Now join hands. Everyone step to the left and sing. “Ring around the…
The song changes from generation to generation and from one culture to another. The idea of children (or adults) joining hands and moving in a circle could be taken as the first step in developing or learning a folk dance. Perhaps a drum was added first – a stick against a hollow log. Flutes and harps are older than Bible stories. And the human voice may have been the very first musical instrument.
But not all circles are fun and games.
“Circle the wagons!” The cry is heard in multiple American West movies and television shows. Two or more people with their backs together make a good defense.
A circle with the people facing in allows many to see the same object or event at the same time. (Think theater in the round. Or a boxing “ring”.)
This circle has stood the test of time. It wasn’t created in a hurry and if they designed it as a puzzle they were successful. Even the best of scholars include lots of qualifiers – may, believe, approximate, unknown – in their explanations.
“Ring around the giant stones.
They’ll be standing when we’re bones.”