Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/139

Runo XII]

Do thou not go forth to battle!

In the house is beer in plenty,

In the barrels made of alder,

And behind the taps of oakwood.

It is seasoned now for drinking,

And all day canst thou be singing.”

Said the lively Lemminkainen,

“But for home-brewed ale I care not,

Rather would I drink stream-water,

From the end of tarry rudder,

And this drink were sweeter to me

Than the beer in all our cellars.

Bring me here my war-shirt quickly,

Bring me, too, my mail for battle.

I will seek the homes of Pohja,

And o’erthrow the youths of Lapland,

And for gold will ask the people,

And I will demand their silver.”

Then said Lemminkainen’s mother,

“O my son, my dearest Ahti,

We ourselves have gold in plenty,

Silver plenty in the storeroom.

Only yesterday it happened,

In the early hours of morning,

Ploughed the slave a field of vipers,

Full of twining, twisting serpents,

And a chest-lid raised the ploughshare,

And the chest was full of money.

Coins by hundreds there were hidden,

Thousands there were squeezed together,

To our stores the chest was carried,

In the loft we stored it safely.”

Said the lively Lemminkainen,

“Nought I care for home-stored treasures.

I will win me marks in battle,

Treasures won by far are better,

Than the gold in all our storerooms,

Or the silver found in ploughing.

Bring me here my war-shirt quickly,

Bring me, too, my mail for battle,