Part 11

Onward steered old Väinämöinen, For a day o'er lake was steering, For the next through marshy waters, For the third day past a cataract.

Then the lively Lemminkainen Thought of spells he heard aforetime, For the ears of furious cataract, And the sacred river's whirlpool. 20 And he spoke the words which follow, And expressed himself in singing:

"Cease, O Cataract, thy foaming, Mighty water, cease thy rushing, Thou, foam-maiden, Cataract's daughter, On the foam-flecked stones, O seat thee, On the wet stones do thou seat thee, In thy lap the waters gather, And in both thy hands collect them, With thy hands repress their fury, 30 That upon our breasts they splash not, Nor upon our heads are falling.

"Thou, old dame, beneath the billows, Lady, pillowed on the waters, Raise thy head above the waters, Rise from bosom of the waters, That the foam be heaped together, And that thou mayst watch the foam-wreaths, Lest they should o'erwhelm the guiltless, And should overthrow the faultless. 40

"Stones that stand amid the river, Slabs of stone with foam o'ercovered, Be ye sunk into the water, And your heads be pressed beneath it, From the red boat's pathway banished, From the course the tarred boat follows.

"If this is not yet sufficient, Kimmo-stone, O son of Kammo, Make an opening with thy auger, Pierce an opening with thy auger, 50 Through the stones in river standing, And the dangerous slabs that border, That the boat may pass uninjured, And the vessel pass undamaged.

"If this is not yet sufficient, Water-Father, 'neath the river, Into moss the rocks transform thou, Make the boat like pike's light bladder, As amid the foam it rushes, As beneath the banks it passes. 60

"Maiden in the cataract dwelling, Girl who dwell'st beside the river, Do thou spin a thread of softness, In a soft ball do thou wind it, Drop thy thread into the water, Through the blue waves do thou guide it, That the boat its track may follow, While its tarry breast speeds onward, So that men the least instructed, E'en the inexperienced find it. 70

"Melatar, thou gracious matron! Of thy favour, take the rudder, That with which thou guid'st the vessel, Safely through the streams enchanted, To the house that lies beyond them, And beneath the sorcerer's windows.

"If this is not yet sufficient, Ukko, Jumala in heaven, With thy sword direct the vessel, With thy naked sword direct it, 80 That the wooden boat speed onward, Journey on, the pinewood vessel."

Then the aged Väinämöinen, Steered the vessel swiftly forward, Through the river-rocks he steered it, Steered it through the foaming waters, And the wooden vessel wedged not, Nor the wise man's boat was grounded.

But as they their voyage continued Once again in open water, 90 Suddenly the vessel halted, Stopped the boat upon its journey, In its place remained it fastened, And the vessel rocked no longer.

Thereupon smith Ilmarinen, With the lively Lemminkainen, Pushed into the lake the rudder, In the waves the spar of pinewood, And they tried to loose the vessel, And to free the wooden vessel, 100 But they could not move the vessel, Nor release the wooden vessel.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Uttered then the words which follow: "O thou lively son of Lempi, Stoop thou down, and look around thee. Look what stops the boat from moving, Look what keeps the vessel moveless Here amid the open water; What the force beneath that holds it, 110 Whether stopped by rocks or branches, Or by any other hindrance."

Then the lively Lemminkainen Stooped him down to look about him, And he looked beneath the vessel, And he spoke the words which follow: "Not on rock the boat is resting, Not on boat, and not on branches, But upon a pike's broad shoulders, And on water-dog's great backbone." 120

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Answered in the words which follow: "All things may be found in rivers, Whether they are pikes or branches. If we rest on pike's broad shoulders, And on water-dog's great backbone, Plunge your sword into the water, Thus in twain the fish to sever."

Then the lively Lemminkainen Ruddy youth, accomplished rascal, 130 Drew his sword from out his sword-belt, From his side the bone-destroyer, In the lake his sword plunged deeply, Thrust it underneath the vessel, But he splashed into the water, Plunged his hands into the billows.

Thereupon smith Ilmarinen By the hair seized fast the hero, Dragged from out the lake the hero, And he spoke the words which follow: 140 "All pretend to grow to manhood, And are ready to be bearded, Such as these we count by hundreds, And their number mounts to thousands."

From his belt he drew his sword-blade, From the sheath the keen-edged weapon, And he struck the fish with fury, Striking down beneath the vessel, But the sword in pieces shivered, And the pike was injured nothing. 150

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Uttered then the words which follow: "Not the half of manhood have you, Not the third part of a hero, But a man is now required, And a man's sense now is needed, All the sense of the unskilful, All the efforts of the others."

