The Kalevala (Oxford World’s Classics) by Lönnrot Elias & Keith Bosley

Author:Lönnrot, Elias & Keith Bosley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2008-10-08T16:00:00+00:00

24. Departure

Now the maid has been advised

the bride instructed.

Next I’ll address my brother

to my bridegroom speak by mouth:

‘Bridegroom, my splendid brother

better still than a brother

dearer than my mother’s child

milder than my father’s child:

listen while ’tis me talking

’tis me talking and speaking

about this hemp-bird of yours

this hen you have got!

Bridegroom, thank your luck

for the good catch you have made;

when you thank, thank well!

Good you got and good you found

good your Creator promised

good the merciful one gave:

tell out thanks to the father

to the mother even more

who lulled such a girl

such a bride as this!

Pure the maid you have

bright the maid you wed

white the one you hold

fair the one you keep

strong the daughter at your side

and full-blooded beside you

strong the daughter, a thresher

charming winnower of hay

a superb washerwoman

a lively bleacher of clothes

an able spinner of thread

a nimble weaver of cloth.

Her reed slammed out loud

like a cuckoo on a hill

and her shuttle whizzed

like a stoat in a wood-stack

and her spool whirred like

a cone in a squirrel’s mouth:

the village could not sleep tight

nor could the townsfolk slumber

for the tap of the maid’s reed

for the buzz of her shuttle.

‘Bridegroom, dear youngster

fair husband-to-be:

forge a scythe that’s sharp, fit it

into a handle that’s good—

carve in the gateway

hammer on a stump;

and when daylight comes

lead the maid on to the turf:

you will see how the hay snaps

the tough hay crackles

the sedge swishes down

the sorrel tumbles

a hummock goes too

and a sapling breaks.

When the next day comes

fetch a fit shuttle

a decent batten

a proper breast beam

cut handsome treadles

fetch all weaving-tools

put the maiden to the loom

the batten into her grasp:

only then will the reed slam

the loom thud, the clanking be

heard in the village

the reed’s rattle further off.

24:71–142

The hags will think about that

the village women will ask:

“Who is weaving cloth?”

It will suit you to answer:

“My own darling is weaving

my sweetheart is clattering.

Has the cloth rucked up

the reed missed a thread?”

“No, the cloth has not rucked up

nor has the reed missed a thread:

’tis as though woven by Moon-daughter

spun by Sun-daughter

wrought by the Great Bear’s daughter

finished off by Star-daughter.”

‘Bridegroom, dear youngster

fair husband-to-be:

now that you’re leaving

and driving from here

with your young maiden

beside your fair hen

don’t drag your sparrow

this hemp-bird of yours

into the bank, or

drive her into fence corners

or spill her upon a stump

or tip her over on rocks!

Never in her father’s home

in her fair mother’s farmyards

was the maid dragged into banks

driven into fence corners

spilt upon a stump

tipped over on rocks.

Bridegroom, dear youngster

fair husband-to-be:

don’t lead your maiden

convey your darling

to grumble in nooks

to grouse in crannies!

Never at her father’s home

in her mother’s cabins did

she grumble in nooks

or grouse in crannies:

she always sat at windows

tripped in the middle of floors

at evenings her father’s joy

at mornings mother’s darling.

Just don’t, poor bridegroom

don’t you lead this hen

to the hunger-bread mortar

don’t set her pounding bark-bread

or baking straw-bread

or beating pine-bread!

Never at her father’s home

in her fair mother’s farmyard

was she led to that mortar

set pounding bark-bread

or baking straw-bread

or beating pine-bread.

No, you lead this hen

lead her to a corn-hummock

to unload a bin of rye

to take a bin of barley

to make a thick loaf

skilfully brew beer

to bake a wheat

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