Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume I Part 27

Thereupon the servant answered, "Horses six are in the stable, Horses six, on oats that fatten; Which among them shall I yoke you?" 390

Said the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, "Take the best of all the stallions, Put the foal into the harness, Yoke before the sledge the chestnut, Then provide me with six cuckoos, Seven blue birds at once provide me, That upon the frame they perch them, And may sing their cheerful music, That the fair ones may behold them, And the maidens be delighted. 400 Then provide me with a bearskin, That I seat myself upon it, And a second hide of walrus, That the bright-hued sledge is covered."

Thereupon the skilful servant, He the servant paid with wages, Put the colt into the harness, Yoked before the sledge the chestnut, And provided six fine cuckoos, Seven blue birds at once provided, 410 That upon the frame should perch them, And should sing their cheerful music; And a bearskin next provided, That his lord should sit upon it, And another hide of walrus, And with this the sledge he covered.

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, He the great primeval craftsman, Sent aloft his prayer to Ukko, And he thus besought the Thunderer: 420 "Scatter forth thy snow, O Ukko, Let the snowflakes soft be drifted, That the sledge may glide o'er snowfields, O'er the snow-drifts gliding swiftly."

Then the snow did Ukko scatter, And the snowflakes soft were drifted, Till the heath-stems all were covered, On the ground the berry-bushes.

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, In his sledge of iron sat him, 430 And he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: "On my reins attend good fortune, Jumala my sledge protecting, That my reins good fortune fail not, Nor my sledge may break, O Jumala!"

In one hand the reins he gathered, And the whip he grasped with other, O'er the horse the whip he brandished, And he spoke the words which follow: 440 "Whitebrow, speed thou quickly onward, Haste away, O flaxen-maned one."

On the way the horse sprang forward, On the water's sandy margin, By the sh.o.r.es of Sound of Sima, Past the hills with alders covered.

On the sh.o.r.e the sledge went rattling, On the beach the shingle clattered.

In his eyes the sand was flying, To his breast splashed up the water. 450 Thus he drove one day, a second, Drove upon the third day likewise, And at length upon the third day, Overtook old Vainamoinen, And he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: "O thou aged Vainamoinen, Let us make a friendly compact, That although we both are seeking, And we both would woo the maiden, 460 Yet by force we will not seize her, Nor against her will shall wed her."

Said the aged Vainamoinen, "I will make a friendly compact, That we will not seize the maiden, Nor against her will shall wed her.

Let the maiden now be given To the husband whom she chooses, That we nurse not long vexation, Nor a lasting feud be fostered." 470

Further on their way they travelled, On the path that each had chosen; Sped the boat, the sh.o.r.e re-echoed, Ran the horse, the earth resounded.

But a short time pa.s.sed thereafter, Very short the time elapsing, Ere the grey-brown dog was barking, And the house-dog loudly baying, In the gloomy land of Pohja, Sariola, for ever cloudy, 480 Sooner still the dog was growling, But with less-continued growling, By the borders of the cornfield, 'Gainst the ground his tail was wagging.

Then exclaimed the Lord of Pohja, "Go, my daughter, to discover Why the grey-brown dog is barking, And the long-eared dog is baying."

But the daughter made him answer: "I have not the time, my father, 490 I must clean the largest cowshed, Tend our herd of many cattle, Grind the corn between the millstones, Through the sieve must sift the flour, Grind the corn to finest flour, And the grinder is but feeble."

Gently barked the castle's Hiisi, And again the dog was growling, And again said Pohja's Master: "Go, old dame, and look about you, 500 See why barks the grey-brown house-dog, Why the castle-dog is growling."

But the old dame made him answer: "This is not a time for talking, For my household cares are heavy, And I must prepare the dinner, And must bake a loaf enormous, And for this the dough be kneading, Bake the loaf of finest flour, And the baker is but feeble." 510

Thereupon said Pohja's Master: "Women they are always hurried, And the maidens always busy, When before the stove they roast them, When they in their beds are lying; Son, go you, and look around you."

Thereupon the son made answer: "I've no time to look about me; I must grind the blunted hatchet, Chop a log of wood to pieces, 520 Chop to bits the largest wood-pile, And to f.a.ggots small reduce it.

Large the pile, and small the f.a.ggots, And the workman of the weakest."

Still the castle-dog was barking, And the yard-dog still was barking, And the furious whelp was baying, And the island watch-dog howling, Sitting by the furthest cornfield, And his tail was briskly wagging. 530

Then again said Pohja's Master, "Not for nought the dog is barking, Never has he barked for nothing, Never growls he at the fir-trees."

So he went to reconnoitre, And he walked across the courtyard, To the cornfield's furthest borders, To the path beyond the ploughed land.

Gazed he where the dog's snout pointed, Where he saw his muzzle pointing, 540 To the hill where storms are raging, To the hills where grow the alders, Then he saw the truth most clearly, Why the grey-brown dog was barking, And the pride of earth was baying, And the woolly-tailed one howling, For he saw a red boat sailing Out amid the Bay of Lempi, And a handsome sledge was driving On the sh.o.r.e of Sound of Sima. 550

After this the Lord of Pohja To the house returned directly, And beneath the roof he hastened, And he spoke the words which follow: "There are strangers swiftly sailing O'er the blue lake's watery surface, And a gaudy sledge is gliding On the sh.o.r.e of Sound of Sima; And a large boat is approaching To the sh.o.r.e of Bay of Lempi." 560

Then said Pohjola's old Mistress, "Whence shall we obtain an omen Why these strangers here are coming?

