Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume I Part 28

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, He the great primeval craftsman, Came himself into the chamber, And beneath the roof he hastened.

Brought the maid of mead a beaker, Placed a can of drink of honey In the hands of Ilmarinen, And the smith spoke out as follows: "Never while my life is left me, Long as s.h.i.+nes the golden moonlight, 10 Will I taste the drink before me, Till my own is granted to me, She for whom so long I waited, She for whom so long I pined for."

Then said Pohjola's old Mistress, In the very words which follow: "Trouble great befalls the suitor, Comes to her for whom he waiteth; One shoe still remains unfitted, And unfitted is the other; 20 But the bride is waiting for you, And you may indeed receive her, If you plough the field of vipers, Where the writhing snakes are swarming, But without a plough employing, And without a ploughshare guiding.

Once the field was ploughed by Hiisi, Lempo seamed it next with furrows, With the ploughshare formed of copper, With the plough in furnace smelted; 30 But my own son, most unhappy, Left the half untilled behind him."

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Sought the maiden in her chamber, And he spoke the words which follow: "Night's own daughter, twilight maiden, Do you not the time remember, When I forged the Sampo for you, And the brilliant cover welded, And a binding oath thou sweared'st, 40 By the G.o.d whom all men wors.h.i.+p, 'Fore the face of Him Almighty, And you gave a certain promise Unto me, the mighty hero, You would be my friend for ever, Dove-like in my arms to nestle?

Nothing will your mother grant me, Nor will she her daughter give me, Till I plough the field of vipers, Where the writhing snakes are swarming." 50

Then his bride a.s.sistance lent him, And advice the maiden gave him: "O thou smith, O Ilmarinen, Thou the great primeval craftsman!

Forge thyself a plough all golden, Cunningly bedecked with silver, Then go plough the field of serpents, Where the writhing snakes are swarming."

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Laid the gold upon the anvil, 60 Worked the bellows on the silver, And he forged the plough he needed, And he forged him shoes of iron; Greaves of steel he next constructed, And with these his feet he covered, Those upon his s.h.i.+ns he fastened; And he donned an iron mail-coat, With a belt of steel he girt him, Took a pair of iron gauntlets, Gauntlets like to stone for hardness; 70 Then he chose a horse of mettle, And he yoked the steed so n.o.ble, And he went to plough the acre, And the open field to furrow.

There he saw the heads all rearing, Saw the heads that hissed unceasing, And he spoke the words which follow: "O thou snake, whom G.o.d created, You who lift your head so proudly, Who is friendly and will hearken, 80 Rearing up your head so proudly, And your neck so proudly lifting; From my path at once remove you, Creep, thou wretch, among the stubble, Creeping down among the bushes, Or where greenest gra.s.s is growing!

If you lift your head from out it, Ukko then your head shall shatter, With his sharp and steel-tipped arrows, With a mighty hail of iron." 90

Then he ploughed the field of vipers, Furrowed all the land of serpents, From the furrows raised the vipers, Drove the serpents all before him, And he said, returning homeward: "I have ploughed the field of vipers, Furrowed all the land of serpents, Driven before me all the serpents: Will you give me now your daughter, And unite me with my darling?" 100

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress, Answer in the words which follow: "I will only give the maiden, And unite you with my daughter, If you catch the Bear of Tuoni, Bridle, too, the Wolf of Mana, Far in Tuonela's great forest, In the distant realms of Mana.

Hundreds have gone forth to yoke them; Never one returned in safety." 110

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Sought the maiden in her chamber, And he spoke the words which follow: "Now the task is laid upon me, Ma.n.a.la's fierce wolves to bridle, And to hunt the bears of Tuoni, Far in Tuonela's great forest, In the distant realms of Mana."

Then his bride a.s.sistance lent him, And advice the maiden gave him. 120 "O thou smith, O Ilmarinen, Thou the great primeval craftsman!

Forge thee bits, of steel the hardest, Forge thee muzzles wrought of iron, Sitting on a rock in water, Where the cataracts fall all foaming.

Hunt thou then the Bears of Tuoni, And the Wolves of Mana bridle."

