# {539.} Dance Ballads

Dance ballads (táncballada) make up a separate group within the ballads with dramatic construction. It is perhaps even harder to place them within a time period than is the case with other Hungarian ballads, since we have reason to suppose that this ballad group follows its genre almost from the inception of the genre and is a characteristic part of it. The period of its flourishing in Hungary probably falls within the 16th century, when it acquired its characteristic features. There are some among these dance ballads that follow a tragic course. Not infrequently, the merry counterpart of a tragic ballad can be found among the dance ballads, such as the story of the punishment of the unfaithful wife or the tragedy of overbearing pride, or the story of the bride who became pregnant before the wedding. At the same time we can find in this ballad cycle a whole row of realistic, ironic depictions and sharply observed comic scenes. It is instructive to consider how great a part is played in their tone by “Latin education”, to which significant style-forming power is attributed–not without reason–in folk music. However, this alone cannot be considered to be determinative of period and style.