Räck mig din hand min brud (Sollerö långdans)

Räck mig din hand min brud, nu ska vi dansa våren i by.
Ängarna blomma och grönskan är ny.
Räck mig din mun min brud, nu ska vi leka kärlekens lek,
sommarn är nära med älskog och smek.

Majviva, ögontröst, förgätmigej, konvalj, gullviva och viol.

Träd lätt på ängen och vakta dig om lärkornas ro.
Sakta din fot invid rävhonans bo.
Här tråder livet och döden på jorden en dans.
Än kan du glädjas och binda en krans.

Dagen och natten nu bjuder varandra sin hand.
Vågorna somna vid Sollerö strand.
Räck mig din hand min brud, nu har vi dansat våren i by!
Dig vill jag famna tills dagen är ny.

Lyrics: Anna-Greta Nystig - Sättare

Music: "Långdans" from Sollerön in the tradition of Reser Anna Larsson

Arrangement: Anders Nyberg

This song from the island of Sollerön in Dalarna comes with a lovely and ancient dance.

The story of how the dance, with roots in medieval if not viking traditions, was preserved is a lovely one. Dunder Karin from Sollerön (1865 -1967) was over 100 years old and lived in an old folks home in Mora when she was approached by two men who had learned that she had experienced the old dancing and that she was the only one still alive to have done so. It took a few cups of coffee and some persuasion but finally Karin stood up with the words "But didn't we do it like this!" and then the 100+ years old legs did the talking and the dance line from the ancients was preserved.

You can learn the steps yourself here. Traditionally the dance was often sung by the dancers if fiddlers weren't available. As an entrance or an exit to a concert this piece, sung in parts and without words - a "trall" - works well and connects yourself with each other, the audience (invite them!) and the long line of dancers from Dunder Karin back to the old Vikings!

The song is also available in a version with other words, "Lyft upp din blick och se"

Listen to a recording of that version: