A Midsummer Dance

A midsummer dance

Midsummer, the longest day of the year in Sweden. Eva was busy preparing the lunch celebrations at the country house. This tradition had started as a small gathering of family and friends but as the family grew bigger so did the number of guests. This year there would be at least twenty-five people around the table sitting under the trees in the garden and she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. Her younger sisters Lina and Nora were busy in the kitchen as food was an integral part of this celebration. Hot food was seldom served on this occasion, the table consisted mainly of pickled herring and boiled new potatoes served with dill and sour cream. This time they decided to make a quiche flavoured with strong hard cheese, a so called Västerbotten pie and Gravlax: salmon cured with sugar, salt, and dill. Drink was important of course and there would not only be beer but also the Aquavit Schnapps to accompany the “drinking songs” that could go on for hours.

The lunch could be a daylong event and sometimes go all the way until the evening with a break for the dance around the maypole. It was important that everything was in its place before the guests arrived, and Eva was getting exited. She had washed her long, blond hair in chamomile flowers that morning and platted it into two long plats to wear as a crown around her head. This year she would wear the long white dress she had bought at the weekend market outside town. It was not expensive, but it was pretty, with thin cotton and lace, and it showed her young figure perfectly. She was happy and when she stood before the mirror her mother commented on how beautiful she looked.

- You look like a real midsummer bride, she said.

It was going to be a good day and the excitement was growing in her. The table was set with blue and yellow napkins symbolizing the colours of the Swedish flag but also of the blue summer sky and the yellow warm sun. In the centre of the table was a big vase with white daisies and blue cornflowers, a nice contrast to the white linen tablecloth. Eva pictured how pretty it would all be especially when the big strawberry cream cake was put in the centre. Yes, the summer was here.

There was still plenty of time to pick flowers for the flower wreath in her hair, she had woven young birch stalks together and made the crown so all she needed was the floral decoration. She walked down towards the maypole where the men were raising the almost three-meter-high leafy pole and fastening it with strings attached to the fence. It was clad with flowers and leaves, and she smiled to herself as she was thinking of how this pagan symbol represented fertility, and some said the male genitals. It was always a talking point that brought a few laughs. It was however very beautiful, and it would not be midsummer without it.

The day was warm, and the guests began to arrive. Laughter and cheerful songs were beginning to be heard around the table as the guest enjoyed the food and drink. As usual, there were those who had a little too much to drink and who’s voices got loud but there were no arguments, at least not yet.

- Don’t forget we have to go and pick the flowers to have under our pillows.

Lina was a firm believer that she would dream of the man she was going to marry if she just put those seven different flowers from the seven different fields under her pillow. Eva told her that she had failed last year as she could not keep quiet while picking the flowers.

- You know what they say. You must keep it a secret and be completely quiet and not giggle like you always do. You will never see that man if you do that.

Lina nodded.

- We will go separately, that way we can get it done without any fuss.

- Good idea.

Eva smiled to herself. She could not tell Lina that she had dreamed of the man she would marry last year when she slept with the flowers under her pillow. She had not met him yet, but she knew exactly what he looked like.

Later, as the drinking and songs started to die down Nora brought her big strawberry cake to the table and cheers were heard all around. The cake looked spectacular, and it would not have been midsummer without it. She decorated the cake beautifully with small leaves beside each berry and a circle of blueberries in the centre.

People gradually started to move down to the maypole and the music started. Guitar, flute, and violin played as the group linked arms and began to dance. Soon they were joined by the neighbours and their guests, and everyone held hands and danced around the maypole and games began. They were making out they were washing clothes, clapping, and jumping around like frogs and singing “small frogs, small frogs are funny to watch…."

Eva left the group as she was about to climb the seven fences to pick a flower in each field for the bouquet to put under her pillow. She thought of how this was supposed to be the new season of fertility and the magic time for love and there was something romantic in the air that night. She could hear them singing behind her as she gathered her long dress and climbed up on the wood railing of the first fence to the yellow mustard field. She picked one, the biggest one she could find and as she did, she realized the grass was wet with dew, so she decided to take her sandals off and walk barefoot. It felt nice to have the wet earth under her feet and she danced across the meadow towards the next fence. The railing was criss crossed so she had a bit of trouble climbing over it. Besides it was high. But it was worth it because on the other side was a field full of bluebells and daisies. She picked a bluebell and thought back at a time when she had cheated and picked both bluebells and daisies in the same field. She smiled at it now, she knew better. The air felt warm, and she loosened the silk shawl around her neck and let the summer air touch her bare back.