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, He the great primeval craftsman, 130 Forged him bits, of steel the hardest, Forged him muzzles wrought of iron, Sitting on a rock in water, Where the cataracts fall all foaming.

Then he went the beasts to fetter, And he spoke the words which follow: "Terhenetar, Cloudland's daughter!

With the cloud-sieve sift thou quickly, And disperse thy mists around me, Where the beasts I seek are lurking, 140 That they may not hear me moving, That they may not flee before me."

Then the Wolf's great jaws he muzzled, And with iron the Bear he fettered, On the barren heaths of Tuoni, In the blue depths of the forest.

And he said, returning homeward: "Give me now your daughter, old one.

Here I bring the Bear of Tuoni, And the Wolf of Mana muzzled." 150

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress Answer in the words which follow: "I will give you first the duckling, And the blue-winged duck will give you, When the pike, so huge and scaly, He the fish so plump and floundering.

You shall bring from Tuoni's river, And from Ma.n.a.la's abysses; But without a net to lift it, Using not a hand to grasp it. 160 Hundreds have gone forth to seek it, Never one returned in safety."

Then there came distress upon him, And affliction overwhelmed him, As he sought the maiden's chamber, And he spoke the words which follow: "Now a task is laid upon me, Greater still than all the former; For the pike, so huge and scaly, He the fish so plump and floundering, 170 I must bring from Tuoni's river, From the eternal stream of Mana, But with neither snare nor drag-net, Nor with help of other tackle."

Then his bride a.s.sistance lent him, And advice the maiden gave him.

"O thou smith, O Ilmarinen, Do thou not be so despondent!

Forge thee now a fiery eagle.

Forge a bird of fire all flaming! 180 This the mighty pike shall capture, Drag the fish so plump and floundering, From the murky stream of Tuoni, And from Ma.n.a.la's abysses."

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Deathless artist of the smithy, Forged himself a fiery eagle, Forged a bird of fire all flaming, And of iron he forged the talons, Forged the claws of steel the hardest, 190 Wings like sides of boat constructed; Then upon the wings he mounted, On the eagle's back he sat him, On the wing-bones of the eagle.

Then he spoke unto the eagle, And the mighty bird instructed: "O my eagle, bird I fas.h.i.+oned, Fly thou forth, where I shall order, To the turbid stream of Tuoni, And to Ma.n.a.la's abysses: 200 Seize the pike, so huge and scaly, He the fish so plump and floundering."

Then the bird, that n.o.ble eagle, Took his flight, and upward soarings, Forth he flew the pike to capture, Fish with teeth of size terrific, In the river-depths of Tuoni, Down in Ma.n.a.la's abysses: To the water stretched a pinion, And the other touched the heavens; 210 In the sea he dipped his talons, On the cliffs his beak he whetted.

Thus the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Journeyed forth to seek his booty In the depths of Tuoni's river, While the eagle watched beside him.

From the water rose a kelpie And it clutched at Ilmarinen, By the neck the eagle seized it, And the kelpie's head he twisted. 220 To the bottom down he forced it, To the black mud at the bottom.

Then came forth the pike of Tuoni, And the water-dog came onward.

Not a small pike of the smallest, Nor a large pike of the largest; Long his tongue as twain of axe-shafts, Long his teeth as rake-shaft measures, Wide his gorge as three great rivers, Seven boats' length his back extended, 230 And the smith he sought to seize on, And to swallow Ilmarinen.

But the eagle rushed against him, And the bird of air attacked him; Not an eagle of the small ones, Nor an eagle of the large ones.

Long his beak as hundred fathoms, Wide his gorge as six great rivers, Six spears' length his tongue extended, Five scythes' length his talons measured 240 And he saw the pike so scaly, Saw the fish so plump and floundering.

Fiercely on the fish he darted, Rushed against the fish so scaly.

Then the pike so large and scaly, He the fish so plump and floundering, Tried to drag the eagle's pinions Underneath the sparkling waters, But the eagle swift ascended, Up into the air he raised him, 250 From the grimy ooze he raised him, To the sparkling water o'er it.

