To her shoes, all gold-embroidered.
After one tear flowed another,
And her bitter tears flowed freely
From her shoes, all gold-embroidered,
On the ground where she was standing. 470
As they flowed, the ground they moistened,
And they swelled to streams of water.
On the ground the streams were flowing,
And became the source of rivers ;
Thence arose three mighty rivers
From the tears of bitter weeping,
Which were ever ceaseless flowing
From the weeping mother's eyelids.
From each stream that thus was fashioned,
Rushed three waterfalls in fury, 480
And amid each cataract's flowing,
Three great rocks arose together,
And on every rocky summit
There arose a golden mountain,
And on every mountain summit
Up there sprang three beauteous birch-trees,
In the crown of every birch-tree,
Golden cuckoos three were perching.
All at once they called together,
And the first cried, " Sweetheart, sweetheart ! " 490
And the second, " Lover, lover ! "
And the third cried, " Gladness, gladness ! "
He who cried out, " Sweetheart, sweetheart 1 "
Sang his song for three months running,
For the young and loveless maiden,
Resting now beneath the water.
He who cried out, " Lover, lover 1 '
Sang his song for six months running,
Sang to the unhappy suitor,
Who must sorrow through his lifetime. 500
He who cried out, " Gladness, gladness ! "
Sang his song for all a lifetime ;
Sang to the unhappy mother,
Who must daily weep for ever.
48
Kalevala [Runo v
And the mother spoke as follows,
As she listened to the cuckoo :
" Never may a hapless mother
Listen to the cuckoo crying !
When I hear the cuckoo calling,
Heavy beats my heart within me. 510
From my eyes the tears are falling,
O'er my cheeks are waters rolling,
And the drops like peas are swelling,
Than the largest broad-beans larger.
By an ell my life is shortened,
By a span-length I am older,
And my strength has wholly failed me,
Since I heard the cuckoo calling/'
RUNG V. VAINAMOINEN'S FISHING
Argument
<v
Vainamoinen fishes for Joukahainen's sister in the lake, and draws
her into his boat in the form of a fish (1-72). He is about to cut her
to pieces when she slips from his hand into the lake, and tells him who
she is (73-133). Vainamoinen tries to persuade her to return to him,
and then fishes for her, but in vain (134-163). He returns home
disconsolate, and his dead mother advises him to woo the Maiden of
Pohja (164-241).
Now the tidings were repeated,
And the news was widely rumoured,
How the youthful maid had perished,
And the fair one had departed.
Vainamoinen, old and steadfast,
Deeply sorrowed at the tidings ;
Wept at evening, wept at morning,
Spent the livelong night in weeping,
For the fair one who had perished,
For the maiden who had slumbered, 10
In the muddy lake downsunken
To the depths below the billows.
RunoV] Vainamoinen's Fishing 49
Then he went, in sorrow sighing,
While his heart was filled with anguish,
To the blue lake's rocky margin,
And he spoke the words which follow :
"Tell me, Untamo, thou sleeper,
Tell me all thy dreams, O idler,
Where to find the realm of Ahto,
Where dwell Vellamo's fair maidens ? " 20
Sleeper Untamo made answer,
And his dreams he thus repeated :
" There has Ahto fixed his country,
There dwell Vellamo's fair maidens,
Near the cloud-encompassed headland,
Near the ever-misty island,
In the depths below the billows,
On the black ooze at the bottom.
" There has Ahto fixed his country,
There dwell Vellamo's fair maidens, 30
Living in a narrow chamber,
In a little room abiding,
With the walls of varied marble,
In the depths beside the headland."
Then the aged Vainamoinen
Hastened to his little vessel,
And he scanned his fishing-tackle,
And his hooks with care inspected ;
Put the tackle in his pocket,
And the barbed hooks in his wallet. 40
Through the waves his boat he ferried,
Making for the jutting headland,
To the cape, with clouds encompassed,
And the ever-misty island.
Then he set about his fishing,
And he watched his angle closely,
And he held his hand-net ready,
Dropped his angle in the water,
And he fished, and tried his fortune,
While the rod of copper trembled, 50
And the thread of silver whistled,
And the golden line whirred loudly.
