Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/289

Runo XXIII]

For the baby there is crying,

Crying underneath the blanket,

And the poor child still is speechless,

And its tongue no words can utter,

Whether it is cold or hungry,

Or if something else annoys it,

Ere its well-known friend is coming,

And the mother’s voice it heareth.

“When into the room thou comest,

Come thou fourth into the chamber;

In thy hand a water-bucket,

Underneath thy arm a besom,

And between thy teeth a pine-chip;

Thou art then the fourth among them.

“Sweep thou then the floor to cleanness,

Sweep thou carefully the planking,

And upon the floor pour water,

Not upon the heads of babies.

If you see a child there lying,

Though thy sister-in-law’s the infant,

Up upon the bench then lift it,

Wash its eyes, and smooth its hair down,

Put some bread into its handies,

And upon the bread spread butter,

But if bread perchance be wanting,

Put a chip into its handies.

“Then the tables must be scoured,

At the week-end at the latest;

Wash them, and the sides remember,

Let the legs be not forgotten;

Then the benches wash with water,

Sweep thou too the walls to cleanness,

And the boards of all the benches,

And the walls with all their corners.

“If there’s dust upon the tables,

Or there’s dust upon the windows,

Dust them carefully with feathers,

Wipe them with a wetted duster,

That the dust should not be scattered,

Nor should settle on the ceiling.