Whence arose thy fangs of poison? 
From the teeth of Mana’s daughter. 
Whence then was thy back created? 
From the carbon-posts of Piru. 
How then was thy tail created? 
From the brain of the hobgoblin. 
Whence arose thy writhing entrails? 
From the death-belt of Tuoni. 
“This thine origin, O Serpent,
This thy charm of evil import,
Vilest thing of God’s creation,
Writhing, hissing thing of evil,
With the color of Tuoni,
With the shade of earth and heaven,
With the darkness of the storm-cloud. 
Get thee hence, thou loathsome monster,
Clear the pathway of this hero. 
I am mighty Lemminkainen,
On my journey to Pohyola,
To the feastings and carousals,
In the halls of darksome Northland.” 
Thereupon the snake uncoiling,
Hundred-eyed and heinous monster,
Crawled away to other portals,
That the hero, Kaukomieli,
Might proceed upon his errand,
To the dismal Sariola,
To the feastings and carousals
In the banquet-halls of Pohya.

RUNE XXVII.

THE UNWELCOME GUEST.

I have brought young Kaukomieli,
Brought the Islander and hero,
Also known as Lemminkainen,
Through the jaws of death and ruin,
Through the darkling deeps of Kalma,
To the homesteads of Pohyola,
To the dismal courts of Louhi;
Now must I relate his doings,
Must relate to all my bearers,
How the merry Lemminkainen,
Handsome hero, Kaukomieli,
Wandered through Pohyola’s chambers,
Through the halls of Sariola,
How the hero went unbidden
To the feasting and carousal,
Uninvited to the banquet. 
Lemminkainen full of courage,
Full of life, and strength, and magic. 
Stepped across the ancient threshold,
To the centre of the court-room,
And the floors of linwood trembled,
Walls and ceilings creaked and murmured. 
Spake the reckless Lemminkainen,
These the words that Ahti uttered: 
“Be ye greeted on my coming,
Ye that greet, be likewise greeted! 
Listen, all ye hosts of Pohya;
Is there food about this homestead,
Barley for my hungry courser,
Beer to give a thirsty stranger? 
Sat the host of Sariola
At the east end of the table,
Gave this answer to the questions: 
“Surely is there in this homestead,
For thy steed an open stable,
Never will this host refuse thee,
Shouldst thou act a part becoming,
Worthy, coming to these portals,
Waiting near the birchen rafters,
In the spaces by the kettles,
By the triple hooks of iron.” 
Then the reckless Lemminkainen
Shook his sable locks and answered: 
“Lempo may perchance come hither,
Let him fill this lowly station,
Let him stand between the kettles,
That with soot he may be blackened. 
Never has my ancient father,
Never has the dear old hero,
Stood upon a spot unworthy,
At the portals near the rafters;