Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume I Part 31

Then the maid, of all the smallest, Answered In the words which follow: "Wherefore ask not Lemminkainen, Only Ahti Saarelainen?" 580

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress, In these very words make answer: "Therefore ask not Kaukomieli, Not the reckless Lemminkainen.

He is always quick to quarrel, And to fight is always ready.

And at weddings works he mischief, And at banquets grievous scandal, Brings to shame the modest maidens, Clad in all their festive garments." 590

Then the maid, of all the smallest, Answered in the words which follow: "How shall I know Kaukomieli That I leave him uninvited?

For I know not Ahti's dwelling, Nor the house of Kaukomieli."

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress, Answer in the words which follow: "Easy may you hear of Kauko, Learn of Ahti Saarelainen. 600 Ahti dwells upon an island, Dwells the rascal near the water, Where the bay outspreads the broadest, At the curve of Kauko's headland."

Then the maid, of all the smallest, She the handmaid hired for money, Bid the guests from six directions, And in eight the news she carried; All she asked of Pohja's people, And of Kaleva the people, 610 Of the householders the poorest, And the poorest clad amongst them, Only not the youth named Ahti, For she left him uninvited.

RUNO XXI.--THE WEDDING FEAST AT POHJOLA

_Argument_

The bridegroom and his party are received at Pohjola (1-226). The guests are hospitably entertained with abundance of food and drink (227-252).

Vainamoinen sings and praises the people of the house (253-438).

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress, Crone of Sariola the misty, Sometimes out of doors employ her, Sometimes in the house was busied; And she heard how whips were cracking, On the sh.o.r.e heard sledges rattling, And her eyes she turned to northward, Towards the sun her head then turning, And she pondered and reflected, "Wherefore are these people coming 10 On my sh.o.r.e, to me unhappy?

Is it perhaps a hostile army?"

So she went to gaze around her, And observe the portent nearer; It was not a hostile army, But of guests a great a.s.sembly, And her son-in-law amid them, With a mighty host of people.

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress, Crone of Sariola the misty, 20 When she saw the bridegroom's party, Speak aloud the words which follow: "As I thought, the wind was blowing And a f.a.ggot-stack overthrowing, On the beach the billows breaking, On the strand the s.h.i.+ngle rattling.

So I went to gaze around me, And observe the portent nearer; But I found no wind was blowing, Nor the f.a.ggot-stack was falling, 30 On the beach no waves were breaking, On the strand no s.h.i.+ngle rattling.

'Twas my son-in-law's a.s.semblage, Twice a hundred men in number.

"How shall I detect the bridegroom In the concourse of the people?

He is known among the people, As in clumps of trees the cherry, Like an oak-tree in the thickets, Or the moon, 'mid stars in heaven. 40

"Black the steed that he is driving; Which a ravenous wolf resembles; Or a raven, keen for quarry, Or a lark, with fluttering pinions.

Six there are of golden song-birds, On his shafts all sweetly singing, And of blue birds, seven are singing Sitting on the sledge's traces."

From the road was heard a clatter, Past the well the runners rattled, 50 In the court arrived the bridegroom, In the yard the people with him, In the midst appeared the bridegroom, With the greatest of the party.

He was not the first among them, But by no means last among them.

"Off, ye youths, and out ye heroes, To the court, O ye who loiter, That ye may remove the breastbands, And the traces ye may loosen, 60 That the shafts may quick be lowered: Lead into the house the bridegroom."

Then the bridegroom's horse sped onward, And the bright-hued sledge drew forward Through the courtyard of the Master, When said Pohjola's old Mistress: "O my man, whom I have hired, Best among the village servants, Take the horse that brought the bridegroom, With the white mark on his frontlet, 70 From the copper-plated harness, From the tin-decked breastband likewise, From the best of reins of leather, And from harness of the finest, Lead the courser of the bridegroom, And with greatest care conduct him By the reins, of silken fabric, By the bridle, decked with silver, To the softest place for rolling, Where the meadow is the smoothest, 80 Where the drifted snow is finest, And the land of milky whiteness.

"Lead the bridegroom's horse to water, To the spring that flows the nearest, Where the water all unfrozen, Gushes forth; like milk the sweetest, 'Neath the roots of golden pine-trees, Underneath the bushy fir-trees.

"Fodder thou the bridegroom's courser, From the golden bowl of fodder, 90 From the bow! adorned with copper, With the choicest meal of barley, And with well-boiled wheat of summer, And with pounded rye of summer.

"Then conduct the bridegroom's courser To the best of all the stables, To the best of resting-places, To the hindmost of the stables.

Tether there the bridegroom's courser, To the ring of gold constructed, 100 To the smaller ring of iron, To the post of curving birchwood, Place before the bridegroom's courser, Next a tray with oats overloaded, And with softest hay another, And a third with chaff the finest.