The sound of music and singing from the maypole was further in the distance now as she moved on across the meadow where cows wandered slowly in the distance along the far hedgerow. She climbed the next fence with ease and stopped when she heard water gushing. She realized she had walked quite a distance from the maypole and was heading towards the river. Cowslip was growing on the riverbank, and she bent down to pick one when she heard the music. It was the sound of a violin coming from up the stream. Curiosity grabbed her and with the flowers, shawl, and shoes in her hands she began to make her way upstream and there on a rock in the middle of the river, just underneath the small waterfall, was a man. A naked man playing a violin. She hid behind the bushes watching, she did not want to be seen by him or anyone. The man constantly looked down into the water and played what sounded like a sad tune. There was something familiar about him and Eva felt a shiver run down her spine. His hair was brown, falling in curls down on his shoulders and he played with an intensity that touched her deep inside. The tune changed and she found herself tapping her foot to the beat. There was no real melody, just a very beautiful tone and Eva felt herself becoming memorized. She could not take her eyes away from him, and she could not stop tapping her foot. Her body swayed from side to side and she started to dance. It was slow at the beginning, her movements almost sensual as she seemed to reach for the sky without taking her eyes of the man in the river. She closed her eyes for a moment, and felt herself letting go, totally giving herself to the music. He played faster, almost hitting the bow on the violin as the water kept gushing by underneath him. She danced faster, the intensity growing inside her and she wanted to move closer to him. The shawl, shoes and the flowers were thrown on the ground behind her. She became oblivious of time and place and all she knew was the music pulsating through her, like waves of desire.

- Eva!

Her feet were swollen now, she had been dancing for what seemed like hours and her dress was damp with perspiration. The tone of the violin was sad then angry and then full of emotion. There were high notes, low notes, pauses and then he would start again. The music owned her.

- Eva! Eva! What are you doing!

Lina was watching her from behind the bushes. She had never seen her sister like this, and it scared her. Her hair was flying wild in the soft breeze, and she moved like she was possessed.

- Eva, stop it! Come on! What’s come over you?

Eva heard nothing, all she heard was the music.

- Come here!

Lina stepped over the shawl, flowers and shoes and tried to reach Eva’s arm. The ground was slippery, and she feared falling into the river. Eva heard a voice and it cut into the music. She opened her eyes and looked down. Her feet were still moving but her body was slowing down.

- Eva!

The voice cut sharp through the night.

- Stop it!

Eva watched Lina starring at her in disbelief. She slowed down, her self-control and composure began to return and when it did, she fell on the grass, exhausted. Lina knelt beside her hugging her, trying to calm her down.

- Come on, she whispered in her ear.

- Lets head back, it is dangerous here by the river.

They walked in silence along the water for a little while and Lina glanced at Eva.

- What on earth were you doing Eva? You looked possessed.

- I was dancing to the music.

Eva pointed upstream to the rock. But there was no sign of the man with the violin, and there was no music. Lina shook her head.

- Music? How much summer wine did you drink Eva?

- You did not see him? The man with the violin? And the music?

Eva stopped. She suddenly remembered where she had seen the man before. It was him in the dream last midsummer eve. Lina looked at her.

- All I hear are the crickets and the murmur of running water. Let’s get you home, that’s enough excitement for one night.

They moved together into the shadows of the forest. It was dusk but still not dark and not a cloud could be seen. Laughter was heard from up ahead and Lina hurried her steps.

Eric was waiting for them by the may pole.

-Where have you been?

- Oh, Lina glanced at Eva. She has been off dancing with Näcken.

- Näcken? Not those old spirits of the deep wood again.

Eric laughed.

- I was out looking for you two, and wandering what you were up to.

He pulled something out from behind his back and held it up high. It was a slightly tattered and worse for wear violin bow.

- I found it in the grass by the river. Come on! There is still more dancing and drinking to be done.

Eva turned around and looked at the path they had just walked on.

- Näcken?

This would be a midsummer to remember.