Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Complete

by Unknown

Now I end my measured singing,
Bid my weary tongue keep silence,
Leave my songs to other singers.
Horses have their times of resting
After many hours of labor;
Even sickles will grow weary
When they have been long at reaping;
Waters seek a quiet haven
After running long in rivers;
Fire subsides and sinks in slumber
At the dawning of the morning;
Therefore I should end my singing,
As my song is growing weary,
For the pleasure of the evening,
For the joy of morn arising.

Often I have heard it chanted,
Often heard the words repeated:
“Worthy cataracts and rivers
Never empty all their waters.”
Thus the wise and worthy singer
Sings not all his garnered wisdom;
Better leave unsung some sayings
Than to sing them out of season.

Thus beginning, and thus ending,
Do I roll up all my legends,
Roll them in a ball for safety,
In my memory arrange them,
In their narrow place of resting,
Lest the songs escape unheeded,
While the lock is still unopened,
While the teeth remain unparted,
And the weary tongue is silent.
Why should I sing other legends,
Chant them in the glen and forest,
Sing them on the hill and heather?
Cold and still my golden mother
Lies beneath the meadow, sleeping,
Hears my ancient songs no longer,
Cannot listen to my singing;
Only will the forest listen,
Sacred birches, sighing pine-trees,
Junipers endowed with kindness,
Alder-trees that love to bear me,
With the aspens and the willows.

When my loving mother left me,
Young was I, and low of stature;
Like the cuckoo of the forest,
Like the thrush upon the heather,
Like the lark I learned to twitter,
Learned to sing my simple measures,
Guided by a second mother,
Stern and cold, without affection;
Drove me helpless from my chamber
To the wind-side of her dwelling,
To the north-side of her cottage,
Where the chilling winds in mercy
Carried off the unprotected.
As a lark I learned to wander,
Wander as a lonely song-bird,
Through the forests and the fenlands,
Quietly o’er hill and heather;
Walked in pain about the marshes,
Learned the songs of winds and waters,
Learned the music of the ocean,
And the echoes of the woodlands.

Many men that live to murmur,
Many women live to censure,
Many speak with evil motives;
Many they with wretched voices
Curse me for my wretched singing,
Blame my tongue for speaking wisdom,
Call my ancient songs unworthy,
Blame the songs and curse the singer.
Be not thus, my worthy people,
Blame me not for singing badly,
Unpretending as a minstrel.
I have never had the teaching,
Never lived with ancient heroes,
Never learned the tongues of strangers,
Never claimed to know much wisdom.
Others have had language-masters,
Nature was my only teacher,
Woods and waters my instructors.
Homeless, friendless, lone, and needy,
Save in childhood with my mother,
When beneath her painted rafters,
Where she twirled the flying spindle,
By the work-bench of my brother,
By the window of my sister,
In the cabin of my father,
In my early days of childhood.

Be this as it may, my people,
This may point the way to others,
To the singers better gifted,
For the good of future ages,
For the coming generations,
For the rising folk of Suomi.

