Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume Ii Part 3

Lemminkainen, youth so lively, Thereupon a hawk created, Quickly with its claws it seized it, And it tore the hen to pieces.

Then said Pohjola's great Master, In the very words which follow: "Better will not be the banquet, Nor the guest-provision lessened. 260 House for work, the road for strangers, Unrefreshed from the carousal!

Quit this place, O scamp of Hiisi, Haste away from all folks' knowledge, To thy home, O toad the basest, Forth, O scoundrel, to thy country!"

Answered lively Lemminkainen, Said the handsome Kaukomieli, "None would let himself be banished, Not a man, how bad soever, 270 From this place be ever driven, Forced to fly from such a station."

Then did Pohjola's great Master, s.n.a.t.c.h his sword from wall where hanging, Grasped in haste the sharpened weapon, And he spoke the words which follow: "O thou Ahti Saarelainen, Or thou handsome Kaukomieli, Let us match our swords together, Match the glitter of the sword-blades, 280 Whether my sword is the better, Or is Ahti Saarelainen's."

Said the lively Lemminkainen, "Little of my sword is left me, For on bones it has been shattered, And on skulls completely broken!

But let this be as it may be, If no better feast is ready, Let us struggle, and determine Which of our two swords is favoured. 290 Ne'er in former times my father In a duel has been worsted, Why should then his son be different, Or his child be like a baby?"

Sword he took, and bared his sword-blade, And he drew his sharp-edged weapon, Drew it from the leather scabbard, Hanging at his belt of lambskin.

Then they measured and inspected Which of their two swords was longer, 300 And a very little longer, Was the sword of Pohja's Master, As upon the nail the blackness, Or a half-joint of a finger.

Spoke then Ahti Saarelainen, Said the handsome Kaukomieli, "As your sword is rather longer, Let the first attack be yours."

Then did Pohjola's great Master, Aim a blow, and tried to strike him, 310 Aimed his sword, but never struck it, On the head of Lemminkainen.

Once indeed he struck the rafters, And the beams resounded loudly, And across the beam was shattered, And the arch in twain was broken.

Then spoke Ahti Saarelainen, Said the handsome Kaukomieli: "Well, what mischief did the rafters, And what harm the beam effected, 320 That you thus attack the rafters, And have made the arch to rattle?

"Hear me, son of Pohja's country, Pohjola's ill.u.s.trious Master, Awkward 'tis in room to combat, Trouble would it give the women, If the clean room should be damaged, And with blood defiled the flooring.

Let us go into the courtyard, In the field outside to battle, 330 On the gra.s.s outside to combat.

In the yard the blood looks better, In the yard it looks more lovely, On the snow it looks much better."

Out into the yard they wandered, And they found therein a cowhide, And they spread it in the courtyard, And they took their stand upon it.

Then said Ahti Saarelainen, "Hearken, O thou son of Pohja! 340 As your sword is rather longer, And your sword is more terrific, Perhaps indeed you need to use it, Just before your own departure, Or before your neck is broken.

Strike away, O son of Pohja."

Fenced away the son of Pohja, Struck a blow, and struck a second, And he struck a third blow after, But he could not strike him fairly, 350 Could not scratch the flesh upon him, From his skin a single bristle.

Then spoke Ahti Saarelainen, Said the handsome Kaukomieli, "Give me leave to try a little, For at last my time is coming."

Natheless Pohjola's great Master, Did not pay the least attention, Striking on, without reflection, Ever striking, never hitting. 360 From his sword-blade flashed red fire, And its edge was always gleaming In the hands of Lemminkainen, And the sheen extended further, As against the neck he turned it, Of the mighty son of Pohja.

Said the handsome Lemminkainen, "Hearken, Pohjola's great Master, True it is, thy neck so wretched, Is as red as dawn of morning." 370

Thereupon the son of Pohja, He, the mighty lord of Pohja, Bent his eyes that he might witness How his own neck had been reddened.

Then the lively Lemminkainen, Hurriedly a stroke delivered, With his sword he struck the hero, Quickly with the sword he struck him.

Full and fair he struck the hero, Struck his head from off his shoulders, 380 And the skull from neck he severed, As from off the stalk a turnip, Or an ear of corn is severed, From a fish a fin divided.

In the yard the head went rolling, And the skull in the enclosure, As when it is struck by arrow Falls the capercail from tree-top.

In the ground stood stakes a hundred, In the yard there stood a thousand, 390 On the stakes were heads a hundred, Only one stake still was headless.

