ins_old_mole
The Old Mole
Playford 1651.
Adapted by Cecil Sharp in 1912.
3 couple longways
Recording: old_mole--032.mp3.zip
Lead up a double and back; partners set and turn single. Repeat. All face L wall, forward a double and back; set and turn single. Same to R wall. 1st corners meet, fall back; then cross. 2nd corners the same. Then middle couple. 2nd and 3rd women, and 1st and 2nd men, make arches, come forward and fall back; then cross over with 1st woman and 3rd man respectively. Return with arches made by 1st and 2nd women, and 1st and 2nd men (2nd couple give L hands each time). Repeat whole arches figure, Corners cross as before, back to places. Men take hands and women the same, lines meet, 1st and 3rd couples fall back; 1st and 3rd men turn, as do 1st and 3rd women, and 2nd couple. These pairs side; partners turn. Men's straight hey, 1st man face down, 2nd and 3rd up. Women's hey the same. Circular hey twice round, 1st couple facing partners, 2nd couple facing down, 3rd up. 1st couple followed by others cast to bottom; then cast back to places. Repeat.
The Old Mole
Part I Al 1-4 Partners lead up a double and fall back a double, 5-8 Set and turn single. A2 1-8 Repeat Al A3 1-4 All face men's wall, forward a double, fall back a double and face partner. 5-8 Partners set and turn single. A4 1-8 Repeat A3 towards the women's wall, Part II Al 1-8 1st man and 3rd woman forward a double to meet, fall back to place (1-4), then change places, passing right shoulders (5-8). A2 1-8 1st woman and 3rd man the same. A3 1-8 2nd couple the same. Part III A1 1-4 2nd and 3rd women take inside hands, forward a double towards 3rd man, and fall back while 1st and 2nd men do the same toward the 1st woman. 5-8 2nd and 3rd women make an arch and cross to the women's side, 3rd man crossing to the men's side through the arch while the 1st and 2nd men make an arch and cross, 1st woman crossing through their arch. A2 1-8 Repeat Al, 2nd and 3rd men and Ist and 2nd women making arches, 3rd woman and 1st man going through them. A3&4 Repeat Al and 2 back to places at beginning of Part III. Part IV Al 1-8 Repeating Part II, 1st man and 3rd woman forward a double to meet and fall back (1-4) then change places, passing right shoulders (5-8). A2 1-8 1st woman and 3rd man the same. A3 1-8 2nd couple the same. {All now in original places.} Part V Al 1-2 Men take hands and forward a double while women the same. 3-4 1st and 3rd men, 1st and 3rd women fall back a double. 5-8 1st and 3rd men turn two-hands while 1st and 3rd women the same and 2nd couple the same. A2 1-4 1st and 3rd men side while 1st and 3rd women side and 2nd couple side with each other. 5-8 Partners turn two-hands. Part VI {Use a skip step throughout this section. } Al 1-8 Men hey for three, 1st man passing right shoulder to start. A2 1-8 Women the same. A3&4 Circular hey for six twice around, 1st couple passing right shoulder to begin. A5 1-4 1st man cast down to the bottom of set, followed by the 2nd and 3rd men while 1st woman the same followed by 2nd and 3rd women. 5-8 Repeat 1-4, Ist couple casting back to top, followed by others. A6 1-8 Repeat AS.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G31AmwAuam0
Old Mole ancient version
According to Dean-Smith & Nicol, “Old Mole” is related to the older ballad “Sir Eglamore” (“Sir Eglamore was a valiant knight, fa la lanky down dilly,”)
ins_old_mole.txt · Last modified: 2025/08/10 03:07 by mar4uscha