Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume Ii Part 21

"But if this is not sufficient, Iku-Turso, son of aijo, Lift thy head from out the water, Raise thy head above the billows, 350 Crush thou Kaleva's vile children, Sink thou down Uvantolainen, Sink thou down the wicked heroes In the depths beneath the billows, Bring to Pohjola the Sampo, Let it fall not from the vessel.

"But if this is not sufficient, Ukko, thou, of G.o.ds the highest, Golden king in airy regions, Mighty one, adorned with silver, 360 Let the air be filled with tempest, Raise a mighty wind against them, Raise thou winds and waves against them, With their boat contending ever, Falling on the head of Vaino, Rushing on Uvantolainen."

Then the Maid of Clouds, Mist-Maiden, From the lake a cloud breathed upward, Through the air the cloud she scattered, And detained old Vainamoinen, 370 And for three whole nights she kept him Out upon the lake's blue surface, And he could not move beyond it, Nor could he escape beyond it.

When for three nights he had rested Out upon the lake's blue surface, Spoke the aged Vainamoinen, And expressed himself in thiswise: "There's no man, how weak soever, Not among the laziest heroes, 380 Who by clouds would thus be hindered, And by mists would thus be worsted."

With his sword he clove the water, In the lake his sword plunged deeply, Mead along his blade was flowing, Honey from his sword was dropping.

Then the fog to heaven ascended, And the cloud in air rose upward, From the lake the mist ascended, And the vapour from the lake-waves, 390 And the lake extended widely, Wider spread the whole horizon.

But a little time pa.s.sed over, Short the time that then pa.s.sed over, When they heard a mighty roaring, At the red boat's side they heard it, And the foam flew wildly upwards, Near the boat of Vainamoinen.

Thereupon smith Ilmarinen, Felt the very greatest terror. 400 From his cheeks the blood departed, From his cheeks the ruddy colour; O'er his head he drew his felt-cap, And above his ears he drew it, And his cheeks with care he covered, And his eyes he covered better.

Then the aged Vainamoinen Looked into the water round him, Cast his gaze beside the vessel, And he saw a little wonder. 410 Iku-Turso, son of aijo, By the red boat's side was lifting High his head from out the water, Raising it from out the billows.

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast, Grasped his ears upon the instant, By his ears he dragged him upward, And he sang aloud, and questioned, And he said the words which follow: "Iku-Turso, son of aijo, 420 Wherefore from the lake uplift thee, Wherefore rise above the lake-waves, Thus thyself to men revealing, Even Kaleva's own children?"

Iku-Turso, son of aijo, Was not pleased with this reception, But he was not very frightened, And no answer he returned him.

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast, Asked again an explanation, 430 And a third time asked him loudly, "Iku-Turso, son of aijo, Wherefore from the lake uplift thee, Wherefore rise above the billows?"

Iku-Turso, son of aijo, When for the third time he asked him, Answered in the words which follow: "Therefore from the lake I raise me, Therefore rise above the billows, For that in my mind I purpose 440 Kaleva's great race to ruin, Bear to Pohjola the Sampo.

In the waves if you will send me, And my wretched life concede me, Not another time ascending, In the sight of men I'll venture."

Then the aged Vainamoinen Cast the wretch into the billows, And he said the words which follow: "Iku-Turso, son of aijo, 450 Nevermore from lake arising, Or ascending from the lake-waves, Venture forth where men can see thee, From this very day henceforward."

Therefore from that day thenceforward, Never from the lake rose Turso, In the sight of men to venture, Long as sun and moon are shining, Or the pleasant day is dawning, And the air is most delightful. 460

Then the aged Vainamoinen Once again steered on the vessel.

But a little time pa.s.sed over, Short the time that then pa.s.sed over, When did Ukko, G.o.d the Highest, Of the air the mighty ruler, Winds arouse in magic fury, Made the tempests rage around them.

Then the winds arose in fury, And the tempests raged around them, 470 And the west wind blew most fiercely, From the south-west just as fiercely, And the south wind still more fiercely, And the east wind whistled loudly, Roared the south-east wind tremendous, And the north wind howled in fury.

From the trees the leaves were scattered, And the pine-trees lost their needles, And the heather lost its flowerets, And the gra.s.ses lost their ta.s.sels, 480 And the black ooze was uplifted To the sparkling water's surface.

Still the winds were wildly blowing, And the waves a.s.sailed the vessel, Swept away the harp of pikebone, And the kantele of fish-fins, Joy for Vellamo's attendants, And to Ahtola a pleasure.

Ahto on the waves perceived it, On the waves his children saw it, 490 And they took the harp so charming, And unto their home conveyed it.

Then the aged Vainamoinen From his eyes wept tears of sadness, And he spoke the words which follow: "Thus has gone what I constructed, And my cherished harp has vanished, And is lost my life-long pleasure.

Never will it happen to me, In the course of all my lifetime 500 To rejoice again in pike-teeth, Or to play on bones of fishes."

Thereupon smith Ilmarinen Felt the very greatest sadness, And he spoke the words which follow: "Woe to me, this day unhappy, That upon the lake I travel, On this wide expanse of water, That I tread on wood that's rolling, And on planks that shake beneath me. 510 Now my hair has seen the tempest, And my hair begins to shudder, And my beard ill days has witnessed, Which it saw upon the water, Yet have we but seldom witnessed, Such a storm as rages round us, Witnessed such tremendous breakers, Or have seen such foam-capped billows.

Let the wind be now my refuge, And the waves have mercy on me." 520

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast, Heard his words, and thus responded: "In the boat's no place for weeping, Room is none for lamentation, Weeping helps not in misfortune, Howling, not when days are evil."