5 Kalevala [Runo v
And at length one day it happened,
Very early in the morning,
On his hook a fish was hanging,
And a salmon-trout was captured.
In the boat he drew it quickly,
And upon the planks he cast it.
Then he scanned the fish, and turned it,
And he spoke the words which follow : 60
" 'Tis a fish, among the fishes,
For I never saw its equal,
Smoother is it than a powan,
Than a salmon-trout more yellow,
Greyer than a pike I deem it,
For a female fish too finless,
For a male 'tis far too scaleless ;
Has no tresses, like a maiden,
Nor, like water-nymphs, 'tis belted ;
Nor is earless like a pigeon ; 70
It resembles most a salmon,
Or a perch from deepest water."
In his waistband Vainamoinen
Bore a case-knife, silver-hafted,
And he drew the knife of sharpness,
Drew the case-knife, silver-hafted,
And prepared to slit the salmon,
And to cut the fish to pieces,
Thought to eat it for his breakfast,
Or a snack to make his luncheon, 80
To provide him with a dinner,
And a plenteous supper likewise.
As he would have slit the salmon,
And would cut the fish to pieces,
Sprang the salmon in the water,
For the beauteous fish jumped sideways
From the planking of the red boat,
From the boat of Vainamoinen.
Thereupon her head she lifted,
Raised her shoulders from the water, 90
On the fifth wave's watery hillock.
From the sixth high wave emerging,
RunoV] Vainamoinen's Fishing 51
Then her hands in air uplifted,
And displayed her left foot also,
When the seventh wave rose, tips welling,
And upon the ninth wave's summit.
Thereupon the fish addressed him,
And it spoke, and thus protested :
" O thou aged Vainamoinen,
Surely I have not come hither, 100
Like a salmon, to be slaughtered,
Or a fish, to cut to pieces,
Only to become your breakfast,
Or a snack to make your luncheon,
To provide you with a dinner,
And a plenteous supper likewise."
Said the aged Vainamoinen,
"Wherefore didst thou then come hither? "
" Therefore 'tis that I have sought thee,
In thine arm like dove to nestle, no
By thy side to sit for ever,
On thy knee, as consort sitting,
To prepare the couch to rest thee,
And to smooth thy pillow for thee,
Keep thy little room in order,
And to sweep the flooring for thee,
In thy room to light the fire,
And to fan the flames up brightly,
There large loaves of bread to bake thee,
Cakes of honey to prepare thee, 120
And thy jug of beer to fill thee,
And thy dinner set before thee.
" I am not a water-salmon,
Not a perch from deepest water,
But a young and lovely maiden,
Youthful Joukahainen's sister,
Whom thou all thy life hast longed for,
Whom thou hast so long desired.
" O thou pitiful old creature,
Vainamoinen, void of wisdom, 130
Thou hadst not the wit to hold me,
Vellamo's young water-maiden,
52 Kalevala [Runo v
Me, the darling child of Ahto ! "
Said the aged Vainamoinen,
Head bowed down, and deeply grieving,
" Sister thou of Joukahainen,
Once again return, I pray thee."
But she never more came near him,
Ne'er again throughout his lifetime ;
For she turned away, and, diving, 140
Vanished from the water's surface
Down among the rocks so varied,
In a liver-coloured crevice.
Vainamoinen, old and steadfast,
Pondered deeply, and reflected,
What to do, and what was needful.
Quick he wove a net all silken,
And he drew it straight and crossways,
Through the reach, and then across it,
Drew it through the quiet waters, 150
Through the depths beloved by salmon,
And through Vainola's deep waters,
And by Kalevala's sharp headlands,
Through the deep, dark watery caverns,
And the wide expanse of water,
And through Joukola's great rivers,
And across the bays of Lapland.
Other fish he caught in plenty,
All the fishes of the waters,
Only not the fish he sought for, 160
Which he kept in mind for ever,
Never Vellamo's fair maiden,
Not the dearest child of Ahto.
