Part 14

In the yard there grew an oak-tree, By the farmyard it was standing, 'Twas an oak with equal branches, And on every branch an acorn, In the acorns golden kernels, On each kernel sat a cuckoo.

When the cuckoos all were calling, In the call five tones were sounding, 190 Gold from out their mouths was flowing, Silver too they scattered round them, On a hill the gold was flowing, On the ground there flowed the silver, And from this he made the harp-screws, And the pegs from that provided.

Said the aged Väinämöinen In the very words which follow: "Now the harp-screws are constructed, And the harp-pegs are provided. 200 Something even now is wanting, And five strings as yet are needed. How shall I provide the harp-strings, Which shall yield the notes in playing?"

Then he went to seek for harp-strings, And along the heath he wandered. On the heath there sat a maiden, Sat a damsel in the valley, And the maiden was not weeping, Neither was she very joyful. 210 To herself she sang full softly, Sang, that soon might come the evening, Hoping for her lover's coming, For the dear one she had chosen.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Crept without his shoes towards her, Sprang to her without his stockings, And as soon as he approached her, He besought her hair to give him, And he spoke the words which follow: 220 "Give thy hair to me, O maiden, Give me of thy hair, O fair one, Give me hair to form my harp-strings, For the tones of lasting pleasure."

Then her hair the maiden gave him, From her soft locks hair she gave him, And she gave him five and six hairs, Seven the hairs she gave unto him, That he thus might form his harp-strings, For the tones of lasting pleasure. 230

Now the harp at last was finished, And the aged Väinämöinen On a rock his seat selected, Near the steps, upon a stone bench.

In his hands the harp then taking, Very near he felt his pleasure, And the frame he turned to heaven, On his knees the knob then propping, All the strings he put in order, Fit to make melodious music. 240 When he had the strings adjusted, Then the instrument was ready; Underneath his hands he placed it, And across his knees he laid it, With his ten nails did he play it, And he let five active fingers Draw the tunes from out the harp-strings, Making most delightful music.

When the aged Väinämöinen Thus upon his harp was playing, 250 Fine his hands, his fingers tender, And his fingers curving outwards, Then rang out the wood so speckled, Sang the sapling green full loudly, Loudly called the golden cuckoo, And rejoiced the hair of maiden.

Thus played Väinämöinen's fingers, And the harp-strings loud resounded, Mountains shook and plains resounded, All the rocky hills resounded, 260 In the waves the stones were rocking, In the water moved the gravel, And the pine-trees were rejoicing, On the heath the stumps were skipping.

All of Kaleva's step-daughters, All the fair ones flocked together, And in streams they rushed together, Like a river in its flowing. Merry laughed the younger women, And the mothers all were joyful, 270 As they heard the music playing, And they wondered at their pleasure.

Likewise many men were present, In their hands their caps all holding, All the old dames in the party To their sides their hands were holding, And the maidens' eyes shed tear-drops, On the ground the boys were kneeling, To the kantele all listening, And they wondered at their pleasure. 280 With one voice they all were singing, With one tongue they all repeated: "Never have we heard aforetime, Heard before such charming music, In the course of all our lifetime, When the brilliant moon was shining."

Far was heard the charming music, In six villages they heard it, There was not a single creature But it hurried forth to listen, 290 And to hear the charming music From the kantele resounding.

All the wild beasts of the forest Upright on their claws were resting To the kantele to listen, And they wondered at their pleasure.

All the birds in air then flying, Perched upon the neighbouring branches, All the fish that swam the waters, To the margin hastened quickly, 300 And the worms in earth then creeping, Up above the ground then hastened, And they turned themselves and listened, Listened to the charming music, In the kantele rejoicing, And in Väinämöinen's singing.

Then the aged Väinämöinen Played in his most charming manner, Most melodiously resounding; And he played one day, a second, 310 Playing on, without cessation, Every morning after breakfast, Girded with the selfsame girdle, And the same shirt always wearing.

When he in his house was playing, In his house of fir constructed, All the roofs resounded loudly, And the boards resounded likewise, Ceilings sang, the doors were creaking, All the windows were rejoicing, 320 And the hearthstones all were moving, Birchwood columns sang in answer.

When he walked among the pinewoods, And he wandered through the firwoods, All the pines bowed down before him, To the very ground the fir-trees; On the grass the cones rolled round him, On the roots the needles scattered.

When he hurried through the greenwood, Or across the heath was hastening, 330 All the leaves called gaily to him, And the heath was all rejoicing, And the flowers breathed fragrance round him, And the young shoots bowed before him.

RUNO XLV.--THE PESTILENCE IN KALEVALA

_Argument_

The Mistress of Pohjola sends terrible diseases to Kalevala (1-190). Väinämöinen heals the people by powerful incantations and unguents (191-362).

