Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/110

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But the salve was still unfinished,

Nor the magic ointment ready;

Grasses to the mass he added,

Added herbs of many species,

Which were brought from other places,

Gathered on a hundred pathways,

These were culled by nine magicians,

And by eight wise seers discovered.

Then for three nights more he boiled it,

And for nine nights in succession;

Took the pot from off the furnace,

And the salve with care examined,

If the salve was fit for using,

And the magic ointment ready

Here there grew a branching aspen,

On the borders of the cornfield,

And in twain he broke the aspen,

And the tree completely severed,

With the magic salve he smeared it,

Carefully the ointment tested,

And he spoke the words which follow:

“As I with this magic ointment

Smear the injured crown all over,

Let no harm be left upon it,

Let the aspen stand uninjured,

Even as it stood aforetime.”

Then at once was healed the aspen,

Even as it stood aforetime,

And its crown was far more lovely,

And the trunk below was healthy.

Then again he took the ointment,

And the salve again he tested,

And on broken stones he tried it,

And on shattered rocks he rubbed it,

And the stone with stone knit firmly,

And the cracks were fixed together.

From the forge the boy came homeward,

When the salve was fit for using,

With the ointment quite perfected,

In the old man’s hands he placed it.