Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 217 pages of information about Kalevala .

Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 217 pages of information about Kalevala .
Let the serpents keep the island,
Lynxes rest within the glen-wood,
Let the blue-moose roam the mountains,
Let the wild-geese cat the barley. 
Fare thee well, my helpful mother! 
When the warriors of the Northland,
From the dismal Sariola,
Come with swords, and spears, and cross-bows,
Asking for my head in vengeance,
Say that I have long departed,
Left my mother’s Island-dwelling,
When the barley had been garnered.” 
Then he launched his boat of copper,
Threw the vessel to the waters,
From the iron-banded rollers,
From the cylinders of oak-wood,
On the masts the sails he hoisted,
Spread the magic sails of linen,
In the stern the hero settled
And prepared to sail his vessel,
One hand resting on the rudder. 
Then the sailor spake as follows,
These the words of Lemminkainen: 
“Blow, ye winds, and drive me onward,
Blow ye steady, winds of heaven,
Toward the island in the ocean,
That my bark may fly in safety
To my father’s place of refuge,
To the far and nameless island!”
Soon the winds arose as bidden,
Rocked the vessel o’er the billows,
O’er the blue-back of the waters,
O’er the vast expanse of ocean;
Blew two months and blew unceasing,
Blew a third month toward the island,
Toward his father’s Isle of Refuge. 
Sat some maidens on the seaside,
On the sandy beach of ocean,
Turned about in all directions,
Looking out upon the billows;
One was waiting for her brother,
And a second for her father,
And a third one, anxious, waited
For the, coming of her suitor;
There they spied young Lemminkainen,
There perceived the hero’s vessel
Sailing o’er the bounding billows;
It was like a hanging cloudlet,
Hanging twixt the earth and heaven. 
Thus the island-maidens wondered,
Thus they spake to one another: 
“What this stranger on the ocean,
What is this upon the waters? 
Art thou one of our sea-vessels? 
Wert thou builded on this island? 
Sail thou straightway to the harbor,
To the island-point of landing
That thy tribe may be discovered.” 
Onward did the waves propel it,
Rocked his vessel o’er the billows,
Drove it to the magic island,
Safely landed Lemminkainen
On the sandy shore and harbor. 
Spake he thus when he had landed,
These the words that Ahti uttered: 
“Is there room upon this island,
Is there space within this harbor,
Where my bark may lie at anchor,
Where the sun may dry my vessel?”
This the answer of the virgins,
Dwellers on the Isle of Refuge: 
“There is room within this harbor,
On this island, space abundant,
Where thy bark may lie at anchor,
Where the sun may dry thy vessel;
Lying ready are the rollers,
Cylinders adorned with copper;
If thou hadst a hundred vessels,
Shouldst thou come with boats a thousand,
We would give them room in welcome.” 
Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Volume 02 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.