Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Complete

“If thou shouldst not see distinctly What demands thy next attention, Ask at once thy hero’s mother: ‘Second mother, my beloved, Name the task to be accomplished By thy willing...

“Listen, Otso of the woodlands, Sacred bear with honeyed fingers, To approach the herd of cattle Thou thyself art not forbidden, But thy tongue, and teeth, and fingers, Must not...

Spake the hostess of Pohyola To the blacksmith, Ilmarinen: “I will only give my daughter, Give to thee the Maid of Beauty, When the monster-pike thou catchest In the river of Tu...

“Famous artist, Ilmarinen, Wait still longer, having waited Long already for the virgin, Thy beloved is not ready, Only is one foot in fur-shoes,” Spake again the ancient Louhi:...

Spake the skilful Wainamoinen, These the words the hero uttered: “There is no one in the Northland, No one under vault of heaven, Who like me can build a vessel, From the fragme...

Ready now are all his arrows, Ready strung, his cruel cross-bow, Waiting for wise Wainamoinen. Youkahainen, Lapland’s minstrel, Waits a long time, is not weary, Hopes to spy the...

Thereupon the youth, Kullervo, Rowed with all his youthful vigor, With the mighty force of magic, Rowed the bindings from the vessel, Ribs of juniper he shattered, Rowed the asp...

“Then the bee, the swift-winged birdling, Flew away with lightning-swiftness On his journey to the islands, O’er the high waves of the ocean; Journeyed one day, then a second, J...

Little caring, Lemminkainen Entered service there as shepherd, In the daytime on the pastures, In the evening, making merry At the games of lively maidens, At the dances with th...

Lemminkainen’s tireless mother Quick anoints her speechless hero, With the magic Turi-balsam, With the balm of seven virtues; Nine the times that she anoints him With the honey...

Ending thus, old Wainamoinen, The eternal, wise enchanter, Rubbed his sufferers with balsams, Rubbed the tissues, red and painful, With the balm of healing flowers, Balsams made...

“Magic bridegroom of Wainola, Wise descendant of the heroes, Never let thy young wife suffer, Never let her be neglected, Never let her sit in darkness, Never leave her unattend...

Wainamoinen saw the stranger, Called again in tones of thunder: “Bring a skiff, thou son of Northland, For the minstrel, Wainamoinen!” Thus the Pohyalander answered: “Here no sk...

To the yard the heroes hasten, There they find a monstrous ox-skin, Spread it on the field of battle; On the ox-skin stand the swordsmen. Spake the hero, Lemminkainen: “Listen w...

“Shouldst thou ever have a longing For the whiting of the ocean, For thy father’s Northland salmon, For thy brother’s hazel-chickens, Ask them only of thy husband, Let thy hero-...

Waiting long the wailing Aino Thus at last soliloquizes: “Unto what can I now liken Happy homes and joys of fortune? Like the waters in the river, Like the waves in yonder lakel...

Thus Annikki, silver-tinselled, Answers ancient Wainamoinen: “With the winds I’ll fill thy vessel, To thy bark I’ll send the storm-winds And capsize thy ship of magic, Break in...

“But we must not grow disheartened, Let the Island-maidens cheer us; Here we are not yet enchanted, Not bewitched by magic singing, On the paths not left to perish, Sink and per...

Thereupon the heroes wandered, Onward journeyed and reflected, How to gain the spot illumined, How to find the sacred Fire-child. Came a river rushing by them, Broad and stately...

Wainamoinen, the magician, Then began his wondrous singing. On one side the magic vessel, Sang he youth with golden virtues, Bearded youth with strength of heroes, Sang them int...

His example was followed by many of his enthusiastic countrymen, the more prominent of whom are Castrén, Europæus, Polén and Reniholm. Through the collections of these scholars...

Then the ancient Wainamoinen Raised his eyes to high Jumala, Looked with gratitude to heaven, Looked on high, in joy and gladness, Then addressed omniscient Ukko, This the praye...

Ilmarinen, magic blacksmith, Works unceasing at his forging, Thus to mould a golden image, Mould a bride from gold and silver; But the workmen fail their master, Faithless stand...

Comes the hour of the departing Of the hero, Lemminkainen, Right hand ready, left unwilling, All his anxious fingers pain him, Till at last in full obedience, All his members gi...

PREFACE PROEM RUNE I. Birth of Wainamoinen RUNE II. Wainamoinen’s Sowing RUNE III. Wainamoinen and Youkahainen RUNE IV. The Fate of Aino RUNE V. Wainamoinen’s Lamentation RUNE V...

Spake the minstrel, Lemminkainen, Handsome hero, Kaukomieli: “Leave I must this merry island, Leave her many joys and pleasures, Leave her maids with braided tresses, Leave her...

Still the daughter of the Ether, Swims the sea as water-mother, With the floods outstretched before her, And behind her sky and ocean. Finally about the ninth year, In the summe...

Wainamoinen, ancient hero, The eternal wisdom-singer, Thinking he had met destruction, Snatched the rudder from the waters, With it smote the monster-eagle, Smote the eagle’s ir...

Wainamoinen, old and hopeful, Little heeding, not discouraged, In his metal shoes and armor, Hastens forward on his journey, Runs the first day fleetly onward, On the sharpened...

Thus made answer Youkahainen, Lapland’s young and fiery minstrel: “Know I many bits of learning, This I know in perfect clearness: Every roof must have a chimney, Every fire-pla...

Wainamoinen, old and truthful, With the blacksmith, Ilmarinen, With the reckless son of Lempo, Handsome hero, Kaukomieli, On the sea’s smooth plain departed, On the far-extendin...

Now the minstrel, Lemminkainen, Changes both his form and stature, Passes through the inner door-ways, Enters he the spacious court-hall, And these words the hero utters: “Fine...

Of the minor deities of the earth, who severally govern the plants, such as trees, rye, flax, and barley, Wirokannas only is mentioned in The Kalevala. Once, for example, this “...

Nothing daunted, Lemminkainen Hastened forward to accomplish Louhi’s second test of heroes, On the cultivated lowlands, On the sacred fields and forests. Everywhere he sought th...

Then the child of Mariatta, Only two weeks old, made answer: “O, thou ancient Wainamoinen, Son of Folly and Injustice, Senseless hero of the Northland, Falsely hast thou rendere...