Back and forth the eagle hovered, And again he made an effort, And he struck one talon fiercely In the pike's terrific shoulders, In the water-dog's great backbone, And he fixed the other talon Firmly in the steel-hard mountain, In the rocks as hard as iron. 260 From the stone slipped off the talon, Slipped from off the rocky mountain, And the pike again dived downward, In the water slid the monster, Slipped from off the eagle's talons, From the great bird's claws terrific, But his sides were scored most deeply, And his shoulders cleft asunder.

Once again, with iron talons, 270 Swooped again the furious eagle, With his wings all fiery glowing, And his eyes like flame that sparkled, Seized the pike with mighty talons, Grasped the water-dog securely, Dragged the huge and scaly monster, Raised him from the tossing water, From the depths beneath the billows, To the water's sparkling surface.

Then the bird with claws of iron Made a third and final effort, 280 Brought the mighty pike of Tuoni, He the fish so plump and floundering, From the river dark of Tuoni, And from Ma.n.a.la's abysses.

Scarce like water flowed the water From the great pike's scales stupendous; Nor like air the air extended When the great bird flapped his pinions.

Thus the iron-taloned eagle Bore the pike so huge and scaly, 290 To the branches of an oak-tree, To a pine-tree's crown, wide spreading.

There he feasted on the booty, Open ripped the fish's belly, Tore away the fish's breastbone, And the head and neck he sundered.

Said the smith, said Ilmarinen, "O thou wicked, wicked eagle, What a faithless bird I find you, You have seized upon the quarry, 300 And you have feasted on the booty, Open ripped the fish's belly, Torn away the fish's breastbone, And the head and neck have sundered."

But the iron-taloned eagle Rose and soared away in fury, High aloft in air he raised him, To the borders of the cloudland.

Fled the clouds, the heavens were thundering, And the props of air bowed downward: 310 Ukko's bow in twain was broken, In the moon the horns sharp-pointed.

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Took the pike's head, which he carried, To the old crone as a present, And he spoke the words which follow: "Make of this a chair for ever, In the halls of lofty Pohja."

Then he spoke the words which follow, And in words like these expressed him: 320 "I have ploughed the field of serpents, Furrowed all the land of serpents; Bridled, too, the wolves of Mana, And have chained the bears of Tuoni; Brought the pike so huge and scaly, He the fish so plump and floundering, From the river deep of Tuoni, And from Ma.n.a.la's abysses.

Will you give me now the maiden, And bestow your daughter on me?" 330

Then said Pohjola's old Mistress, "Badly have you done your errand, Thus the head in twain to sever, Open rip the fish's belly, Tear away the fish's breastbone, Feasting thus upon the booty."

Then the smith, e'en Ilmarinen, Answered in the words that follow: "Never can you bring, undamaged, Quarry from the best of regions. 340 This is brought from Tuoni's river, And from Ma.n.a.la's abysses.

Is not yet the maiden ready, She for whom I longed and laboured?"

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress Answer in the words which follow: "Yes, the maiden now is ready.

She for whom you longed and laboured.

I will give my tender duckling, And prepare the duck I cherished, 350 For the smith, for Ilmarinen, At his side to sit for ever, On his knee as wife to seat her, Dove-like in his arms to nestle."

On the floor a child was sitting, On the floor a child was singing: "To our room there came already, Came a bird into our castle; From the north-east flew an eagle, Through the sky a hawk came flying, 360 In the air one wing was flapping, On the sea the other rested, With his tail he swept the ocean, And to heaven his head he lifted; And he gazed around, and turned him, Back and forth the eagle hovered, Perched upon the heroes' castle, And his beak he whetted on it, But the roof was formed of iron, And he could not pierce within it. 370

"So he gazed around and turned him, Back and forth the eagle hovered, Perched upon the women's castle, And his beak he whetted on it, But the roof was formed of copper, And he could not pierce within it.

"So he gazed around and turned him, Back and forth the eagle hovered, Perched upon the maidens' castle, And his beak he whetted on it, 380 And the roof was formed of linen, And he forced his way within it.