Then himself he drew his sword-blade, Firmly grasped the keen-edged weapon, 160 In the lake his sword then thrust he, Underneath the boat he struck it, At the pike's great shoulders striking At the water-dog's great backbone.

But the sword was fixed securely, In the fish's jaws fixed firmly; Then the aged Väinämöinen Presently the fish uplifted, Dragged it up from out the water, And the pike in twain he severed. 170 To the bottom sank the fish-tail, In the boat the head he hoisted.

Now again moved on the vessel, And the boat-prow now was loosened. Väinämöinen, old and steadfast To the shoals steered on the vessel, To the shore the boat he guided, And he turned and looked about him, And the pike's great head examined, And he spoke the words which follow: 180 "Let the eldest of the yeomen, Come and cleave the pike to pieces, Let him carve it into slices, Let him hew the head to pieces."

From the boat the men made answer, From the boat replied the women, "But the captor's hands are finer, And the speaker's fingers better."

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Drew from out the sheath his knife-blade, 190 From his side the cold sharp iron, That the pike might be divided, And he cut the fish to pieces, And he spoke the words which follow: "Let the youngest of the maidens, Cook the pike that we have captured, Let her mince it for our breakfast, That on fish we make our dinner."

Then the maidens set to cooking, Ten there were who made the effort, 200 And they cooked the pike for eating, And they minced it for their breakfast; On the reefs the bones they scattered, On the rocks they left the fishbones.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Saw the bones where they were lying, And he turned to look upon them, And he spoke the words which follow: "What might perhaps be fashioned from them, From the pike's teeth be constructed, 210 From the fragments of the jawbones, Were they to the smithy taken, To the skilful smith entrusted, To the hands of one most skilful?"

Said the smith, said Ilmarinen, "Nothing comes from what is useless, Nothing can be made of fishbones, By a smith in smithy working, Though to skilful smith entrusted, To the hands of one most skilful." 220

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Answered in the words which follow: "Yet a harp might be constructed Even of the bones of fishes, If there were a skilful workman, Who could from the bones construct it."

As no craftsman there was present, And there was no skilful workman Who could make a harp of fishbones, Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, 230 Then began the harp to fashion, And himself the work accomplished, And he made a harp of pikebones, Fit to give unending pleasure. Out of what did he construct it? Chiefly from the great pike's jawbones, Whence obtained he pegs to suit it? Of the teeth of pike he made them; Out of what were harpstrings fashioned? From the hairs of Hiisi's gelding. 240

Now the instrument was ready, And the kantele completed, Fashioned from the pike's great jawbones, And from fins of fish constructed.

Thereupon the youths came forward, Forward came the married heroes, And the half-grown boys came forward, And the little girls came likewise, Maidens young, and aged women, And the women middle-agèd, 250 All advanced the harp to gaze on, And the instrument examine.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Bade the young folks and the old ones, And the people middle-agèd, With their fingers play upon it, On the instrument of fishbone, On the kantele of fishbone.

Played the young and played the aged, Likewise played the middle-agèd, 260 Played the young, and moved their fingers, Tried the old, whose heads were shaking, But they drew no music from it, Nor composed a tune when playing.

Said the lively Lemminkainen, "O ye boys half-witted only, And ye maidens, all so stupid, And you other wretched people, 'Tis not thus you play upon it, Neither are you skilled musicians. 270 Give me now the harp of fishbone, Let me try to play upon it, On my knees now place it for me, At the tips of my ten fingers."

Then the lively Lemminkainen In his hands the harp uplifted And he drew it nearer to him, Held it underneath his fingers, And he tried to play upon it, And the kantele he twisted, 280 But could play no tune upon it, Draw no cheerful music from it.

Said the aged Väinämöinen, "There are none among the youthful, Nor among the growing people, Nor among the aged people, Who can play upon these harpstrings, Drawing cheerful music from them. Perhaps in Pohjola 'twere better, Tunes might perhaps be played upon it, 290 Cheerful music played upon it, If to Pohjola I took it."

So to Pohjola he took it, And to Sariola he brought it, And the boys they played upon it, Boys and girls both played upon it, And the married men played on it, Likewise all the married women, And the Mistress played upon it, And they turned the harp and twisted, 300 Held it firmly in their fingers, At the tips of their ten fingers. Thus played all the youths of Pohja, People played of every station, But no cheerful notes came from it, And they played no music on it, For the strings were all entangled, And the horsehair whined most sadly, And the notes were all discordant, And the music all was jarring. 310

In the corner slept a blind man, By the stove there lay an old man, And beside the stove he wakened. From the stove he raised an outcry, From his couch he grumbled loudly, And he grumbled, and he mumbled, "Leave it off, and stop your playing, Cut it short and finish quickly, For the noise my ears is bursting, Through my head the noise is echoing, 320 And through all my hair I feel it, For a week you've made me sleepless.

