Chapter 23

242. Both frogs and toads exude a more or less poisonous secretion from the skin.

433. Honeydew seems to be meant here.

525, 526. An imaginary mountain to which the sorcerers professed to be able to banish pain and sickness.

RUNO X

306. Compare the account of the forging of the Gold and Silver Bride in Runo XXXVII.

311. "Ilmarinen first employs ordinary servants, and then calls the winds to his assistance." (K. K.)

331. In the Icelandic sagas, we read of the sword Tyrfing, forged by dwarfs, which, if ever drawn, could not again be sheathed till it had slain at least one victim.

332. Literally, "on best days."

414. In the story of Ala Ed-Deen Abush-Shamat, in the _1001 Nights_, we read of a magic bead with five facets, on which were engraved a camel, an armed horseman, a pavilion; a couch, etc., according to the use intended to be made of each facet.

RUNO XI

31-42. Salme and Linda are similarly wooed by the Sun, the Moon, and a Star in the Esthonian poem, Kalevipoeg (see Kirby's _Hero of Esthonia_ I., pp. 10-15).

264-266. These names mean respectively Blackies, Strawberries, Cranberries. "I think Lemminkainen means that he has no cows, and only calls these different berries his cows." (A. M.)

306. Lemminkainen appears to have been afraid that some one else might carry off his wife, if she showed herself in public (especially Untamo, says Prof. Krohn).

385. The Snow Bunting (_Plectrophanes nivalis_), a white bird more or less varied with black.

RUNO XII

25. The meaning is a little uncertain. Literally, "the only boy," as Madame Malmberg suggests. The commentary renders it, "the gallant youth."

93. The Finns and Lapps often hide money in the ground. The word used in l. 94 is "penningin," from "penni," a word common to most Teutonic and Northern languages.

211, 212. Such omens of death are common in fairy tales; as, for instance, the bleeding knives in the story of the Envious Sisters in the _1001 Nights_. The bleeding trees in mediæval romance belong to rather a different category of ideas.

233. Lemminkainen seems to have hidden himself to escape further remonstrances from his mother and Kyllikki.

262. Probably a creature like a kelpie or Phooka.

474. We are not told how Louhi escaped; but she seems to have come to no harm.

RUNO XIII

105. The part played by Hiisi in the _Kalevala_ usually resembles that played by Loki in the Scandinavian Mythology.

109. Animals, etc., are often thus constructed in Finnish, Esthonian, and Siberian mythology by gods, demons, and magicians. They do not seem able to create from nothing, but to manufacture what they please or what they can from pre-existing materials, however incongruous.

111. I suppose rushes are here intended.

RUNO XIV

33. The word here translated "islands" properly means a wooded hill surrounded by marshland.

47, 48. Mielikki's gold and silver are the spoils of the chase.

69. Honey is sometimes used in the _Kalevala_ for anything sweet and agreeable, just as golden is used for anything beautiful.

103, 104. It appears that the hunter's fortune in the chase was foretold by the rich or shabby garments worn by the forest-deities.

142. Finnish women often wear a blouse over their other garments.

216. Kuningas (king) is a Teutonic word, which rarely occurs in the _Kalevala_. The heroes are patriarchs, or chiefs of clans; not kings, as in Homer.

248. There is often much confusion of terms in the _Kalevala_. The creature here mentioned is generally called an elk, but often a reindeer, and in this line a camel-foal.

304. When the inferior deities are deaf or too weak, the heroes appeal to the higher Gods.

305. The reference here seems to be to Gen. vii. 11. "The whole passage is of Christian origin." (K. K.)

RUNO XV

7. Compare Homer, _Iliad_, III., 311-314.

240. This episode slightly resembles the story of Isis and Osiris.

498. The constellation of Orion is variously called by the Finns, the Moonshine, the Sword of Kaleva, and the Scythe of Väinämöinen.

559-562. This conceit is common in fairy tales (especially in Russian ones) in the case of heroes wakened from the dead. Sometimes it takes a comic form; and sometimes, as in the present case, a pathetic one.

617. "Dirty-nosed" is a common opprobrious expression in Esthonia.

RUNO XVI

27. The account of the boat-building in "Hiawatha's Sailing" is evidently imitated from this passage.

128. In Roman times divination from birds was chiefly taken from their flight or feeding.

RUNO XVII

20. Roads of this description are thoroughly Oriental in character.

86. In Icelandic sagas we often find heroes roused from their graves, but this is usually attempted in order to obtain a sword which has been buried with them.

93-104. Hiawatha was also swallowed by the sturgeon Nahma, but the circumstances were quite different.

211. Note the resonance of the line:

Kuusista kuhisevista.

237. Ahava, a dry cold wind that blows in March and April, probably corresponding to our cold spring east wind.

285, 286. Vipunen here refers to himself as a little man, which I presume is to be understood figuratively, as I have rendered it.

RUNO XVIII

379. Compare Cuchullain's wooing of Eimer in Irish story.

RUNO XIX

33. This episode is very like the story of Jason and Medea.

210. "The wolf Fenrir opens his enormous mouth; the lower jaw reaches to the earth, and the upper one to heaven, and would in fact reach still further were there space to admit of it." (Prose Edda.)

217. Vetehinen, a water-spirit.

311. "Ukko's bow" here means the rainbow, broken by the fiery eagle. It may be worth noting that in the Scandinavian Mythology, the sons of Fire (Muspell) are to ride over the rainbow, and break it to pieces, on their way to battle with the gods.

483. In the Danish Ballads there are several stories of children speaking in their cradles, but generally to vow vengeance against an enemy.

RUNO XX

17. The Great Ox is a stock subject in Finnish and Esthonian ballad literature.

RUNO XXI

161. The Glutton or wolverine, a well-known animal in sub-Arctic Europe, Asia, and America.

182-186. These civilities sound very Oriental.

393. This curious passage may have been partly suggested by the "coats of skin," and "the land flowing with milk and honey" of the Old Testament.

RUNO XXII

76. The word used here for father Is taatto, which curiously recalls the Welsh tad. (English, dad.)

194. In the Scandinavian Mythology the giantess Skadi was required to choose a husband from among the gods by looking at their feet only.

RUNO XXIII

330. The usual word to express a long time is viikko, a week.

469, 470. These infernal damsels play various parts in the _Kalevala_, as boat-women, death-bringers, etc., and here we find them in the character of Furies.

487. The term "snowy month" is used for the period between Feb. 20 and March 20. I have rendered it March.

787-792. Perhaps this is only figurative, as in the case of the unpropitious forest-deities.

RUNO XXIV

119. The roots of the marsh arum (_Calla palustris_), not a British plant, though naturalized in a pond at Ripley. The most usual substitute for more wholesome food in times of famine is bread composed of a mixture of fir-bark and rye.

240. Slav peasant women are said sometimes to regard beating as a sign of affection on the part of their husbands, but this does not seem to be the case with the Finns. In the _Kalevala_ we read a good deal about wife-beating in theory, but find very little of it in practice; and even the licentious and violent Lemminkainen never thinks of beating his wife when he quarrels with her.

279-296. A similar story is told to the Princess by her confidante Olga, in the Russian opera _Rusalka_ (water-nymph), Act III. scene i.

"And now I'd better sing a little song: As they passed in our street, A man besought his wife, 'Why don't you look pleasant? You are my delight, Darling Mashenka.'

"But the woman was obstinate, And averted her little head; 'Oh, I don't want your caresses, Nor your pretty speeches; I'm not very well, And I've got a headache.'

"But under a birch tree The man taught his wife; 'Wait a bit, my darling, I'll beat that tune out of you. In my own way.'

"Then the woman was sorry, Bowed low as the waistband. 'Don't frighten yourself, dearest, And do not be troubled, I find myself better, My headache has gone.'"

446, 450, 454. The commentary explains the word used here to mean "wander round thee," an alteration which I consider unnecessary except in the last line.

467. From the sarcastic tone of this speech, Ilmarinen seems to have been quite tired and disgusted with all the fuss, in which most of our readers will probably sympathize with him.

RUNO XXV

47. According to popular usage, a son is ennobled by being called a brother.

97. In some of the legends of Sigurd and Brynhilda, Brynhilda is represented as lying asleep in a tower of glass, encompassed by a circle of fire, through which Sigurd had to ride to wake her. In this story she is the prototype of the Sleeping Beauty.

157. We often read in Russian folk-tales of revolving huts supported on fowls' legs.

159. The favourite weapon of the Icelander Skarphedin, the son of Njal, was a bell which rang out shortly before any person was to be killed by it.

169. In the dales of Yorkshire it used to be considered very inhospitable not to leave the door open at mealtimes.

289, 290. Saxony and Viro are Germany and Esthonia.

564. Apparently a sort of master of the ceremonies at Finnish weddings, corresponding to the Russian svat, or matchmaker.

596. The scoter duck, (_Oidemia nigra_).

642. Brows; literally, eyelashes.

646. Her shift-collar.

665, 666. The beautiful Esthonian story of the Dawn, the Moon, and the Morning and Evening Twilight will be found in Jones and Kropf's _Folk-Tales of the Magyars_, pp. 326-328, and in Kirby's _Hero of Esthonia_, II., pp. 30-34.

END OF VOL. I

MADE AT THE TEMPLE PRESS LETCHWORTH IN GREAT BRITAIN