THE END

GLOSSARY

Aär’nï (Är’nï). The guardian of hidden treasures.
A-ha’va. The West-wind; the father of the swift dogs.
Ah’ti. The same as Lemminkainen.
Ah’to. The great god of the waters.
Ah’to-la. The water-castle of Ahto and his people.
Ah’to-lai’set. The inhabitants of Ahtola.
Ai-nik’ki. A sister of Ahti.
Ai’no (i’no). Youkahainen’s sister.
An’te-ro. A goddess of the waves.
Ai’nue-lake. The lake into which the Fire-child falls.
An-nik’ki. Ilmarinen’s sister.
An’te-ro. Another name for Wipanen, or Antero Wipunen.
Dus’ter-land. The Northland; Pimentola.
Et’e-le’tar. A daughter of the South-wind.
Fire-Child. A synonym of Panu.
Frost. The English for Pakkanen.
Hal’lap-yo’ra. A lake in Finland.
Hal’ti-a (plural Haltiat). The Genius of Finnish mythology.
Het’e-wa’ne. The Finnish name of the Pleiades.
Hi’si (original Hiisi). The Evil Principle; also called Jutas, Lempo, and Piru.
Mon’ja-tar. The daughter of the Pine-tree.
Hor’na. A sacred rock in Finland.
I’ku-Tur’so. An evil giant of the sea.
Il’ma-ri’nem. The worker of the metals; a brother of Wainamoinen.
Il’ma-tar. Daughter of the Air, and mother of Wainamoinen.
Il’po-tar. Believed to be the daughter of the Snow flake; the same as Louhi.
Im-a’tra. A celebrated waterfall near Wiborg.
In’ger-land. The present St. Petersburg.
Ja’men (Ya’men). A river of Finland.
Jor’dan. Curiously, the river of Palestine.
Jou’ka-hai’nen (You-ka-hai’nen). A celebrated minstrel of Pohyola.
Jou-ko’la (You-ko’la). The home or dwelling of Youkahainen.
Ju-ma’la (You-ma’la). Originally the heavens, then the god of the heavens, and finally God.
Ju’tas (yu’tas). The Evil Principle; Hisi, Piru, and Lempo are synonyms,
Kai’nto-lai’nen. A son of the god of metals; from his spear came the tongue of the serpent.
Ka-ler’vo. The father of Kullervo.
Ka-le’va (Kalewai’nen). The father of heroes; a hero in general.
Kal’e-va’la (kaleva, hero, and la, the place of). The land of heroes; the name of the epic poem of Finland.
Kal’e-va’tar (Kalewa’tar). Daughter of Kaleva.
Kal-e’vo. The same as Kaleva.
Ka’lew. Often used for Kaleva.
Kal’ma. The god of death.
Kam’mo. The father of Kimmo.
Kan’ka-hat’ta-ret. The goddesses of weaving.
Ka’pe. A synonym of Ilmatar, the mother of Wainamoinen.
Ka’po. A synonym of Osmotar.
Ka-re’len. A province of Finland.
Kar-ja’la, (karya’la). The seat of the waterfall, Kaatrakoski.
Kat’e-ja’tar (kataya’tar). The daughter of the Pine-tree.
Kat’ra-kos’ki (Kaatrakos’ki). A waterfall in Karjala.
Kau’ko. The same as Kaukomieli.
Kau’ko-miel’li. The same as Lemminkainen.
Kaup’pi. The Snowshoe-builder; Lylikki.
Ke’mi. A river of Finland.
Kim’mo. A name for the cow; the daughter of Kammo, the patron of the rocks.
Ki’npu-ki’nvi. The name of the rock at Hell-river, beneath which the spirits of all diseases are imprisoned.
Kir’kon-Woe’ki. Church dwarfs living under altars.
Knik’ka-no. Same as Knippana.
Knip’pa-no. Same as Tapio.
Koot’a-moi’nen. The Moon.
Kos’ken-nei’nti. The goddess of the cataract.
Kul-ler’vo. The vicious son of Kalervo.
Kul’ler-woi’nen. The same as Kullervo.
Kul’li. A beautiful daughter of Sahri.
Kun. The Moon, and the Moon-god.
Kun’tar. One of the daughters of the Moon.
Ku’ra (Kuura). The Hoar-frost; also called Tiera, a ball of ice.
Kul-lik’ki (also Kyl’li). The Sahri-maiden whom Lemminkainen kidnapped.
Lak’ka. Mother of Ilmarinen.
Lak-ko. The hostess of Kalevala.
Lem’min-kai’nen. One of the brothers of Wainamoinen; a son of Lempi.
Lem’pi-bay. A bay of Finland.
Lem’po. The Evil Principle; same as Hisi, Piru, and Jutas.
Lin’nun-ra’ta (Bird-way). The Milky-way.
Lou’hi. The hostess of Pohyola.
Low-ya’tar. Tuoni’s blind daughter, and the originator of the Plagues.
Lu’on-no’tar. One of the mystic maidens, and the nurse of Wainamoinen.
Lu’o-to’la. A bay of Finland, named with Joukola.
Ly-lik’ki (Lyylik’ki). Maker of the snow-shoe.
Maan-e’mo (man-e’mo). The mother of the Earth.
Ma’hi-set (Maa’hi-set). The invisibly small deities of Finnish mythology.
Mam’me-lai’nen. The goddess of hidden treasures.
Ma’na. A synonym of Tuoni, the god of death.
Man’a-lai’nen. The same as Mana.
Masr’i-at’ta (marja, berry). The Virgin Mary of Finnish mythology.
Mat’ka-Tep’po. The road-god.
Meh’i-lai’nen. The honey-bee.
Mel’a-tar. The goddess of the helm.
Met’so-la. The same as Tapiola, the abode of the god of the forest,
Mie-lik’ki. The hostess of the forest.