"And the harp of Suomi's people Cannot really give us pleasure, Lulls us not to sleep when weary, Nor to rest does it incline us. Cast it forth upon the waters, Sink it down beneath the billows, Send it back to where it came from, And the instrument deliver 330 To the hands of those who made it, To the fingers which constructed."

With its tongue the harp made answer, As the kantele resounded: "No, I will not sink in water, Nor will rest beneath the billows, But will play for a musician, Play for him who toiled to make me."

Carefully the harp they carried, And with greatest care conveyed it 340 Back to him whose hands had made it, To the knees of its constructor.

RUNO XLI.--VÄINÄMÖINEN'S MUSIC

_Argument_

Väinämöinen plays on the kantele, and all living things, whether belonging to the air, earth, or water, hasten to the spot to listen (1-168). The hearts of all listeners are so affected by the music that tears fall from their eyes, and Väinämöinen's own eyes shed large drops which fall to the ground and trickle into the water, where they are changed into beautiful blue pearls (169-266).

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, He the great primeval minstrel, Presently stretched out his fingers, Washed his thumbs, the harp for playing, On the stone of joy he sat him, On the singer's stone he sat him, On a hill all silver-shining, From a golden heath arising.

Then the harp he grasped with fingers, And upon his knee he propped it, 10 And his hands he placed beneath it, Then he spoke the words which follow: "Come ye now to listen to me, Ye before who never heard me, Hear with joy my songs primeval, While the kantele is sounding."

Then the aged Väinämöinen, Quick commenced his skilful playing On the instrument of pikebone, On the kantele of fishbone, 20 And he raised his fingers nimbly, And his thumb he lifted lightly.

Now came pleasure after pleasure, As the sweet notes followed others, As he sat and played the music, As he sang his songs melodious, As he played upon the pike-teeth, And he lifted up the fish-tail, And the horsehair sounded sweetly, And the horsehair sounded clearly. 30

Played the aged Väinämöinen. Nothing was there in the forest, Which upon four feet was running, Or upon their legs were hopping, And which came not near to listen, Came not to rejoice and wonder.

Gathered round him all the squirrels, As from branch to branch they clambered, And the ermines flocked around him, Laid them down against the fences, 40 On the plains the deer were springing, And the lynxes shared the pleasure.

In the swamp each wolf awakened, From the heath the bear aroused him, From his lair among the fir-trees, And the thickly growing pine-trees, And the wolves ran lengthy journeys, And the bears came through the heather, Till they sat upon the fences, Side by side against the gateway. 50 On the rocks the fence fell over, On the field the gate fell over, Then they climbed upon the pine-trees, And they ran around the fir-trees, Just to listen to the music, All rejoicing, and in wonder.

Sage of Tapiola illustrious, He of Metsola the Master, And the whole of Tapio's people, All the boys and all the maidens, 60 Climbed upon a mountain summit, That they might enjoy the music, While the Mistress of the Forest, Keen-eyed matron of Tapiola, (Fine her stockings, blue in colour, Firmly tied with crimson ribands,) Climbed into a crooked birch-tree, Rested in a curving alder, To the kantele to listen, That she might enjoy the music. 70

And the birds of air assembled, Those upon two wings that raise them, Backwards sailing, forwards sailing, And with all their speed came flying, Swift to listen to the music, All in wonder and rejoicing.

When the eagle in his eyry, Heard the sweet tones sound from Suomi, In the nest she left her fledgelings, And she hovered round to listen 80 To the gallant hero's playing, And to Väinämöinen's singing. High in air there soared the eagle, Through the clouds the hawk was sailing, Came the ducks from deepest waters, Came the swans from snow-wreathed marshes, And the smallest of the finches, All the twittering birds assembled, Singing-birds flocked round by hundreds, And in thousands they assembled 90 In the air, and heard delighted, And alighted on his shoulders, All rejoicing in the patriarch, And in Väinämöinen's playing.

E'en the Daughters of Creation, Of the air the charming maidens, Gathered to rejoice and wonder, To the kantele to listen. Some on arch of air were seated, Seated on the dazzling rainbow, 100 Some on little clouds were seated, Resting on their crimson borders. Then were Kuutar, slender damsel; Päivätär, that maid accomplished; Casting with their hands the shuttle, Drawing threads that they were weaving, As they wove a golden fabric, And they wove the threads of silver, High upon the red cloud-borders, On the borders of the rainbow. 110

But when they began to listen To the notes of charming music, From their hands they let the comb fall, Cast from out their hands the shuttle, And the golden bands were broken, And the silver shaft was broken.