Then the aged Vainamoinen,
Bowed his head, lamenting deeply,
With his cap adjusted sideways,
And he spoke the words which follow
" O how grievous is my folly,
Weak am I in manly wisdom,
Once indeed was understanding, 1 70
Insight too conferred upon me,
And my heart was great within me j
Runo v] Vainamoinen's Fishing 53
Such in former times my portion.
But in days that now are passing,
In the evil days upon me,
Now my strength with age is failing,
All my understanding weakens
And my insight has departed,
All my judgment is perverted.
"She for whom long years I waited, 180
Whom for half my life I longed for,
Vellamo's fair water-maiden,
Youngest daughter of the surges,
Who should be my friend for ever,
And my wife throughout my lifetime,
Came and seized the bait I offered,
In my boat sprang unresisting,
But I knew not how to hold her,
To my home I could not take her,
But she plunged amid the waters, 190
Diving to the depths profoundest."
Then he wandered on a little,
And he walked, in sadness sighing,
To his home direct returning,
And he spoke the words which follow :
" Once indeed the birds were singing,
And my joyous cuckoo hailed me,
Both at morning and at evening,
Likewise, too, in midday hours.
What has stilled their lively music, 200
And has hushed their charming voices ?
Care has stilled their lively music,
Sorrow checked their cheerful voices,
Therefore do they sing no longer,
Neither at the sun's declining,
To rejoice me in the evening,
Nor to cheer me in the morning.
" Now no more can I consider
How to shape my course of action,
How upon the earth to sojourn, 210
How throughout the world to travel.
Would my mother now were living,
54 Kalevala [Runo v
And my aged mother waking !
She would surely tell me truly
How to best support my trouble,
That my grief may not o'erwhelm me,
And my sorrow may not crush me,
In these weary days of evil,
In this time of deep depression."
In her grave his mother wakened, 220
Answered from beneath the billows :
" Still thy mother lives and hears thee,
And thy aged mother wakens,
That she plainly may advise thee,
How to best support thy trouble,
That thy grief may not o'erwhelm thee,
And thy sorrow may not crush thee,
In these weary days of evil,
In these days of deep depression.
Seek thou out the maids of Pohja, 230
Where the daughters are more handsome,
And the maidens twice as lovely,
And are five or six times nimbler,
Not like lazy girls of Jouko,
Lapland's fat and sluggish daughters.
"Thence a wife, O son, provide thee,
From the fairest maids of Pohja ;
Choose a maid of fair complexion,
Lovely, too, in every feature,
One whose feet are always nimble, 240
Always active in her movements.'"'
Runovi] Joukahainen's Crossbow 55
RUNG VI. JOUKAHAINEN'S CROSSBOW
Argument
Joukahainen cherishes hatred against Vainamoinen and lies in wait
for him on his journey to Pohjola (1-78). He sees him riding past and
shoots at him, but only kills his horse (79-182). Vainamoinen falls into
the water and is driven out to sea by a tempest, while Joukahainen
rejoices, because he thinks he has at last overcome Vainamoinen (183-
234).
VAINAMOINEN, old and steadfast,
Now resolved upon a journey
To the cold and dreary regions
Of the gloomy land of Pohja.
Then he took his straw-hued stallion
Like a pea-stalk in his colour,
And the golden bit adjusted,
Bridle on his head of silver,
On his back himself he seated,
And he started on his journey, 10
And he trotted gently onward,
At an easy pace he journeyed,
Mounted on the straw-hued courser,
Like a pea-stalk in his colour.
Thus through Vainola he journeyed,
Over Kalevala's wide heathlands,
And the horse made rapid progress,
Home behind, and journey shortened,
Then across the sea he journeyed,
O'er the far-extending billows, 20
With the horse's hoofs unwetted,
And his feet unsunk in water.
But the youthful Joukahainen,
He, the puny son of Lapland,
Long had cherished his resentment,
And had long indeed been envious
Of the aged Vainamoinen,
Of the ever-famous minstrel.