Then he spoke the words which follow, And he sang and thus expressed him: "Water, now restrain thy children, And, O wave, do thou restrain them. 530 Ahto, do thou calm the billows, Vellamo, o'ercome the waters, That they splash not on our timbers, Nor may overwhelm my boat-ribs.

"Rise, O wind, aloft to heaven, And among the clouds disport thee, To thy race, where thou wast nurtured, To thy family and kindred.

Do not harm this wooden vessel, Sink thou not this boat of pinewood. 540 Rather fell burnt trees in clearings, On the slopes o'erthrow the pine-trees."

Then the lively Lemminkainen, He the handsome Kaukomieli, Spoke aloud the words which follow: "Come, O eagle, thou from Turja, Do thou bring three feathers with thee, Three, O eagle, two, O raven, To protect this little vessel, To protect this bad boat's timbers." 550

He himself enlarged the bulwarks, Fixed the timbers in their places, And to these fresh boards he added, And to fathom-height he raised them, Higher than the waves were leaping, Nor upon his beard they splashed him.

All his work was now completed, And the bulwarks raised protecting, Though the winds might blow most fiercely, And the waves might beat in fury, 560 And the foam be wildly seething, And like hillocks be uprising.

RUNO XLIII.--THE FIGHT FOR THE SAMPO

_Argument_

The Mistress of Pohjola equips a war-vessel and goes in pursuit of the robbers of the Sampo (1-22). When she overtakes them a fight ensues between the forces of Pohjola and Kalevala in which the latter conquer (23-258). Nevertheless the Mistress of Pohjola succeeds in dragging the Sampo from the boat into the lake, where it breaks to pieces (259-266).

The larger portions sink in the lake, and form its riches, while the smaller pieces are thrown on sh.o.r.e by the waves, at which Vainamoinen is much pleased (267-304). The Mistress of Pohjola threatens to send all evil upon Kalevala, to which Vainamoinen pays no attention (305-368).

The Mistress of Pohjola returns home in great distress, taking with her only a small fragment of the cover of the Sampo (369-384). Vainamoinen carefully collects the fragments of the Sampo on the sh.o.r.e, and plants them, hoping for continuous good fortune (385-434).

Louhi, Pohjola's old Mistress, Called together all her forces, Bows delivered to her army, And the men with swords provided, Fitted out a ship of Pohja, As a war-ship she prepared it.

In the ship the men she stationed, And equipped for war the heroes, As the duck her ducklings musters, Or the teal her children marshals; 10 There she ranged a hundred swordsmen, And a thousand men with crossbows.

In the boat the mast she lifted, Put the yards and spars in order, On the mast the sails adjusted, Spread the canvas o'er the sailyards; Like a hanging cloud it waved there, Like a cloud in heaven suspended; Then upon her voyage she started, Sailed away and speeded onward, 20 Soon to struggle for the Sampo, With the boat of Vainamoinen.

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast, O'er the blue lake steered his vessel, And he spoke the words which follow, From the stern where he was seated: "O thou lively son of Lempi, Of my friends the dearest to me, Climb thou quickly to the masthead, And among the canvas hasten. 30 Look thou to the air before thee, Look thou to the sky behind thee, Whether clear is the horizon, Or the sky is somewhat clouded."

Then the lively Lemminkainen, Ruddy youth, accomplished scoundrel, Very active, though unbidden, Very quick, though never boastful, To the masthead then ascended, Up aloft among the canvas. 40 East he looked, and looked to westward, Looked to north-west and to southward, Looked across to Pohja's coast-line, And he spoke the words which follow: "Clear in front is the horizon, Dark behind is the horizon, Rises north a cloud, a small one, Hangs a single cloud to north-west."

Said the aged Vainamoinen, "What you say is surely nonsense, 50 For no cloud is there ascending, Nor a single cloud arising, But perchance a sailing vessel; Look again, and look more sharply."

Then he looked again more sharply, And he spoke the words which follow: "Far away I see an island, Dimly looming in the distance, Aspens covered o'er with falcons, Speckled grouse upon the birch-trees." 60

Said the aged Vainamoinen, "What you say is surely nonsense, For no falcons do you see there, And no speckled grouse you see there, But perchance the sons of Pohja; Look more sharply for the third time."

Then the lively Lemminkainen For the third time looked around him, And he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: 70 "'Tis a ship from Pohja sailing, With a hundred rowlocks fitted, And I see a hundred oarsmen, And a thousand men beside them."

Then the aged Vainamoinen, All the truth at once perceiving, Spoke aloud the words which follow: "Row, thou smith; row, Ilmarinen; Row, O lively Lemminkainen; Row ye also, all ye people, 80 That the boat be hurried forward, And the vessel onward driven."

Rowed the smith, rowed Ilmarinen, Rowed the lively Lemminkainen, All the people joined in rowing.

Swayed about the pinewood oars, Loudly rang the rowan rowlocks, And the pinewood boat was swaying.

Like a seal the prow dashed onward, Boiled the waves behind like cataract, 90 Like a bell uprose the water, And the foam flew up in ma.s.ses.

As for wager rowed the heroes, As in race the heroes struggled, But they rowed, and made no progress, Nor could urge the wooden vessel Further from the sailing vessel, And the ship that came from Pohja.

Then the aged Vainamoinen Saw misfortune fast approaching. 100 On his head was doomsday falling, And he pondered and reflected, How to act and how to save him, And he spoke the words which follow: "Still I know a plan of safety, Still I see a little marvel."