Kalevala, The Land Of The Heroes Volume I Part 7

When at length she stood upon it, And would rest upon the summit, 320 On the stone of many colours, On the rock so smooth and s.h.i.+ning, In the waves it sank beneath her, Sinking to the very bottom.

With the rock, the maiden Aino Sank beneath the water's surface.

There the dove for ever vanished, Thus the luckless maiden perished, She herself exclaimed in dying, When she felt that she was sinking: 330 "To the lake I went to bathe me, And to swim upon its surface, But, like tender dove, I vanished, Like a bird by death o'ertaken.

Never may my dearest father, Never while his life endureth, Cast his net amid the waters, In these waves, so wide extending.

"To the sh.o.r.e I went to wash me, To the lake I went to bathe me, 340 But, like tender dove, I vanished, Like a bird by death overtaken.

Never may my dearest mother, Never while her life endureth, Fetch the water for her baking, From the wide bay near her dwelling.

"To the sh.o.r.e I went to wash me, To the lake I went to bathe me, But, like tender dove, I vanished, Like a bird by death o'ertaken. 350 Never may my dearest brother, Never while his life endureth, Water here his prancing courser, Here upon the broad lake's margin

"To the sh.o.r.e I went to wash me, To the lake I went to bathe me, But, like tender dove, I vanished, Like a bird by death overtaken.

Never may my dearest sister, Never while her life endureth, 360 Hither stay to wash her eyebrows, On the bridge so near her dwelling.

In the lake the very water Is as blood that leaves my veinlets; Every fish that swims this water, Is as flesh from off my body; All the bushes on the margin Are as ribs of me unhappy; And the gra.s.s upon the margin As my soiled and tangled tresses." 370

Thus the youthful maiden perished, And the dove so lovely vanished.

Who shall now the tidings carry.

And repeat the mournful story, At the dwelling of the maiden, At the homestead of the fair one?

First the bear would take the tidings, And repeat the mournful story; But the bear conveyed no tidings, For he strayed among the cattle. 380 Who shall now the tidings carry, And repeat the mournful story.

At the dwelling of the maiden.

At the homestead of the fair one?

Then the wolf would take the message, And repeat the mournful story; But the wolf conveyed no tidings, For among the sheep he wandered.

Who shall now the tidings carry, And repeat the mournful story, 390 At the dwelling of the maiden, At the homestead of the fair one?

Then the fox would take the message, And repeat the mournful story; But the fox conveyed no tidings, For among the geese he wandered.

Who shall now the tidings carry, And repeat the mournful story, At the dwelling of the maiden, At the homestead of the fair one? 400

'Twas the hare who took the tidings, And conveyed the mournful story; For the hare replied discreetly, "I will not forget the message."

Then the hare sprang quickly onward, Sped the Long-ear with his story, On his crooked legs he hastened, With his cross-like mouth he hurried, To the dwelling of the maiden, To the homestead of the fair one. 410

Thus he hastened to the bath-house And he crouched upon the threshold.

Full of maidens is the bath-house, In their hands the bath-whisks holding.

"Scamp, come here; and shall we boil you, Or, O Broad-eye, shall we roast you, Either for the master's supper, Or perchance the mistress' breakfast, For the luncheon of the daughter, Or perchance the son to dine on?" 420

Thereupon the hare responded, And the Round-eye answered boldly, "Would that Lempo might come hither For the cooking in the kettle!

I am come to give you tidings, And to bring a message to you.

Vanished from you is the fair one, Perished has the tin-adorned one.

Sunken with her silver buckle, Drowning with her belt of copper, 430 Diving in the muddy water, To the depths below the billows, There to be the powan's sister, And companion of the fishes."

Then her mother fell to weeping, And her bitter tears flowed freely, And she loud lamented, speaking In her grief the words which follow: "Never, O unhappy mothers, Never while your life endureth, 440 Never may you urge your daughters, Or attempt to force your children To a marriage that repels them, Like myself, O wretched mother, Urging vainly thus my daughter, Thus my little dove I fostered."

Thus the mother wept, lamenting, And her bitter tears flowed freely From her blue eyes in her sadness, O'er her cheeks, so pale with sorrow. 450

After one tear flowed another, And her bitter tears flowed freely From her cheeks, so pale with sorrow, To her breast, so sadly heaving.

After one tear flowed another, And her bitter tears flowed freely From her breast, so sadly heaving, On the borders of her garments.

After one tear flowed another, And her bitter tears flowed freely 460 From the borders of her garments Down upon her scarlet stockings.

After one tear flowed another, And her bitter tears flowed freely Down from off her scarlet stockings To her shoes, all gold-embroidered.

After one tear flowed another, And her bitter tears flowed freely From her shoes, all gold-embroidered, On the ground where she was standing. 470 As they flowed, the ground they moistened.

And they swelled to streams of water.

On the ground the streams were flowing, And became the source of rivers; Thence arose three mighty rivers From the tears of bitter weeping, Which were ever ceaseless flowing From the weeping mother's eyelids.

From each stream that thus was fas.h.i.+oned, Rushed three waterfalls in fury, 480 And amid each cataract's flowing.

Three great rocks arose together.

And on every rocky summit There arose a golden mountain.

And on every mountain summit Up there sprang three beauteous birch-trees, In the crown of every birch-tree, Golden cuckoos three were perching.

All at once they called together, And the first cried, "Sweetheart, sweetheart!" 490 And the second, "Lover, lover!"

And the third cried, "Gladness, gladness!"

He who cried out, "Sweetheart, sweetheart!"

Sang his song for three months running, For the young and loveless maiden, Resting now beneath the water.

He who cried out, "Lover, lover!"

Sang his song for six months running, Sang to the unhappy suitor, Who must sorrow through his lifetime. 500

He who cried out, "Gladness, gladness!"

Sang his song for all a lifetime; Sang to the unhappy mother, Who must daily weep for ever.

And the mother spoke as follows!

As she listened to the cuckoo: "Never may a hapless mother Listen to the cuckoo crying!

When I hear the cuckoo calling.

Heavy beats my heart within me. 510 From my eyes the tears are falling O'er my cheeks are waters rolling.

And the drops like peas are swelling.

Than the largest broad-beans larger.

By an ell my life is shortened, By a span-length I am older, And my strength has wholly failed me, Since I heard the cuckoo calling,"

RUNO V.--VaINaMoINEN'S FIs.h.i.+NG

_Argument_

Vainamoinen fishes for Joukahainen's sister in the lake, and draws her into his boat in the form of a fish (1-72). He is about to cut her to pieces when she slips from his hand into the lake, and tells him who she is (73-133). Vainamoinen tries to persuade her to return to him, and then fishes for her, but in vain (134-163). He returns home disconsolate, and his dead mother advises him to woo the Maiden of Pohja (164-241).

Now the tidings were repeated, And the news was widely rumoured, How the youthful maid had perished, And the fair one had departed.

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast, Deeply sorrowed at the tidings; Wept at evening, wept at morning, Spent the livelong night in weeping, For the fair one who had perished, For the maiden who had slumbered, 10 In the muddy lake downsunken To the depths below the billows.