Springle-ring

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The Springle-ring by Miriam Ellis

The Springle-ring was a dance of the Shire-hobbits. It was described as "a pretty dance, but rather vigorous" where dancers leaped up often.[1]

At Bilbo's Farewell Party, while Bilbo Baggins was giving his speech, many thought that he had just finished and the children started playing with their toy instruments; Everard Took and Melilot Brandybuck got on a table and started performing the dance shaking bells on their hands.[1]

The dance is also mentioned in the Bucklandish poem Bombadil Goes Boating, as the daughters of Farmer Maggot sing and dance to honor their guest Tom Bombadil.[2]

Etymology

The word springle has several meanings in English, but is also a dialect word for "nimble, active".[3] Tolkien commented that the name is made-up and ought to evoke the style of the dance.[4]

Robert Foster gives the erroneous translation "war-horse ring".[5][6]

References