Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume I Part 26

_Argument_

Vainamoinen sets sail in his new boat to woo the Maiden of Pohja (1-40).

Ilmarinen's sister sees him, calls to him from the sh.o.r.e, learns the object of his journey, and hastens to warn her brother that a rival has set forth to Pohjola to claim the bride (41-266). Ilmarinen makes ready, and rides on horseback to Pohjola along the sh.o.r.e (267-470). The Mistress of Pohjola sees the suitors approaching, and advises her daughter to choose Vainamoinen (471-634). But the daughter herself prefers Ilmarinen, the forger of the Sampo, and tells Vainamoinen, who is first to arrive, that she will not marry him (635-706).

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast, Pondered deeply and reflected How he best should woo the maiden, Hasten to the long-haired maiden, In the gloomy land of Pohja, Sariola, for ever misty, She the far-famed Maid of Pohja, She the peerless Bride of Pohja.

There the pale-grey boat was lying, And the boat with red he painted, 10 And adorned the prow with gilding, And with silver overlaid it; Then upon the morning after, Very early in the morning, Pushed his boat into the water, In the waves the hundred-boarded, Pushed it from the barkless rollers, From the rounded logs of pine-tree.

Then he raised a mast upon it, On the masts the sails he hoisted, 20 Raised a red sail on the vessel, And another blue in colour, Then the boat himself he boarded, And he walked upon the planking, And upon the sea he steered it, O'er the blue and plas.h.i.+ng billows.

Then he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: "Enter, Jumala, my vessel, Enter here, O thorn most gracious, 30 Strengthen thou the hero's weakness, And the weakling do thou cherish, On these far-extending waters, On the wide expanse of billows.

"Breathe, O wind, upon the vessel, Drive, O wave, the boat before thee, That I need not row with fingers, Nor may thus disturb the waters, On the wide expanse of ocean, Out upon the open ocean." 40

Annikki, the ever-famous, Night's fair daughter, maid of twilight, Long before the day had risen, Early in the morn had wakened, And had washed her clothes and spread them, And had rinsed and wrung the clothing, Where the red steps reach the furthest, Where the planking is the broadest, Out upon the misty headland, On the shady island's ending. 50

Then she turned and gazed around her, In the cloudless air surrounding, And she gazed aloft to heaven, And from sh.o.r.e across the water, And above the sun was s.h.i.+ning, And below the waves were gleaming.

O'er the waves her eyes were glancing, To the south her head was turning, To the mouth of Suomi's river, Where the stream of Vainola opens. 60 On the sea a blotch she sighted, Something blue among the billows.

Then she spoke the words which follow, And in terms like these expressed her: "What's this speck upon the ocean, What this blue upon the billows?

If it be a flock of wild geese, Or of other beauteous birdies, Let them on their rus.h.i.+ng pinions Soar aloft amid the heavens. 70

"If it be a shoal of salmon, Or a shoal of other fishes, Let them leap as they are swimming, Plunging then beneath the water.

"If it be a rocky island, Or a stump amid the water, Let the billows rise above it, Or the waters drive it forward."

Now the boat came gliding onward, And the new boat sailed on swiftly 80 Forward to the misty headland, And the shady island's ending.

Annikki, the ever-famous, Saw the vessel fast approaching, Saw the hundred-boarded pa.s.sing, And she spoke the words which follow: "If thou art my brother's vessels Or the vessel of my father, Then direct thy journey homeward, To the sh.o.r.e the prow directing, 90 Where the landing-stage is stationed, While the stern is pointing from it.

If thou art a stranger vessel, May'st thou swim at greater distance, Towards another stage then hasten, With the stern to this directed."

'Twas no vessel of her household, Nor a boat from foreign regions, But the boat of Vainamoinen, Built by him, the bard primeval, 100 And the boat approached quite closely, Onward sailed in hailing distance, Till a word, and then a second, And a third were heard distinctly.

Annikki, the ever-famous, Night's fair daughter, maid of twilight, Hailed the boat as it approached her: "Whither goest thou, Vainamoinen, Whither, hero of the waters, Wherefore, pride of all the country?" 110

Then the aged Vainamoinen From the boat made ready answer: "I am going salmon-fis.h.i.+ng, Where the salmon-trout are sp.a.w.ning, In the gloomy stream of Tuoni, In the deep reed-bordered river."