56 Kalevala [Runo vi
Then he wrought a mighty crossbow,
And a splendid bow he fashioned, 30
And he formed the bow of iron,
Overlaid the back with copper,
And with gold inlaid it also,
And with silver he adorned it.
Where did he obtain the bowstring ?
Whence a cord to match the weapon ?
Sinews from the elk of Hiisi,
And the hempen cord of Lempo.
Thus at length the bow was finished,
And the stock was quite completed, 40
And the bow was fair to gaze on,
And its value matched its beauty.
At its back a horse was standing,
On the stock a foal was running,
On the curve a sleeping woman,
At the catch a hare was couching.
Shafts of wood he likewise fashioned,
Every arrow triply feathered,
And the shafts were formed of oakwood,
And he made the heads of pinewood ; 50
Thus the arrows were completed,
And he fixed the feathers on them,
From the swallows' plumage taken,
Likewise from the tails of sparrows.
After this, the points he sharpened,
And the arrow-points he poisoned,
In the black blood of the serpent,
In the blood of hissing adders.
Thus he made his arrows ready,
And his bow was fit for bending, 6c
And he watched for Vainamoinen,
Waited for Suvantolainen,
Watched at morning, watched at evening,
Waited also through the noontide.
Long he watched for Vainamoinen,
Waited long, and wearied never,
Sitting gazing from the window,
Or upon the stairs he waited,
Runo vi] Joukahainen's Crossbow 57
Sometimes lurking by the pathway,
Sometimes watching in the meadow, 70
On his back his well-filled quiver,
'Neath his arm his crossbow ready.
Then he waited further onwards,
Lurking near another building,
On the cape that juts out sharply,
Where the tongue of land curves outward,
Near a waterfall, all foaming,
Past the banks of sacred rivers.
And at length one day it happened,
Very early in the morning, 80
As he turned his eyes to westward,
And he turned his head to eastward
Something dark he spied on ocean,
Something blue upon the billows.
" Is a cloud in east arising,
Or the dawn of day appearing ? "
In the east no cloud was rising,
Nor the dawn of day appearing.
Twas the aged Vainamoinen,
'Twas the ever-famous minstrel, 90
Who to Pohjola was hasting,
As to Pimentola he journeyed,
Mounted on his straw-hued courser,
Like a pea-stalk in his colour.
Then the youthful Joukahainen,
He, the meagre son of Lapland,
Spanned in haste his mighty crossbow,
And he aimed the splendid weapon
At the head of Vainamoinen,
Thus to kill Suvantolainen. 100
Then his mother came and asked him,
And the aged one inquired,
" Wherefore do you span your weapon,
Bending thus the iron crossbow ? "
Then the youthful Joukahainen
Answered in the words which follow:
" Therefore do I span the weapon,
Bending thus the iron crossbow,
I C*59
58 Kalevala [Runo vi
For the head of Vainamoinen,
Thus to kill Suvantolainen, no
I will shoot old Vainamoinen,
Strike the ever-famous minstrel,
Through the heart, and through the liver,
'Twixt the shoulders I will shoot him."
But his mother straight forbade him,
And dissuaded him from shooting.
" Do not shoot at Vainamoinen,
Do not Kalevalainen slaughter.
Of a noble race is Vaino ;
He's my sister's son, my nephew. 120
" If you shoot at Vainamoinen,
And should Kalevalainen slaughter,
Gladness from the world will vanish,
And from earth will song be banished.
In the world is gladness better,
And on earth is song more cheerful,
Than to Manala if banished,
And to Tuonela's darkest regions."
Then the youthful Joukahainen
Paused a moment and reflected, 130
And he pondered for an instant,
Though his hands to shoot were ready,
One would shoot, and one restrained him,
But his sinewy fingers forced him.
And at length these words he uttered,
And expressed his own decision :
" What if twice from earth in future
Every gladness should be banished ?
