chevaux de bois

(les) chevaux de bois (FR N-M PL) »wooden horses,« carousels. The word has been traced to 12th century Arabian games of horsemanship called »carosellos« (Ital: little wars). Those contests involved the tossing of fragile perfumed clay balls from one rider to another. When the games spread to France, they became lavish pageants. The »Grande Carrousel« was planned by Louis XIV (1638 – 1715) in 1662 to impress his young mistress Louise de la Vallière (1644 – 1710). Today, the Arc du Carrousel in…