stilt

stilt, one of a pair of poles with footrests, used for walking. Stilts were originally designed for use in crossing rivers and marshes. As a means of amusement, they have been used by all peoples of all ages, as well as by the inhabitants of marshy or flooded districts. The city of Namur, in Belgium, which formerly suffered from the overflowing of the Sambre and Meuse rivers, has been celebrated for its stilt walkers for...