Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume I Part 43

76. The word used here for father Is taatto, which curiously recalls the Welsh tad. (English, dad.)

194. In the Scandinavian Mythology the giantess Skadi was required to choose a husband from among the G.o.ds by looking at their feet only.

RUNO XXIII

330. The usual word to express a long time is viikko, a week.

469, 470. These infernal damsels play various parts in the _Kalevala_, as boat-women, death-bringers, etc., and here we find them in the character of Furies.

487. The term "snowy month" is used for the period between Feb.

20 and March 20. I have rendered it March.

787-792. Perhaps this is only figurative, as in the case of the unpropitious forest-deities.

RUNO XXIV

119. The roots of the marsh arum (_Calla pal.u.s.tris_), not a British plant, though naturalized in a pond at Ripley. The most usual subst.i.tute for more wholesome food in times of famine is bread composed of a mixture of fir-bark and rye.

240. Slav peasant women are said sometimes to regard beating as a sign of affection on the part of their husbands, but this does not seem to be the case with the Finns. In the _Kalevala_ we read a good deal about wife-beating in theory, but find very little of it in practice; and even the licentious and violent Lemminkainen never thinks of beating his wife when he quarrels with her.

279-296. A similar story is told to the Princess by her confidante Olga, in the Russian opera _Rusalka_ (water-nymph), Act III. scene i.

"And now I'd better sing a little song: As they pa.s.sed in our street, A man besought his wife, 'Why don't you look pleasant?

You are my delight, Darling Mashenka.'

"But the woman was obstinate, And averted her little head; 'Oh, I don't want your caresses, Nor your pretty speeches; I'm not very well, And I've got a headache.'

"But under a birch tree The man taught his wife; 'Wait a bit, my darling, I'll beat that tune out of you.

In my own way.'

"Then the woman was sorry, Bowed low as the waistband.

'Don't frighten yourself, dearest, And do not be troubled, I find myself better, My headache has gone.'"

446, 450, 454. The commentary explains the word used here to mean "wander round thee," an alteration which I consider unnecessary except in the last line.

467. From the sarcastic tone of this speech, Ilmarinen seems to have been quite tired and disgusted with all the fuss, in which most of our readers will probably sympathize with him.

RUNO XXV

47. According to popular usage, a son is enn.o.bled by being called a brother.

97. In some of the legends of Sigurd and Brynhilda, Brynhilda is represented as lying asleep in a tower of gla.s.s, encompa.s.sed by a circle of fire, through which Sigurd had to ride to wake her. In this story she is the prototype of the Sleeping Beauty.

157. We often read in Russian folk-tales of revolving huts supported on fowls' legs.

159. The favourite weapon of the Icelander Skarphedin, the son of Njal, was a bell which rang out shortly before any person was to be killed by it.

169. In the dales of Yorks.h.i.+re it used to be considered very inhospitable not to leave the door open at mealtimes.

289, 290. Saxony and Viro are Germany and Esthonia.

564. Apparently a sort of master of the ceremonies at Finnish weddings, corresponding to the Russian svat, or matchmaker.

596. The scoter duck, (_Oidemia nigra_).

642. Brows; literally, eyelashes.

646. Her s.h.i.+ft-collar.

665, 666. The beautiful Esthonian story of the Dawn, the Moon, and the Morning and Evening Twilight will be found in Jones and Kropf's _Folk-Tales of the Magyars_, pp. 326-328, and in Kirby's _Hero of Esthonia_, II., pp. 30-34.

END OF VOL. I