You might think a bush dance sounds like a nice idea, but wait until you hear what bush dances were really like…

Long ago, before humans existed, Martians ruled the Earth (this was before they left the Earth and settled on Mars) and every year they held a bush dance. But it wasn’t a dance… it was a sacrifice.

The ceremony started with Martians dancing and encouraging all the animals and plants to join in. After a few bushes, usually fruit or flower bushes, occasionally a herb bush, joined the dance, the Martians separated the two strongest bushes from the other plants and animals. Then the drums started.

The bushes kept dancing to the drums not knowing the drums signalled the elder Martian and began the sacrificial ritual. The strongest bushes were herded toward the elder Martian and he lit the innocent bushes on fire.

As they burned they stopped dancing, allowing Martians to grab them and throw them on the altar. Their ashes were offered to the gods to ensure a bountiful harvest the coming year.

And that is the story of the first bush dance… or bush sacrifice.