Scouring Fair

The Chalk, being just what it says on the tin, is a fine place for hill figures. If you cut through the the thin green turf to expose the white chalk you can make an interesting outline drawing to impress travellers or your gods or frighten your enemies. These are popular around the Multiverse where conditions allow and the Chalk has two such: one a stylised running horse which is a sort of mascot for the whole region, and another a giant naked man (noun and adjective being made very obvious). These being cut in living vegetation, they must be kept trimmed and cleaned out (scoured) to avoid being overgrown.

To this end there is an annual gathering which has evolved into the three-day Scouring Fair (when the lambs have grown, shearing is done and the sheep can graze unattended) with a carnival of amusements, food and other merchandise hawked by rural Dibblers, lots of ale and a bruising cheese-rolling event. Scouring the giant naked man is a task left to the women, who seem to find it hilarious.

See also: Annotations