.

Thus:—

DIAGRAM OF STICK-TAPPING.

This double-tapping looks complicated, both in dance and diagram, but is really very simple. A few hints upon the most difficult bar, the fourth, will explain the whole. In this, on beat 1, No. 1, to tap with his butt the top of No. 2's stick, raises the wrist and hand till the stick is above and at right-angles to No. 2's, then thrusts outward till his butt strikes No. 2's top. On beat 2, No. 1 lowers his hand, keeping the stick perpendicular, moves hand to right and taps his top on No. 2's butt. Beat 3 is as beat 1; on beat 4, No. 1 simply lowers hand and taps No. 2 on his right, or top end. This explains all the taps that occur.

For the method, which is invariable, except where specially stated, of holding the stick (see p. [60]).