What a bustle there has been to get this pole ready! It has to be decorated. Early in the morning the young girls awaken with the birds, and hurry into the woods to gather flowers and boughs of the silver birch, to bind wreaths and garlands for the May-pole. The birch is the queen of the forest in the summer, just as the dark, sombre fir is the queen of the winter. The raising of the pole is an important event in the day’s proceedings, and amidst shouting and music it is put into position. The people form themselves in a large ring round it, and to the sound of the violin or accordion, they dance the whole night long. How happy they look! They forget everything--all their troubles, and even the old grandmother may be seen dancing in the ring with her little grandchild of three years. By-and-by they sit down to supper, and one might think the festivities were drawing to an end; but no! the meal is no sooner over than the dancing is resumed and continued with more or less energy through the night. No one ever seems to think of going to bed. There are a number of superstitions and customs in connection with this festival. On the hills in the neighbourhood of towns in North Sweden people light fires at this season. These are but a reminiscence of the “pyre,” built on consecrated hills by the old heathen priests, and fired on Midsummer Eve in honour of the sun-god, the mild and beautiful Balder. Nowadays these fires are not in honour of Balder, but to prepare coffee. Many families do this. Each family has its own fire. They put the coffee on the fire when the sun is setting, but, as in these northern regions at this season of the year the sun takes little rest, he has risen again before the coffee has boiled. Sometimes people gather different kinds of flowers to make up into a bouquet called a Midsummer _qvost_. Whoever does it, usually a young girl, must go alone. If she should encounter anyone, she must only answer by signs, and must not open her mouth under any circumstances until she gets home again. She places the bouquet under her pillow, and never fails to see in her dream her future lover. This _qvost_ has many wonderful qualities. It is hung up in the cattle-house, and if allowed to remain there protects the animals for a whole year against the _troll_ (witches). In some places a medicine is made from it, which will cure all diseases. CHAPTER XVI SOME WELL-KNOWN SWEDES Carl Linnæus was the son of a poor clergyman, and was born at Råshult, in the province of Småland, in 1707. His father wished him to become a clergyman, but from infancy he showed a great love for flowers, and made up his mind to study medicine. He was a student at Upsala, where he underwent great privations, as his father allowed him only eight pounds per year. He so persevered that he attracted the attention of the professors, and was commissioned to study the plant-life of Swedish Lapland.