Let all songs for ever vanish ;
I will shoot my arrows, heedless ! ' 140
Then he spanned the mighty crossbow,
And he drew the bow of copper,
And against his left knee bent it,
Steady with his foot he held it,
Took an arrow from his quiver,
Chose a triple-feathered arrow,
Took the strongest of his arrows,
Chose the very best among them,
Runo vi] Joukahainen's Crossbow 59
Then upon the groove he laid it,
On the hempen cord he fixed it, 150
Then his mighty bow he lifted,
And he placed it to his shoulder,
Ready now to shoot the arrow,
And to shoot at Vainamoinen.
And he spoke the words which follow :
11 Do thou strike, O birchwood arrow,
Strike thou in the back, O pinewood.
Twang thy best, O hempen bowstring !
If my hand is leaning downward,
Let the arrow then strike higher, 160
If my hand is bending upward,
Let the arrow then strike downward ! "
Quickly then he drew the trigger,
Shot the first among his arrows.
Far too high the shaft flew upward,
High above his head to skyward,
And it whizzed among the cloudlets,
Through the scattered clouds it wandered.
Thus he shot, in reckless fashion,
Shot the second of his arrows. 170
Far too low the shot flew downwards,
Deep in Mother Earth 'twas sunken.
Earth was almost sunk to Mana,
And the hills of sand were cloven.
Then he shot again, a third time,
And the third shaft, straighter flying,
In the blue elk's spleen was buried,
Under aged Vainamoinen.
Thus he shot the straw-hued courser,
Like a pea-stalk in his colour ; 180
Through the flesh beneath his shoulder,
In the left side deep he pierced him.
Then the aged Vainamoinen
Plunged his fingers in the water,
With his hands the waves he parted,
Grasping at the foaming billows,
From the blue elk's back he tumbled.
From the steed of pea-stalk colour.
60 Kalevala [Runo vi
Then a mighty wind arising
Raised upon the sea a billow, 190
And it bore old Vainamoinen,
Swimming from the mainland further,
O'er the wide expanse of water,
Out into the open ocean.
Then the youthful Joukahainen
Uttered words of boastful triumph :
" Now thou ancient Vainamoinen,
Never while thy life endureth,
In the course of all thy lifetime,
While the golden moon is shining, 200
Walk in Vainola's fair meadows,
Or on Kalevala's broad heathlands !
" May you toss for six years running,
Seven long summers ever drifting,
Tossed about for over eight years,
On the wide expanse of water,
On the surface of the billows,
Drift for six years like a pine-tree,
And for seven years like a fir-tree,
And for eight years like a tree-stump ! " 210
Then the house again he entered,
And at once his mother asked him,
" Have you shot at Vainamoinen ?
Slaughtered Kaleva's famous offspring ? "
Then the youthful Joukahainen
Answered in the words which follow :
" I have shot at Vainamoinen,
And have o'erthrown Kalevalainen,
Sent him swimming in the water,
Swept him out upon the billows, 220
On the restless waves of ocean
Where the waves are wildly tossing,
And the old man plunged his fingers
And his palms amid the waters,
Then upon his side he tumbled,
And upon his back he turned him.
Drifting o'er the waves of ocean,
Out upon the foaming billows."
RunoVii] Vainamoinen and Louhi 61
But his mother made him answer,
"Very evil hast thou acted, 230
Thus to shoot at Vainamoinen
And to o'erthrow Kalevalainen.
Of Suvantola the hero,
Kalevala's most famous hero."
RUNG VII. VAINAMOINEN AND LOUHI
Argument
Vainamoinen swims for several days on the open sea (l-88). The
eagle, grateful to him for having spared the birch-tree for him to rest
on, when he was felling the trees, takes Vainamoinen on his wings, and
carries him to the borders of Pohjola, where the Mistress of Pohjola
takes him to her abode, and receives him hospitably (89-274).
Vainamoinen desires to return to his own country, and the Mistress of
Pohjola permits him to depart, and promises him her daughter in
marriage if he will forge the Sampo in Pohjola (275-322). Vainamoinen
promises that when he returns home he will send the smith Ilmarinen
to forge the Sampo, and the Mistress of Pohjola gives him a horse and
a sledge to convey him home (323-368).