Louhi, Pohjola's old Mistress, In her ears received the tidings That in Väinölä it prospered, And that Kalevala had flourished, Through the fragments of the Sampo, Fragments of the pictured cover.

Thereupon she grew most envious, And for evermore reflected On the death that she might fashion, How she best might bring destruction 10 On the people in Väinölä, And on Kalevala's whole people.

Then she prayed aloud to Ukko, And she thus implored the Thunderer: "Ukko, thou of Gods the highest, Slay thou Kaleva's whole people, Slay them with thy hail of iron, With thy steely needles slay them, Or by sickness let them perish, Let the evil nation perish, 20 Let the men die in the farmyard, On the cowshed floor the women."

Lived in Tuonela a blind maid, Loviatar, an aged woman, She the worst of Tuoni's daughters, And of Mana's maids most hideous, She, the source of every evil, Origin of woes a thousand, With a face of perfect blackness, And a skin of hue most hideous. 30

Then this daughter black of Tuoni, Ulappala's blind-eyed damsel, Made her bed upon the pathway, On the straw in evil country, And her back she turned to windward, Sideways to the bitter weather, Backwards to the blast so freezing, And the chilling winds of morning.

Then a great wind rose in fury, From the east a mighty tempest, 40 Blew this wretched creature pregnant, And she quickened from the tempest, On a barren waste all treeless, On the bare and grassless meadows.

And she bore a heavy burden, Bore a heavy painful burden, Bore it two months, bore it three months, And for four and five months bore it, Bore it seven months, bore it eight months, For the ninth month also bore it, 50 As old wives are wont to reckon, And for half the tenth month likewise.

When the ninth month had passed over, And the tenth month was beginning, Then she writhed about in anguish, And the greatest pain oppressed her, But as yet she brought forth nothing, And no brood as yet resulted.

From her lair at length she moved her, In another place she laid her, 60 And the wench in childbed laid her, Sport of winds, in hopes of children. There betwixt two rocks she laid her, In the clefts among five mountains, But as yet she brought forth nothing, And no brood as yet resulted.

And she sought a place for breeding, Sought a place for bearing suited, In the quaking swamps she sought it, And among the waves she sought it, 70 But she found no place to suit her, Where she could relieve her burden.

Then she fain would bring forth children, And relieve her body's burden In the foam of furious cataract, 'Neath where whirl the furious waters, Where three waterfalls are falling, Under nine of precipices, But as yet she brought forth nothing, Nor the foul one eased her burden. 80 Then began to weep, the foul one, And to howl, the wicked monster. Whither now to go she knew not, And in what direction wander, Where she might relieve her burden, Where to go to cast her offspring.

From the clouds then bespoke her Jumala, The Creator spoke from heaven: "Stands in swamp a hut three-cornered, Just upon a lakelet's margin, 90 In the gloomy land of Pohja, Near where Sariola's bay stretches. There thou may'st bring forth thy offspring, There lay down thy heavy burden, There it is that people need thee, There do they expect thy offspring."

Therefore Tuoni's blackest daughter, Manala's most hideous damsel, Came unto the house of Pohja, Came to Sariola's great bathroom, 100 That she there might bear her children, And she might bring forth her offspring.

Louhi, Pohjola's old Mistress, Old and gap-toothed dame of Pohja, Secret led her to the bathroom, Secretly into the bathroom, But the village did not know it, Nought was spoken in the village.

Secretly she warmed the bathroom, Hastily she made it ready, 110 And with ale the doors smeared over, And with beer the hinges wetted, That the doors should make no jarring, And the hinges make no creaking.

Then she spoke the words which follow, And expressed herself in thiswise: "Noble dame, Creation's daughter, Noble one, as gold all lustrous, Thou the oldest of all women, Thou the first of all the mothers, 120 Knee-deep in the lake descend thou, To thy waist among the billows, From the perch the slime obtain thou, And the slime from creeping creatures, Do thou smear with this the gateway, And upon the sides anoint it, Free the damsel from her burden, And the woman from her sufferings, Free her from this grievous torment, And release her from her sufferings. 130

"But if this is not sufficient, Ukko, thou of Gods the highest, Hither come where thou art needed, Come thou at our supplication. Here there is a girl in childbed, And a woman suffering greatly, Here amid the bathroom's vapour, Brought into the village bathroom.

"Do thou take thy club all golden, In thy right hand do thou take it, 140 Each impediment remove thou, And the door-posts move asunder, Bend thou the Creator's castles, Break thou all the bars asunder, Push the large ones and the small ones, Even to the very smallest."

Then this foul and wicked creature, She, the daughter blind of Tuoni, Presently relieved her burden, And she brought forth evil children, 150 'Neath a rug adorned with copper, Underneath the softest blankets.