O my little waiting-maiden, On the fire lay rowan-f.a.ggots.

And the best log in its glowing.

If the log with blood is flowing, Then the strangers come for battle, If the log exudes clear water, Then is peace abiding with us." 570

Then the little maid of Pohja, She, the modest waiting-maiden, On the fire laid rowan-f.a.ggots, Placed the best log in its glowing.

From the log no blood was trickling, Nor did water trickle from it; From the log there oozed forth honey, From the log dripped down the nectar.

From the corner spoke Suovakko, Spoke the old dame 'neath the blankets: 580 "From the log if oozes honey, From the log if drips the nectar, Then the strangers who are coming, May be ranked as n.o.ble suitors."

Then did Pohja's aged Mistress, Pohja's old dame, Pohja's daughter, To the courtyard fencing hasten, Hurry quick across the courtyard, And they gazed across the water, To the south their heads then turning, 590 And they saw from thence approaching, Swift a ship of novel fashion, Of a hundred planks constructed, Out upon the Bay of Lempi.

Underneath the boat looked bluish, But the sails of crimson colour.

In the stern there sat a hero, At the copper rudder's handle, And they saw a stallion trotting With a red sledge strange of aspect, 600 And the gaudy sledge was speeding On the sh.o.r.e of Sound of Sima, And they saw six golden cuckoos, Perching on the frame, and calling, Seven blue birds were likewise perching On the reins, and these were singing; And a stalwart hero, sitting In the sledge, the reins was holding.

Then said Pohjola's old Mistress, And she spoke the words which follow: 610 "Whom will you accept as husband, If they really come to woo you, As a life-companion woo you, Dove-like in his arms to nestle?

"He who in the boat is sailing, In the red boat fast approaching, Out upon the Bay of Lempi, Is the aged Vainamoinen.

In the boat he brings provisions, And of treasures brings a cargo. 620

"He who in the sledge is driving, In the gaudy sledge is speeding, On the sh.o.r.e of Sound of Sima, Is the smith named Ilmarinen.

He with empty hands is coming; Filled his sledge with spells of magic.

"Therefore if the room they enter, Bring them then the mead in tankard, In the two-eared tankard bring it, And in his hands place the tankard 630 Whom thou dost desire to follow; Choose thou Vainola's great hero, He whose boat with wealth is loaded, And of treasures brings a cargo."

But the lovely maid of Pohja, Thus made answer to her mother: "O my mother who hast borne me, O my mother who hast reared me, Nothing do I care for riches, Nor a man profound in wisdom, 640 But a man of lofty forehead, One whose every limb is handsome.

Never once in former ages, Gave a maid her life in thiswise.

I, a maid undowered, will follow Ilmarinen, skilful craftsman, He it was who forged the Sampo, And the coloured cover welded."

Then said Pohja's aged Mistress, "O indeed, my child, my lambkin, 650 If you go with Ilmarinen, From whose brow the sweat falls freely, You must wash the blacksmith's ap.r.o.ns, And the blacksmith's head wash likewise."

But the daughter gave her answer, In the very words which follow: "Him from Vainola I choose not, Nor an aged man will care for, For an old man is a nuisance, And an aged man would vex me." 660

Then did aged Vainamoinen Reach his journey's end the soonest, And he steered his crimson vessel, Brought his boat of bluish colour To the rollers steel-constructed, To the landing-stage of copper.

After this the house he entered, Underneath the roof he hastened, And upon the floor spoke loudly, Near the door beneath the rafters, 670 And he spoke the words which follow, And expressed himself in thiswise: "Wilt thou come with me, O maiden, Evermore as my companion, Wife-like on my knees to seat thee, In my arms as dove to nestle?"

Then the lovely maid of Pohja, Answered in the words which follow: "Have you then the boat constructed, Built the large and handsome vessel, 680 From the splinters of my spindle, From the fragments of my shuttle?"

Then the aged Vainamoinen Answered in the words which follow: "I have built a n.o.ble vessel And a splendid boat constructed, Strongly built to face the tempests, And the winds its course opposing, As It cleaves the tossing billows, O'er the surface of the water, 690 Bladder-like amid the surges, As a leaf, by current drifted, Over Pohjola's wide waters, And across the foaming billows."

Then the lovely maid of Pohja, Answered in the words which follow: "Nothing do I reck of seamen, Heroes boasting of the billows!

Drives the wind their minds to ocean, And their thoughts the east wind saddens: 700 Therefore thee I cannot follow, Never pledge myself unto thee, Evermore as thy companion, In thy arms as dove to nestle, Spread the couch whereon thou sleepest, For thy head arrange the pillows."

RUNO XIX.--THE EXPLOITS AND BETROTHAL OF ILMARINEN

_Argument_

Ilmarinen arrives at the homestead of Pohjola, woos the daughter of the house, and perilous tasks are a.s.signed to him (1-32). Aided by the advice of the Maiden of Pohja he succeeds in performing the tasks successfully. Firstly, he ploughs a field of serpent, secondly, he captures the Bear of Tuoni and the Wolf of Ma.n.a.la, and thirdly, he captures a large and terrible pike in the river of Tuonela (33-344). The Mistress of Pohjola promises and betroths her daughter to Ilmarinen (345-498). Vainamoinen returns from Pohjola in low spirits, and warns every one against going wooing in company with a younger man (499-518).