"Curry then the bridegroom's courser, With the comb of bones of walrus, That the hair remain uninjured, Nor his handsome tail be twisted; 110 Cover then the bridegroom's courser With a cloth of silver fabric, And a mat of golden texture, And a horse-wrap decked with copper.

"Now my little village laddies, To the house conduct the bridegroom, Gently lift his hat from off him, From his hands his gloves take likewise.

"I would fain see if the bridegroom Presently the house can enter, 120 Ere the doors are lifted from it, And they have removed the doorposts, And have lifted up the crossbars, And the threshold has been sunken, And the nearer walls are broken, And the floor-planks have been s.h.i.+fted.

"But the house suits not the bridegroom, Nor the great gift suits the dwelling, Till the doors are lifted from it, And they have removed the doorposts, 130 And have lifted up the crossbars, And the threshold has been sunken, And the nearer walls been broken, And the flooring-planks been s.h.i.+fted, For the bridegroom's head is longer, And the bridegroom's ears are higher.

"Let the crossbars then be lifted, That his head the roof may touch not, Let the threshold now be sunken, That his footsoles may not touch it, 140 Let them now set back the doorposts, That the doors may open widely, When at length the bridegroom enters, When the n.o.ble youth approaches.

"Praise, O Jumala most gracious, For the bridegroom now has entered.

I would now the house examine, Cast my gaze around within it, See that washed are all the tables, And the benches swabbed with water, 150 Scoured the smooth planks of the boarding, And the flooring swept and polished.

"Now that I the house examine, 'Tis so changed I scarcely know it, From what wood the room was fas.h.i.+oned, How the roof has been constructed, And the walls have been erected, And the flooring been constructed.

"Side-walls are of bones of hedgehog, Hinder-walls of bones of reindeer, 160 Front-walls of the bones of glutton, And of bones of lamb the crossbar.

All the beams are wood of apple, And the posts of curving birchwood, Round the stove rest water-lilies, Scales of bream compose the ceiling.

"And one bench is formed of iron, Others made from Saxon timber, Gold-inlaid are all the tables; Floor o'erspread with silken carpets. 170

"And the stove is bright with copper, And the stove-bench stone-constructed, And the hearth composed of boulders, And with Kaleva's tree is boarded."

Then the house the bridegroom entered, Hastened on beneath the roof-tree, And he spoke the words which follow: "Grant, O Jumala, thy blessing Underneath this n.o.ble roof-tree, Underneath this roof so splendid." 180

Then said Pohjola's old Mistress, "Hail, all hail, to thee, who enters In this room of small dimensions, In this very lowly cottage, In this wretched house of firwood, In this house of pine constructed.

"O my little waiting-maiden, Thou the village maid I hired, Bring a piece of lighted birchbark, To a tarry torch apply it, 190 That I may behold the bridegroom, And the bridegroom's eyes examine, Whether they are blue or reddish; Whether they are white as linen."

Then the little waiting-maiden, She, the little village maiden, Brought a piece of lighted birchbark, To a tarry torch applied it.

"From the bark the flame springs spluttering, From the tar black smoke's ascending, 200 So his eyes might perhaps be sooted, And his handsome face be blackened, Therefore bring a torch all flaming, Of the whitest wax constructed."

Then the little waiting-maiden, She the little village maiden, Lit a torch, and brought it flaming, Of the whitest wax constructed.

White like wax the smoke was rising, And the flame ascended brightly, 210 And the bridegroom's eyes were s.h.i.+ning, And his face was all illumined.

"Now the bridegroom's eyes I gaze on!

They are neither blue nor reddish, Neither are they white like linen, But his eyes they s.h.i.+ne like lake-foam, Like the lake-reed are they brownish, And as lovely as the bulrush.

"Now my little village laddies, Hasten to conduct the bridegroom 220 To a seat among the highest, To a place the most distinguished, With his back towards the blue wall, With his face towards the red board, There among the guests invited, Facing all the shouting people."

Then did Pohjola's old Mistress, Feast her guests in n.o.ble fas.h.i.+on, Feast them on the best of b.u.t.ter, And with cream-cakes in abundance; 230 Thus she served the guests invited, And among them first the bridegroom.

On the plates was placed the salmon, At the sides the pork was stationed, Dishes filled to overflowing, Laden to the very utmost, Thus to feast the guests invited; And among them first the bridegroom.

Then said Pohjola's old Mistress, "O my little waiting-maiden, 240 Bring me now the ale in measures, Bring it in the jugs two-handled, For the guests we have invited, And the bridegroom chief among them."

Then the little waiting-maiden, She, the servant hired for money, Brought the measures as directed, Handed round the five-hooped tankards, Till, with ale from hops concocted, All the beards with foam were whitened; 250 All the beards of guests invited; And among them most the bridegroom's.