jogging little hops,
accompanied by movements of the arms, in which, as it were, a great
strength plays negligently. It is somewhat bear-like, indolent, clumsy,
half-dreaming. But it wakes, it becomes earnest. Then the dancers rise
up and dance, and display themselves in expressions of power, in which
strength and dexterity seem to divert themselves by playing with
indolence and clumsiness, and to overcome them. The same person who just
before seemed fettered to the earth, springs aloft, and throws himself
around in the air as though he had wings. Then, after many break-neck
movements and evolutions, before which the unaccustomed spectator grows
dizzy, the dance suddenly assumes again its first quiet, careless,
somewhat heavy character, and closes, as it began, sunk upon the earth.

Loud shouts of applause, bestowed especially upon Harald, resounded on
all sides as the dance closed. And now they all set themselves in motion
for a great Halling-polska, and every "Gut" chose himself a "Jente."
Harald had scarcely refreshed and strengthened himself with a can of ale
before he again hastened up to Susanna, and engaged her for the
Halling-polska. She had danced it several times in her own country, and
joyfully accepted Harald's invitation.

This dance, too, is deeply characteristic. It paints the Northern
inhabitant's highest joy in life; it is the Berserker-gladness in the
dance. Supported upon the arm of the woman the man throws himself high
in the air; then he catches her in his arms, and swings round with her
in wild circles; then they separate; then they unite again, and
whirl again round, as it were, in superabundance of life and delight.
The measure is determined, bold, and full of life. It is a
dance-intoxication, in which people for the moment release themselves
from every care, every burden and oppression of existence.

Thus felt also at this time Harald and Susanna. Young, strong, agile,
they swung themselves around with certainty and ease, which seemed to
make the dance a sport without any effort; and with eyes steadfastly
riveted on each other, they had no sense of giddiness. They whirled
round, as it were, in a magic circle, to the strange magical music. The
understrings sounded strong and strange. The peculiar enchanted power
which lies in the clear deeps of the water, in the mysterious recesses
of the mountains, in the shades of dark caves, which the skalds have
celebrated under the names of mermaids, moun