Thus became she nine sons' mother, In a single night of summer, With the bath prepared once only, With the bath but once made ready, With a single effort only, From the fulness of her body.

To the boys their names assigned she, And she nurtured well the children 160 Just as each one names the children Whom themselves have brought to being. One as Pleurisy she destined, One did she send forth as Colic, And as Gout she reared another, One as Scrofula she fashioned, Boil, another designated, And as Itch proclaimed another, Thrust another forth as Cancer, And as Plague she formed another. 170

One remained, and he was nameless, In the straw the lowest lying, Therefore did she send him onward, As a sorcerer on the waters, Also to bewitch the lowlands, Everywhere to practise malice.

Louhi, Pohjola's old Mistress, Sent the others forth to journey To the cloud-encompassed headland, And the shady island's summit, 180 Sent in rage these evil monsters, These diseases all unheard of, Forth to Väinölä she sent them, Kaleva's great race to slaughter.

Sickened Väinölä's own people, Kaleva's descendants sickened, With diseases all unheard of, And whose names were known to no one, And the floors beneath them rotted, And the sheet above corrupted. 190

Then the aged Väinämöinen, He the great primeval sorcerer, Went to drive away the evil, And his people's lives to succour, Forth he went to war with Tuoni, And against disease to struggle.

Thereupon he warmed the bathroom, And the stones prepared to heat it, And the finest wood provided, Faggots, too, he laid in water; 200 Water brought in covered vessels, Bath-whisks also, well-protected, Warmed the bath-whisks to perfection, And the hundred twigs he softened.

Then he raised a warmth like honey, Raised a heat as sweet as honey, From the heated stones he raised it, From the glowing stones he raised it, And he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: 210 "Now the bath approach, O Jumala, To the warmth, O heavenly Father, Healthfulness again to grant us, And our peace again secure us. Drive away these foul diseases, From these dread diseases save us, Calm thou down this heat excessive Drive away this heat so evil, That it may not burn thy children, Neither may destroy thy offspring. 220

"Therefore will I sprinkle water, On the glowing stones I cast it, Let it now be changed to honey, May it trickle down like honey, Let it flow a stream like honey, Flowing to a lake of honey, As it flows along the hearthstones, Flowing through the mossy bathroom.

"Do not let us guiltless perish, Nor be overcome by sickness, 230 'Gainst the great Creator's mandate, When sends Jumala our death not. He who slaughters us, the sinless, Let his mouth his own words swallow On his head cast back the evils, Evil thoughts recoil upon him.

"If myself I am not manly, Nor is Ukko's son a hero, Nor can drive away these evils, Nor from off my head can lift them, 240 Ukko is a man and hero, He it is the clouds who marshals, And the rainless clouds he governs, Ruling o'er the clouds so scattered.

"Ukko, thou of Gods the highest, Thou above the clouds who dwellest, Come thou here where thou art needed, Listen to our supplications, Do thou look upon our sufferings, Do thou end our days of anguish, 250 Free us from this evil magic, Free us now from every evil.

"Bring me now a sword of fire, Bring me now a flashing sword-blade, That I may oppose these evils Quite subdue these frightful evils, On the wind's path drive our sufferings, Drive them far amid the deserts.

"Thence I'll drive these sorcerers' torments, Thence these sufferings will I banish, 260 Far away to rocky caverns, Rocky caves as hard as iron, Torments to the stones to carry, And upon the rocks heap suffering. Never weeps the stone for anguish, Nor the rock complains of suffering, Though it should be greatly beaten, And though blows be heaped upon it.

"Kiputyttö, Tuoni's maiden, Sitting on the Stone of Sickness, 270 In the rush of three great rivers, Where three waters are divided, Turning round the torture-millstone, And the Mount of Sickness turning! Go and turn away these sufferings, To the blue stone gorge direct them, Or amid the waters send them, To the deep lake, O condemn them, Which by wind is never troubled, Where the sun is never shining. 280

"If this is not yet sufficient, Kivutar, O noble Mistress, Vammatar, O noble matron, Come ye all, and come together, Once again to work us healing, And restore our peace unto us! Take the sufferings from the suffering, And the ulcers from the ulcered, That the sick may fall in slumber, And the weak may rise from weakness, 290 And the sufferer hope recover, And our mourning have an ending.

"Put the sufferings in a barrel, And with copper hasps enclose them, Carry thou away the sufferings, And do thou cast down the tortures, In the midst of Torture-Mountain, On the peak of Mount of Suffering, Do thou there boil up the tortures In the very smallest kettle, 300 Larger not than round a finger, And no wider than a thumb-breadth.