VAINAMOINEN, old and steadfast,
Swam upon the open ocean,
Drifting like a fallen pine-tree,
Like a rotten branch of fir-tree,
During six days of the summer,
And for six nights in succession,
While the sea spread wide before him,
And the sky was clear above him.
Thus he swam for two nights longer,
And for two days long and dreary. 10
When the ninth night darkened round him,
And the eighth day had passed over,
Sudden anguish came upon him,
And his pain grew ever greater.
From his toes his nails were dropping,
And the joints from off his fingers.
62 Kalevala [Runo vn
Then the aged Vainamoinen
Spoke in words like those which follow :
" Woe to me, unhappy creature,
Overburdened with misfortune ! 20
I have wandered from my country,
And my ancient home abandoned.
'Neath the open sky for ever,
Driven along in sun and moonlight,
Rocked about by winds for ever,
Tossed about by every billow,
On the wide expanse of water,
Out upon the open ocean,
Here I live a cold existence,
And 'tis painful thus to wallow, 30
Always tossing on the billows,
On the surface of the waters.
" Now, alas, I know no longer
How to lead this life of sadness
In this everlasting trouble,
In an age when all is fleeting.
Shall I rear in wind a dwelling,
Build a house upon the waters ?
" If I rear in wind a dwelling,
Then the wind would not sustain it ; 40
If I build a house on water,
Then the waves will drift it from me."
Came a bird from Lapland flying,
From the north-east came an eagle,
Not the largest of the eagles,
Nor was he among the smallest,
With one wing he swept the water,
To the sky was swung the other ;
On the sea his tail he rested,
On the cliffs his beak he rattled. 50
Slowly back and forwards flying,
Turning all around, and gazing,
Soon he saw old Vainamoinen
On the blue waves of the ocean.
" What has brought you here, O hero,
Wandering through the waves of ocean ? "
RunoVii] Vainamoinen and Louhi 63
Vainamoinen, old and steadfast,
Answered in the words which follow :
" This has brought the man to ocean,
Plunged the hero in the sea-waves. 60
I would seek the maid of Pohja,
Woo the maiden of Pimentola.
" On my journey swift I hasted,
On the ocean's watery surface,
Till about the time of daybreak,
Came I, after many mornings,
Where is Luotola's deep embayment,
Hard by Joukola's rapid river,
When my horse was shot beneath me,
By an arrow launched against me. 70
" Thus I fell into the water,
In the waves I plunged my fingers,
And the wind impels me onward,
And the billows drift me forward.
" Then there came a gale from north-west,
From the east a mighty tempest,
Far away the tempest drove me,
Swimming from the land still further,
Many days have I been floating,
Many days have I been swimming, 80
On this wide expanse of water,
Out upon the open ocean.
And I cannot now conjecture,
Cannot guess, nor e'en imagine,
How I finally shall perish,
And what death shall overtake me
Whether I shall die of hunger,
Or shall sink beneath the waters."
Said the bird of air, the eagle,
" Let thy heart be free from trouble ; 90
Climb upon my back, and seat thee,
Standing up upon my wing-tips,
From the sea will I transport thee,
Wheresoever thou may'st fancy.
For the day I well remember,
And recall a happier season,
64 Kalevala [RunoVii
When fell Kaleva's green forest,
Cleared was Osmola's famed island,
But thou didst protect the birch-tree,
And the beauteous tree left'st standing, 100
That the birds might rest upon it,
And that I myself might sit there."
Then the aged Vainamoinen
Raised his head from out the water,
From the sea the man sprang upward,
From the waves the hero mounted,
On the eagle's wings he sat him,
On the wing-tips of the eagle.
Then the bird of air, the eagle,
Raised the aged Vainamoinen, 1 1 o
Through the path of wind he bore him,
And along the east-wind's pathway,
To the utmost bounds of Pohja,
Onwards to the misty Sariola,
There abandoned Vainamoinen,
Soared into the air, and left him.
There stood Vainamoinen weeping,
There stood weeping and lamenting,
On the borders of the ocean,
On a land whose name he knew not, 1 20
With a hundred wounds upon him,
By a thousand winds belaboured,
And his beard was much disordered,
And his hair was all entangled.