Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/238

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Slipped from off the eagle’s talons,

From the great bird’s claws terrific,

But his sides were scored most deeply,

And his shoulders cleft asunder.

Once again, with iron talons,

Swooped again the furious eagle,

With his wings all fiery glowing,

And his eyes like flame that sparkled,

Seized the pike with mighty talons,

Grasped the water-dog securely,

Dragged the huge and scaly monster,

Raised him from the tossing water,

From the depths beneath the billows,

To the water’s sparkling surface.

Then the bird with claws of iron

Made a third and final effort,

Brought the mighty pike of Tuoni,

He the fish so plump and floundering,

From the river dark of Tuoni,

And from Manala’s abysses.

Scarce like water flowed the water

From the great pike’s scales stupendous;

Nor like air the air extended

When the great bird flapped his pinions.

Thus the iron-taloned eagle

Bore the pike so huge and scaly,

To the branches of an oak-tree,

To a pine-tree’s crown, wide spreading.

There he feasted on the booty,

Open ripped the fish’s belly,

Tore away the fish’s breastbone,

And the head and neck he sundered.

Said the smith, said Ilmarinen,

“O thou wicked, wicked eagle,

What a faithless bird I find you,

You have seized upon the quarry,

And have feasted on the booty,

Open ripped the fish’s belly,

Torn away the fish’s breastbone,

And the head and neck have sundered.”