There remained no living creature, None of those who dwell in water, None who with six fins are moving, Nor the largest shoals of fishes, 120 Which assembled not to listen, Came not to rejoice and wonder. Thither came the pikes all swimming, And the water-dogs swam forward, From the rocks swam swift the salmon, From the deeps there came the powans, Perch and little roach came also, Powans white, and other fishes; Through the reeds they pushed their bodies, Straightway to the shore they hastened, 130 There to hear the songs of Väinö, And to listen to his playing.

Ahto, king of all the billows, Grass-beard ancient of the waters, Mounted to the water's surface, Climbed upon a water-lily, To the notes with joy he listened, And he spoke the words which follow: "Never have I heard such music, In the course of all my lifetime, 140 As is played by Väinämöinen, Joyous and primeval minstrel."

And the sisters, Sotko's daughters, Cousins of the reeds on lakeshore, At the time their hair were brushing, And their locks were deftly combing, With a comb composed of silver, And with golden brush they brushed it. When they heard the strains unwonted, And they heard the skilful playing, 150 In the waves they dropped the brushes, Dropped the comb among the lake-waves, And their hair unsmoothed was hanging, Nor they smoothed it in the middle.

E'en the Mistress of the Waters, Water-Mother, towards the rushes, From the lake herself ascended, Raised herself from out the billows, Quickly moved her to the rushes, Climbed a rock in water standing, 160 And she listened to the music, And to Väinämöinen playing, Listened to the wondrous music, And to the delightful playing, And she fell in deepest slumber, Sank upon the ground in slumber, On the mottled rocky surface, Underneath a great rock's shelter.

Then the aged Väinämöinen, Played one day, and played a second. 170 There was none among the heroes, None among the men so mighty, None among the men or women, None of those whose hair is plaited, Whom he did not move to weeping, And whose hearts remained unmelted. Wept the young and wept the aged, All the married men were weeping, Likewise all the married women, And the half-grown boys were weeping, 180 All the boys, and all the maidens, Likewise all the little children, When they heard the tones so wondrous, And the noble sage's music.

He himself, old Väinämöinen, Felt his own tears rolling downward, From his eyes the tears dropped downward, And the water-drops fell downward; They were tears than cranberries larger, They were tears than peas much larger, 190 Then the eggs of grouse still rounder, Larger than the heads of swallows.

From his eyes there fell the tear-drops, Others followed after others, Tears upon his cheeks were falling, Down upon his cheeks so handsome, Rolling from his cheeks so handsome, Down upon his chin's expansion, Rolling from his chin's expansion, Down upon his panting bosom, 200 Rolling from his panting bosom, Down upon his strong knee's surface, Rolling from his strong knee's surface Down upon his feet so handsome, Rolling from his feet so handsome, Down upon the ground beneath them, And five woollen cloaks were soaking, Likewise six of gilded girdles, Seven blue dresses too were soaking, And ten overcoats were soaking. 210

And the tear-drops still were falling, From the eyes of Väinämöinen, Till they reached the blue lake's margin, Overflowed the blue lake's margin, Down below the sparkling water, To the black ooze at the bottom.

Then the aged Väinämöinen Spoke aloud the words which follow: "Is there in this youthful party, 'Mid the young and fair here gathered, 220 'Mid these high-descended people, Any darling child of father, Who the tears I shed can gather, From beneath the sparkling water?"

And the young folks gave him answer, And the old folks likewise answered: "There are none among the youthful, In this young and fair assemblage, 'Mid these high-descended people, Not a darling child of father, 230 Who the tears you shed can gather, From beneath the sparkling water."

Then the aged Väinämöinen, Spoke again in words that follow: "He who brings my tears unto me, And the tears again can gather, From beneath the sparkling waters, Shall receive a dress of feathers."

Forth there came a raven passing; Said the aged Väinämöinen: 240 "Bring me now my tears, O raven, From beneath the sparkling water, And receive the dress of feathers." But the raven could not do it.

And the blue duck heard him likewise, And the blue duck next came forward.

Said the aged Väinämöinen: "Often, blue duck, does it happen That thy beak thou plungest downward, As thou speedest through the water. 250 Go thou forth my tears to gather, From beneath the sparkling water, Bounteous guerdon will I give thee, And will give a dress of feathers."

Then the duck went forth to seek them, Seek the tears of Väinämöinen, Underneath the sparkling water, On the black ooze of the bottom. In the lake she found the tear-drops, And to Väinö's hands she brought them, 260 But they were transformed already, Suffered beauteous transformation. Into pearls were they developed, Like the blue pearls of the mussel, Fit for every king's adornment, To the great a lifelong pleasure.

RUNO XLII.--THE CAPTURE OF THE SAMPO

_Argument_