When European explorers first came across the Kangaroo several thoughts went through their minds before they shot and ate it. Notably, was this animal some form of weird aboriginal, would it be friendly, could it speak? The reaction of the Kangaroo was typically to stop dead and eyeball the intruders for five minutes, then suddenly turn and scoot.
In both cases there are similarities with the emotions you are probably experiencing since you chanced upon the spectacle before you. Your initial reaction may have been to ask, what are these strange creatures, what are they doing, why are they doing it, and are they edible? This will be rapidly followed by a strong desire to scoot as you notice a hat with a magnetic attraction to the Queen's currency advancing towards you.
Intriguingly the practice of staring idiotically at something unexpected for long periods followed by a rash and inexplicable jump to conclusions was thought to closely resemble the behaviour of a jury, hence kangaroo court. You are indeed our judges and we the felons. To help plead our case here is some background information. You are witnessing a display of traditional English Dance known as Cotswold Morris. It is designed to entertain, excite, and raise the female hormonal levels to an exceptionally receptive level. Incredibly the mix of weirdly shaped, bearded men, skipping gaily with pretty hankies, tinkly bells, and sensuous sticks has been shown to do just that! The origins of the dance are ancient with records going back as far as the fall of Constantinople. Over the centuries very little has changed except the dancers now wash more frequently, tend to be literate, are less prone to falling foul of the Black Death, and most have tasted Kangaroo
