“Poor men are always fond of gaudy garments,” whispered the mother; and then remembering [[215]]the law of the hostess she hastened to greet the unwelcome guest. She led the hero into the low-raftered hall and gave him a seat beside the smouldering fire. She stirred the coals and threw on wood; the flames leaped up and filled the room with brightness.
Then the Maid of Beauty came forward with the bowl of honey and the pitcher of milk, a smile on her lips and a sparkle in her eye. “Welcome, weary traveller!” she said. “Eat, drink, and be refreshed.”
“Nay, nay,” answered the hero. “Never under the silver moon will I taste of food till my desire is granted me—till I have leave to take and wed the maiden who is the desire of my heart.”
The grim old Mistress grew grimmer still as she answered him: “When wilful maidens choose ’tis folly for mothers to refuse. But never should suitor win his bride too easily, lest doing so he prize her too lightly. The Maid of Beauty is waiting for you, Ilmarinen, but before you take her your courage must be tested, you must perform the task that I require of you.”
“Name the task, and I will do it,” said Ilmarinen boastfully as of yore. “Was it not I [[216]]who hammered the sky? Did I not forge the Sampo and shape its lid of rainbow colors?”
“But this task is different,” responded the Mistress, “and if you fail your life is endangered.”
“Tell me what it is and I will perform it,” answered the hero. “I will drain the sea, I will level the mountains, I will snatch the moon from its place in the sky if you so command me. I will do anything to win from you the great treasure, the priceless Maid of Beauty.”
“No doubt the feats you name are easy,” said the Mistress; “but I shall require a harder one. Before you are permitted to take the Maid of Beauty you must plough the field of serpents that lies in the barren lands beyond the forest of pine. Twelve furrows you must make lengthwise of the field, and twelve furrows you must make crosswise; and you must plough it deep, without touching either beam or handles.”[1]
“I have heard of that fearful field,” said Ilmarinen. “No man has ever yet gone into it and lived. It is more dreadful even than Tuoni’s silent kingdom.” [[217]]
“Yes, one man has lived,” then spoke the Maid of Beauty. “One man, in the old, old times, furrowed the field with a copper ploughshare drawn by horses of fire. The beam was of red-hot iron and the handles were of living flame. The name of that hero was Piru, and after he had performed his task he came from the field of horrors unbitten and unharmed. Surely, the task which he performed was hard, but if he succeeded why may not another hero do likewise?”