Mi-merk’ki. A synonym of Mielikki.
Mosk’va. A province of Suomi.
Mu-rik’ki (Muurik’ki). The name of the cow.
Ne’wa. A river of Finland.
Ny-rik’ki. A son of Tapio.
Os’mo. The same as Osmoinen.
Os-noi’nen. A synonym of Wainola’s hero.
Os’mo-tar. The daughter of Osmo; she directs the brewing of the beer for Ilmarinen’s wedding-feast.
O-ta’va. The Great Bear of the heavens.
Ot’so. The bear of Finland.
Poe’ivoe. The Sun, and the Sun god.
Pai’nva-tar. The goddess of the summer.
Pak’ka-nen. A synonym of Kura.
Pal-woi’nen. A synonym of Turi, and also of Wirokannas.
Pa’nu. The Fire-Child, born from the sword of Ukko.
Pa’ra. A tripod-deity, presiding over milk and cheese.
Pel’ler-woi’nen. The sower of the forests.
Pen’i-tar. A blind witch of Pohyola; and the mother of the dog.
Pik’ku Mies. The water-pigmy that felled the over-spreading oak-tree for Wainamoinen.
Pil’a-ya’tar (Pilaja’tar). The daughter of the Aspen; and the goddess of the Mountain-ash.
Pilt’ti. The maid-servant of Mariatta.
Pi’nmen-to’la. A province of Finland; another name for Pohyola.
Pi’nru. The same as Lempo, Jutas, and Hisi.
Pi’sa. A mountain of Finland.
Poh’ya (Poh’ja). An abbreviated form for Pohyola.
Poh-yo’la (Poh-jo’la). The Northland; Lapland.
Pok-ka’nen. The Frost, the son of Puhuri; a synonym of Tiera.
Puh-hu’ri. The North-wind; the father of Pakkanen.
Rem’men. The father of the hop-vine.
Re’mu. The same as Remmen.
Ru-o’tus. A persecutor of the Virgin Mariatta.
Rut’ya (Rut’ja). A waterfall of Northland.
Sah’ri (Saari). The home of Kyllikki.
Sam’po. The jewel that Ilmarinen forges from the magic metals; a talisman of success to the possessor; a continual source of strife between the tribes of the North.
Samp’sa. A synonym of Pellerwoinen.
Sa’ra. The same as Sariola.
Sar’i-o’la. The same as Pohyola.
Sat’ka. A goddess of the sea.
Sa’wa (Sa’wo). The eastern part of Finland.
Sim’a Pil’li (Honey-flute). The flute of Sima-suu.
Sim’a-Suu. One of the maidens of Tapio.
Sin’e-tar. The goddess of the blue sky.
Si-net’ta-ret. The goddesses of dyeing.
Suk’ka-mie’li. The goddess of love.
Suo’mi (swo’mi). The ancient abode of the Finns.
Suo’ne-tar (swone-tar). The goddess of the veins.
Suo-wak’ko. An old wizard of Pohyola.
Suo’ya-tar (Syo’jatar). The mother of the serpent.
Su’ve-tar (Suve, summer). Goddess of the South-wind
Su-wan’to-lai’nen. Another name for Wainamoinen.
Taeh’ti. The Polar Star.
Ta-he’tar. The daughter of the Stars.
Tai’nvas. The firmament in general.
Ta-ni’nka. A magic mansion of Pohja.
Ta’pi-o. The god of the forest.
Tel-le’rvo. A daughter of Tapio.
Ter’he-ne’tar. Daughter of the Fog.
Tie’ra. Same as Kura; the Hoar-frost.
Tont’tu. A little house-spirit.
Tu’a-me’tar. Daughter of the Alder-tree.
Tu-le’tar (Tuule’tar). A goddess of the winds.
Tu-lik’ki (Tuullk’ki). One of the daughters of Tapio.
Tu’o-ne’la. The abode of Tuoni.
Tuo’nen Poi’nka. The son of Tuoni.
Tu’o-ne’tar. The hostess of Death-land; a daughter of Tuoni.
Tu-o’ni. The god of death.
Tu’ri (Tuuri). The god of the Honey-land.
Turja (tur’ya). Another name for Pohya.
Tur’ya-lan’der. An epithet for one of the tribe of Louhi.
Tur’ya (Tyrja). A name for the waterfall of Rutya.
Uk’ko. The Great Spirit of Finnish mythology; his abode is in Jumala.
Uk’on-koi’nva (Ukko’s dog). The messenger of Ukko; the butterfly.
U’lap-pa’la. Another term for the abode of Tuoni.
Un’du-tar. Goddess of the fog.
U’ni. The god of sleep.
Un’ta-ma’la. A synonym for “the dismal Sariola.”
Un-ta’mo. The god of dreams; the dreamer; a brother of Kalervo, and his enemy.
Un’tar. The same as Undutar.
Un’to. The same as Untamo.
Utu-tyt’to. The same as Undutar.
Wai’nam-oi’nen (Vainamoinen). The chief hero of the Kalevala; the hero of Wainola, whose mother, Ilmatar, fell from the air into the ocean.
Wai’no (Vai’no). The same as Wainamoinen.
Wai-no’la. The home of Wainamoinen and his people; a synonym of Kalevala.
Wel-la’mo. The hostess of the waters.
Wet’e-hi’nen. An evil god of the sea.
Wi-pu’nen (Vipu’nen). An old song-giant that swallowed Wainamoinen searching for the “lost words.”
Wi’nro-kan’nas (Virokan’nas). Ruler of the wilderness; the slayer of the huge bull of Suomi; the priest that baptizes the son of Mariatta.
Wo’ya-lan’der (Vuojalan’der). An epithet for Laplander.
Wuok’sen (Vuo’ksen). A river in the east of Finland.
Wuok’si. The same as Wuoksen.

THE END.