Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/224

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Till the heath-stems all were covered,

On the ground the berry-bushes.

Then the smith, e’en Ilmarinen,

In his sledge of iron sat him,

And he spoke the words which follow,

And in words like these expressed him:

“On my reins attend good fortune,

Jumala my sledge protecting,

That my reins good fortune fail not,

Nor my sledge may break, O Jumala!”

In one hand the reins he gathered,

And the whip he grasped with other,

O’er the horse the whip he brandished,

And he spoke the words which follow:

“Whitebrow, speed thou quickly onward,

Haste away, O flaxen-maned one.”

On the way the horse sprang forward,

On the water’s sandy margin,

By the shores of Sound of Sima,

Past the hills with alders covered.

On the shore the sledge went rattling,

On the beach the shingle clattered.

In his eyes the sand was flying,

To his breast splashed up the water.

Thus he drove one day, a second,

Drove upon the third day likewise,

And at length upon the third day,

Overtook old Väinämöinen,

And he spoke the words which follow,

And in words like these expressed him:

“O thou aged Väinämöinen,

Let us make a friendly compact,

That although we both are seeking,

And we both would woo the maiden,

Yet by force we will not seize her,

Nor against her will shall wed her.”

Said the aged Väinämöinen,

“I will make a friendly compact,

That we will not seize the maiden,

Nor against her will shall wed her.