Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/253

Runo XX]

Brought into the hands of maiden,

To the noble damsel’s fingers?’

“In her hands the maiden took it,

In the noble damsel’s fingers,

And she clapped her hands together,

Both her hands she rubbed together,

Rubbed them on her thighs together,

And a bee she thus created.

“And the bee she thus instructed,

And the bee she thus directed:

‘O thou bee, thou bird so nimble,

King of all the flowery meadows,

Thither fly, where I shall bid thee,

Where I bid thee and direct thee,

To an isle on ocean’s surface,

Where the reefs arise from ocean.

There a maiden lies in slumber,

With her belt of copper loosened;

By her side springs sweetest herbage,

On her lap rest honey grasses.

On thy wings bring sweetest honey,

Bring thou honey on thy clothing,

From the fairest of the herbage,

From the bloom of golden flowerets,

To the maiden’s hands convey it,

And to Osmo’s daughter’s shoulders.’

“Then the bee, that bird so nimble,

Flew away, and hastened onward,

And his journey soon accomplished,

Speeding o’er the open spaces,

First across the sea, along it,

Then in an oblique direction,

To an isle on ocean’s surface,

Where the reefs arise from ocean.

There he saw the maiden sleeping.

With a tin brooch on her bosom,

Resting in an unmowed meadow,

All among the fields of honey;

By her side grew golden grasses,

At her belt sprang silver grasses.