Annikki, the ever-famous, Answered in the words which follow: "Tell me not such idle falsehoods!

Well I know the sp.a.w.ning season, 120 For aforetime oft my father And my grandsire; too, before him, Often went a salmon-fis.h.i.+ng, And the salmon-trout to capture.

In the boats the nets were lying, And the boats were full of tackle, Here lay nets, here lines were resting, And the beating-poles beside them; And beneath the seats were tridents, In the stern, long staves were lying. 130 Whither goest thou, Vainamoinen, Wherefore, O Uvantolainen?"

Said the aged Vainamoinen, "Forth in search of geese I wander, Where the bright-winged birds are sporting, And the slimy fish are catching, In the deep sound of the Saxons, Where the sea is wide and open."

Annikki, the ever-famous, Answered in the words which follow: 140 "Well I know who speaks me truly, And can soon detect the liar, For aforetime oft my father, And my grandsire, too, before him, Went abroad the geese to capture, And to chase the red-beaked quarry, And his bow was great, and tight-strung, And the bow he drew was splendid, And a black dog leashed securely, In the stern was tightly tethered, 150 On the strand the hounds were running, And the whelps across the s.h.i.+ngle; Speak the truth, O Vainamoinen, Whither do you take your journey?"

Said the aged Vainamoinen, "Wherefore take I not my journey, Where a mighty fight is raging, There to fight among my equals, Where the greaves with blood are spattered, Even to the knees all crimsoned?" 160

Annikki again insisted, Loudly cried the tin-adorned one: "Well I know the ways of battle, For aforetime went my father Where a mighty fight was raging, There to fight among his equals, And a hundred men were rowing, And a thousand men were standing.

In the prow their bows were lying, And beneath the seats their sword-blades. 170 Speak the truth, and tell me truly, Cease to lie, and speak sincerely.

Whither goest thou, Vainamoinen, Wherefore, O Suvantolainen?"

Then the aged Vainamoinen Answered in the words which follow: "Come thou in my boat, O maiden, In my boat, O maiden seat thee, And the truth I then will tell thee, Cease to lie, and speak sincerely." 180

Annikki, the tin-adorned one, Cried aloud in indignation: "May the wind a.s.sail thy vessel, And the east wind fall upon it, May thy boat capsize beneath thee, And the prow sink down beneath thee, If you will not tell me truly Where you mean to take your journey, If the truth you will not tell me, And at last will end your lying." 190

Then the aged Vainamoinen, Answered in the words which follow: "All the truth I now will tell you, Though at first I lied a little.

Forth I fare to woo a maiden, Seek the favour of a maiden, In the gloomy land of Pohja, Sariola, for ever misty, In the land where men are eaten, Where they even drown the heroes." 200

Annikki, the ever-famous, Night's fair daughter, maid of twilight, When she knew the truth for certain, All the truth, without evasion, Down she threw her caps unwashen, And unrinsed she left the clothing, On the bench she left them lying, Where the red bridge has its ending, In her hand her gown she gathered, In her hand the folds collecting, 210 And began from thence to hasten, And with rapid pace she hurried, Till at length she reached the smithy.

To the forge at once she hastened.

There she found smith Ilmarinen, He the great primeval craftsman.

And he forged a bench of iron, And adorned it all with silver.

Cubit-high his head was sooted, On his shoulders ash by fathoms. 220

Annikki the door then entered, And she spoke the words which follow: "Smith and brother Ilmarinen, Thou the great primeval craftsman, Forge me now a weaver's shuttle, Pretty rings to deck my fingers, Golden earrings, two or three pairs, Five or six linked girdles make me, For most weighty truth I'll tell you, All the truth without evasion." 230

Said the smith, said Ilmarinen, "If you tell me news important, Then a shuttle will I forge you, Pretty rings to deck your fingers, And a cross upon your bosom, And the finest head-dress forge you.

If the words you speak are evil, All your ornaments I'll shatter, Tear them off to feed the furnace, And beneath the forge will thrust them." 240

Annikki, the ever-famous, Answered in the words which follow: "O thou smith, O Ilmarinen, Do you still propose to marry Her, the bride who once was promised, And as wife was pledged unto you?

