Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/240

220

Then did Pohjola’s old Mistress

Answer in the words which follow:

“Yes, the maiden now is ready,

She for whom you longed and laboured.

I will give my tender duckling,

And prepare the duck I cherished,

For the smith, for Ilmarinen,

At his side to sit for ever,

On his knee as wife to seat her,

Dove-like in his arms to nestle.”

On the floor a child was sitting,

On the floor a child was singing:

“To our room there came already,

Came a bird into our castle;

From the north-east flew an eagle,

Through the sky a hawk came flying,

In the air one wing was flapping,

On the sea the other rested,

With his tail he swept the ocean,

And to heaven his head he lifted;

And he gazed around, and turned him,

Back and forth the eagle hovered,

Perched upon the heroes’ castle,

And his beak he whetted on it,

But the roof was formed of iron,

And he could not pierce within it.

“So he gazed around and turned him,

Back and forth the eagle hovered,

Perched upon the women’s castle,

And his beak he whetted on it,

But the roof was formed of copper,

And he could not pierce within it.

“So he gazed around and turned him,

Back and forth the eagle hovered,

Perched upon the maidens’ castle,

And his beak he whetted on it,

And the roof was formed of linen,

And he forced his way within it.

“Then he perched upon the chimney,

Then upon the floor descended,