Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/165

Runo XIV]

Open now thy clefts in heaven,

And in all the sky thy windows,

Let the iron hail fall downwards,

Send thou down the frozen masses,

On the mane of that good courser,

On the back of Hiisi’s courser.”

Ukko then, the great Creator,

Jumala ’mid clouds exalted,

Heard and rent the air asunder,

Clove in twain the vault of heaven,

Scattered ice, and scattered iceblocks,

Scattered down the iron hailstones,

Smaller than a horse’s head is,

Larger than a head of man is,

On the mane of that good courser,

On the back of Hiisi’s courser.

Then the lively Lemminkainen,

Forward stepped to gaze about him,

And advanced for observation,

And he spoke the words which follow:

“Hiitola’s most mighty courser,

Mountain foal, with mane all foam-flecked,

Give me now thy golden muzzle,

Stretch thou forth thy head of silver,

Push it in the golden bridle,

With the bit of shining silver.

I will never treat you badly,

And I will not drive you harshly,

And our way is but a short one,

And ’tis but a little journey,

Unto Pohjola’s bleak homestead,

To my cruel foster-mother.

With a rope I will not flog you,

With a switch I will not drive you,

But with silken cords will lead you,

With a strip of cloth will drive you.”

Then the chestnut horse of Hiisi,

Hiisi’s horse, with mane all foam-flecked,

Forward stretched his golden muzzle,

Forward reached his head of silver,

Rh