"There's a stone in midmost mountain, 'Mid the stone there is an opening, Which has there been bored by auger, Where the auger has transpierced it. Do thou thrust therein the sufferings, Overcome these painful ulcers, Crush thou in these raging tortures, Do thou end our days of suffering, 310 That by night they may be harmless, And be harmless in the daytime."

Then the aged Väinämöinen, He the great primeval sorcerer, Salved o'er all the ulcered places, And the open wounds anointed, With nine various salves anointed, With eight magic drugs he rubbed them, And he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: 320 "Ukko, thou of Gods the highest, O thou aged man in heaven! Let a cloud appear to eastward, Let another rise from north-west, Send thou from the west another, Grant us honey, grant us water, That our sores may be anointed, And our wounds be all salved over.

"Yet to me no power is given, Save by my Creator granted. 330 Grant us now thy grace, Creator, Grant us, Jumala, thy mercy. With my eyes have I been seeing, And my hands have been uplifting, With my mouth have I been speaking, With my breath have I been sighing.

"Where my hands avail to reach not, Let the hands of God be resting; Where I cannot reach my fingers, There let God extend his fingers; 340 Far more skilful are his fingers, The Creator's hands more active.

"O Creator, work thy magic, Speak, O Jumala, unto us, Deign to gaze on us, Almighty! Let those who at night are healthy, Likewise in the day be healthy, Let no suffering fall upon them, And no sickness come among them, Nor their hearts be filled with anguish, 350 That they feel no slightest evil, Feel no more the slightest suffering, In the course of all their lifetime, While the golden moon is shining."

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, He the great primeval sorcerer, Thus at length dispelled the evils, Raised their burdens from his people, Drove away the plagues of magic, Healed the magical diseases, 360 And from death he saved his people, Thus saved Kaleva's descendants.

RUNO XLVI.--VÄINÄMÖINEN AND THE BEAR

_Argument_

The Mistress of Pohjola sends a bear to destroy the herds of Kalevala (1-20). Väinämöinen kills the bear, and a great feast is held in Kalevala in honour of the occasion (21-606). Väinämöinen sings, plays on the kantele, and hopes that a time of great happiness and prosperity is coming to Kalevala (607-644).

Unto Pohjola came tidings, To the village cold the tidings That in Väinöla 'twas healthy, Freed was Kalevala completely From the evil plagues of magic, And the scourge of nameless sickness.

Louhi, Pohjola's old Mistress, Old and gap-toothed dame of Pohja, Thereupon again grew furious, And she spoke the words which follow: 10 "Still I know another method, And a cunning scheme have thought on. On the heath the Bear I'll waken, On the waste the curving-clawed one, Väinöla's fine flocks to ravage, Herds of Kalevala to slaughter."

On the heath the bear she wakened, From his native land she drove him To the heathlands of Väinölä, And to Kalevala's green pastures. 20

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast, Uttered then the words which follow: "Ilmarinen, smith and brother, Make a new spear quickly for me, Make it with three cutting edges, With a copper shaft construct it. With the bear I now must struggle, Overthrow the shaggy monster, That he slay no more my geldings, Nor shall fall upon my brood-mares, 30 Neither shall destroy my cattle, Or attempt my cows to injure."

Then the smith a spear constructed, Not a long one, not a short one, But of middle length he forged it. On the blade a wolf was sitting, On the edge a bear was standing, At the joint an elk was trotting, On the shaft a colt was running, At the end a reindeer leaping. 40 Then fresh snow was gently falling, And a little snow had drifted As it drifts in early autumn, White as is the hare in winter.

Said the aged Väinämöinen, And he spoke the words which follow: "Now my inclination leads me Unto Metsola to travel; To the forest's daughter's dwelling, And to the Blue Maiden's homestead. 50 Leaving men, I seek the forest, Heroes leave, for distant regions. Take me as thy man, O forest, Take me, Tapio, for thy hero. May good fortune now be granted, And to fell the forest-beauty.

"Mielikki, the forest's Mistress, Tellervo, the wife of Tapio, Do thou bind thy dogs securely, Do thou keep thy whelps in order, 60 In the paths, 'mid honeysuckle, And beneath the roof of oakwood.

"Otso, apple of the forest, O thou lazy honey-pawed one! If thou hearest me approaching, Hearest me, the hero, coming, In thy hair thy claws conceal thou, In thy gums thy teeth conceal thou, That thou never more may'st move them, That they motionless remain there. 70

"O my Otso, O my darling, Fair one with the paws of honey, Do thou rest in hilly country, And among the rocks so lovely, Where the pines above are waving, And the firs below are rustling. Turn thyself around, O Otso, Turn thee round, O honey-pawed one, As upon her nest the woodgrouse, Or as turns the goose when brooding." 80