"While you weld and hammer always, Ever working with your hammer, Making horseshoes in the summer, Iron horseshoes for the winter, 250 Working at your sledge at night-time, And its frame in daytime shaping, Forth to journey to your wooing, And to Pohjola to travel, One more cunning goes before you, And another speeds beyond you, And your own will capture from you, And your love will ravish from you, Whom two years ago thou sawest, Whom two years agone thou wooed'st. 260 Know that Vainamoinen journeys O'er the blue waves of the ocean, In a boat with prow all golden, Steering with his copper rudder, To the gloomy land of Pohja, Sariola, for ever misty."

To the smith came grievous trouble.

To the iron-worker sorrow.

From his grasp the tongs slid downward, From his hand he dropped the hammer. 270

Said the smith, said Ilmarinen, "Annikki, my little sister, I will forge you now a shuttle.

Pretty rings to deck your fingers, Golden earrings, two or three pairs, Five or six linked girdles make you.

Warm for me the pleasant bathroom, Fill the room with fragrant vapour, Let the logs you burn be small ones, And the fire with chips be kindled, 280 And prepare me too some ashes, And some soap in haste provide me, That I wash my head and cleanse it, And I may make white my body From the coal-dust of the autumn, From the forge throughout the winter."

Annikki, whose name was famous, Heated secretly the bathroom, With the boughs the wind had broken, And the thunderbolt had shattered. 290 Stones she gathered from the river, Heated them till they were ready, Cheerfully she fetched the water, From the holy well she brought it, Broke some bath-whisks from the bushes, Charming bath-whisks from the thickets, And she warmed the honeyed bath-whisks, On the honeyed stones she warmed them, Then with milk she mixed the ashes, And she made him soap of marrow, 300 And she worked the soap to lather, Kneaded then the soap to lather, That his head might cleanse the bridegroom, And might cleanse himself completely.

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, He the great primeval craftsman, Wrought the maiden what she wished for, And he wrought a splendid head-dress, While she made the bathroom ready, And she put the bath in order. 310 In her hands he placed the trinkets, And the maiden thus addressed him: "Now the bathroom's filled with vapour, And the vapour-bath I've heated, And have steeped the bath-whisks nicely, Choosing out the best among them.

Bathe, O brother, at your pleasures, Pouring water as you need it, Wash your head to flaxen colour, Till your eyes s.h.i.+ne out like snowflakes." 320

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Went to take the bath he needed, There he bathed himself at pleasure, And he washed himself to whiteness, Washed his eyes until they sparkled, And his temples till they glistened, And his neck to hen's-egg whiteness, And his body all was s.h.i.+ning.

From the bath the room he entered, Changed so much they scarcely knew him, 330 For his face it shone with beauty, And his cheeks were cleansed and rosy.

Then he spoke the words which follow: "Annikki, my little sister, Bring me now a s.h.i.+rt of linen, And the best of raiment bring me, That I robe myself completely, And may deck me like a bridegroom."

Annikki, the ever-famous, Brought him then a s.h.i.+rt of linen, 340 For his limbs no longer sweating, For his body all uncovered.

Then she brought well-fitting trousers, Which his mother had been sewing, For his hips, no longer sooty, And his legs were fully covered.

Then she brought him finest stockings, Which, as maid, had wove his mother, And with these his s.h.i.+ns he covered, And his calves were hidden by them. 350 Then she brought him shoes that fitted, Best of Saxon boots she brought him, And with these the stockings covered Which his mother sewed as maiden; Then a coat of blue she chose him, With a liver-coloured lining, Covering thus the s.h.i.+rt of linen, Which of finest flax was fas.h.i.+oned, Then an overcoat of woollen, Of four kinds of cloth constructed, 360 O'er the coat of bluish colour, Of the very latest fas.h.i.+on, And a new fur, thousand-b.u.t.toned, And a hundredfold more splendid, O'er the overcoat of woollen, And the cloth completely hiding; Round his waist a belt she fastened, And the belt was gold-embroidered, Which his mother wrought as maiden, Wrought it when a fair-haired maiden, 370 Brightly-coloured gloves she brought him, Gold-embroidered, for his fingers, Which the Lapland children fas.h.i.+oned; On his handsome hands he drew them, Then a high-crowned hat she brought him (On his golden locks she placed it) Which his father once had purchased, When as bridegroom he adorned him.

Thus the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Clothed himself, and made him ready, 380 Robed himself, and made him handsome, And his servant he commanded: "Yoke me now a rapid courser, In the sledge adorned so finely, That I start upon my journey, And to Pohjola may travel."