Better far if thou shouldst journey
To thy distant home and kindred;
Man they that visit Mana,
Few return from Maria’s kingdom.” 
Spake the good old Wainamoinen: 
“Women old retreat from danger,
Not a man of any courage,
Not the weakest of the heroes. 
Bring thy boat, Tuoni’s daughter,
Tiny maiden of Manala,
Come and row me o’er the ferry.” 
Mana’s daughter does as bidden,
Brings her boat to Wainamoinen,
Quickly rows him through the channel,
O’er the black and fatal river,
To the kingdom of Manala,
Speaks these words to the magician: 
“Woe to thee!  O Wainamoinen! 
Wonderful indeed, thy magic,
Since thou comest to Manala,
Comest neither dead nor dying.” 
Tuonetar, the death-land hostess,
Ancient hostess of Tuoni,
Brings him pitchers filled with strong-beer,
Fills her massive golden goblets,
Speaks these measures to the stranger: 
“Drink, thou ancient Wainamoinen,
Drink the beer of king Tuoni!”
Wainamoinen, wise and cautious,
Carefully inspects the liquor,
Looks a long time in the pitchers,
Sees the spawning of the black-frogs,
Sees the young of poison-serpents,
Lizards, worms, and writhing adders,
Thus addresses Tuonetar: 
“Have not come with this intention,
Have not come to drink thy poisons,
Drink the beer of Tuonela;
Those that drink Tuoni’s liquors,
Those that sip the cups of Mana,
Court the Devil and destruction,
End their lives in want and ruin.” 
Tuonetar makes this answer: 
“Ancient minstrel, Wainamoinen,
Tell me what has brought thee hither,
Brought thee to the, realm of Mana,
To the courts of Tuonela,
Ere Tuoni sent his angels
To thy home in Kalevala,
There to cut thy magic life-thread.” 
Spake the singer, Wainamoinen: 
“I was building me a vessel,
At my craft was working, singing,
Needed three words of the Master,
How to fasten in the ledges,
How the stern should be completed,
How complete the boat’s forecastle. 
This the reason of my coming
To the empire of Tuoni,
To the castles of Manala: 
Came to learn these magic sayings,
Learn the lost-words of the Master.” 
Spake the hostess, Tuonetar: 
“Mana never gives these sayings,
Canst not learn them from Tuoni,
Not the lost-words of the Master;
Thou shalt never leave this kingdom,
Never in thy magic life-time,
Never go to Kalevala,
To Wainola’s peaceful meadows. 
To thy distant home and country.” 
Quick the hostess, Tuonetar,
Waves her magic wand of slumber
O’er the head of Wainamoinen,
Puts to rest the wisdom-hero,
Lays him on the couch of Mana,
In the robes of living heroes,
Deep the sleep that settles o’er him. 
In Manala lived a woman,
In the kingdom of Tuoni,
Evil witch and toothless wizard,
Spinner of the threads of iron,
Moulder of the bands of copper,
Weaver of a hundred fish-nets,