Then the lively Lemminkainen Took the head of the poor fellow; From the ground the skull he lifted, And upon the stake he set it.

Then did Ahti Saarelainen, He the handsome Kaukomieli, Once again the house re-enter, And he spoke the words which follow: 400 "Wicked maid, now bring me water, That I wash my hands and cleanse them, From the blood of wicked Master, From the gore of man of evil."

Furious was the Crone of Pohja, Wild with wrath and indignation, And at once she sang up swordsmen, Heroes well equipped for battle.

Up she sang a hundred swordsmen, Sang a thousand weapon-bearers, 410 Lemminkainen's head to capture, From the neck of Kaukomieli.

Now the time seemed really coming, Fitting time for his departure, Terror came at length upon him, And too hard the task before him; From the house the youthful Ahti Lemminkainen quick departed, From the feast prepared at Pohja, From the unannounced carousal. 420

RUNO XXVIII.--LEMMINKAINEN AND HIS MOTHER

_Argument_

Lemminkainen escapes with all speed from Pohjola, comes home and asks his mother where he can hide himself from the people of Pohjola, who will soon attack him in his home, a hundred to one (1-164). His mother reproaches him for his expedition to Pohjola, suggests various places of concealment, and at length advises him to go far across the lakes to a distant island, where his father once lived in peace during a year of great war (165-294).

Then did Ahti Saarelainen, He the lively Lemminkainen, Haste to reach a place for hiding, Hasten quickly to remove him From the gloomy land of Pohja, From the gloomy house of Sara.

From the room he rushed like snowfall, To the yard like snake he hurried, That he might escape the evil, From the crime he had committed. 10

When he came into the courtyard, Then he gazed around and pondered, Seeking for the horse he left there, But he nowhere saw him standing; In the field a stone was standing, On the waste a clump of willows.

Who will come to give him counsel, Who will now advise and help him, That his head come not in danger, And his hair remain uninjured, 20 Nor his handsome hair be draggled In the courtyard foul of Pohja?

In the village heard he shouting, Uproar too from other homesteads, Lights were s.h.i.+ning in the village, Eyes were at the open windows.

Then must lively Lemminkainen, Then must Ahti Saarelainen, Alter now his shape completely, And transform without delaying, 30 And must soar aloft as eagle, Up to heaven to soar attempting; But the sun his face was scorching, And the moon shone on his temples.

Then the lively Lemminkainen, Sent aloft a prayer to Ukko: "Ukko, Jumala most gracious, Thou the wisest in the heavens, Of the thunderclouds the leader, Of the scattered clouds the ruler! 40 Let it now be gloomy weather, And a little cloudlet give me, So that under its protection I may hasten homeward quickly, Homeward to my dearest mother, Unto the revered old woman."

As he flew upon his journey, As he chanced to look behind him, There he saw a hawk, a grey one, And its eyes were fiery-glowing, 50 As it were the son of Pohja, Like the former lord of Pohja.

And the grey hawk called unto him, "Ahti, O my dearest brother, Think you on our former combat, Head to head in equal contest?"

Then said Ahti Saarelainen, Said the handsome Kaukomieli, "O my hawk, my bird so charming, Turn thyself and hasten homeward, 60 To the place from which you started, To the gloomy land of Pohja.

Hard it is to catch the eagle, Clutch the strong-winged bird with talons."

Then he hurried quickly homeward, Homeward to his dearest mother, And his face was full of trouble, And his heart with care o'erladen.

Then his mother came to meet him, As along the path he hurried, 70 As he past the fence was walking, And his mother first bespoke him.

"O my son, my son, my youngest, Thou the strongest of my children!

Why returnest thou so sadly, Home from Pohjola's dark regions?

Hast thou harmed thyself by drinking At the drinking-bout of Pohja?

If the goblet made thee suffer, Here a better one awaits thee, 80 Which thy father won in battle, Which he fought for in the contest."

Said the lively Lemminkainen, "O my mother who hast borne me, If the goblet made me suffer, I would overcome the masters, Overcome a hundred heroes, And would face a thousand heroes."

Then said Lemminkainen's mother, "Wherefore art thou then in trouble? 90 If the horse has overcome you, Wherefore let the horse annoy you?

If the horse has overcome you, You should buy yourself a better, With your father's lifelong savings, Which the aged man provided."

Said the lively Lemminkainen, "O my mother who hast borne me, If I quarrelled with the courser, Or the foal had over-reached me, 100 I myself have shamed the masters, Overcome the horses' drivers, Foals and drivers I have vanquished, And the heroes with their coursers."