sound of flying
and labouring in the air, such as the swans make in the winter-time.
There was a hole in the roof over the fire-place which might be opened
or shut either to let in the light from above or to afford a free
passage for the smoke. Orm lifted up the lid, which was covered with a
skin, and put out his head, but what a wonderful sight then presented
itself to his eyes! The little islands around were all lit up with
countless blue lights, which moved about without ceasing, jumped up and
down, then skipped down to the shore, assembled together, and now came
nearer and nearer to the large island where Orm and Aslog lived. At last
they reached it and arranged themselves in a circle around a large stone
not far from the shore, and which Orm well knew. What was his surprise
when he saw that the stone had now completely assumed the form of a man,
though of a monstrous and gigantic one! He could clearly perceive that
the little blue lights were borne by dwarfs, whose pale clay-coloured
faces, with their huge noses and red eyes, disfigured, too, by birds'
bills and owls' eyes, were supported by misshapen bodies. They tottered
and wobbled about here and there, so that they seemed to be, at the same
time, merry and in pain. Suddenly the circle opened, the little ones
retired on each side, and Guru, who was now much enlarged and of as
immense a size as the stone, advanced with gigantic steps. She threw
both her arms about the stone image, which immediately began to receive
life and motion. As soon as the first sign of motion showed itself the
little ones began, with wonderful capers and grimaces, a song, or, to
speak more properly, a howl, with which the whole island resounded and
seemed to tremble. Orm, quite terrified, drew in his head, and he and
Aslog remained in the dark, so still that they hardly ventured to draw
their breath.

The procession moved on towards the house, as might be clearly perceived
by the nearer approach of the shouting and crying. They were now all
come in, and, light and active, the dwarfs jumped about on the benches,
and heavy and loud sounded, at intervals, the steps of the giants. Orm
and his wife heard them covering the table, and the clattering of the
plates, and the shouts of joy with which they celebrated their banquet.
When it was over, and it drew near to midnight, they began to dance to
that ravishing fairy air which charms the mind into such sweet
confusion, and which some have heard