Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/309

Runo XXIV]

Nor upset upon the tree-stumps,

Nor upset in stony places.

“O thou loved and youthful bridegroom,

Handsomest of all the people,

Never may’st thou send the damsel,

Never may’st thou push the fair one

In the corner there to loiter,

Or to rummage in the corner.

In her father’s house she never,

Never in her mother’s household,

Went to loiter in the corner,

Or to rummage in the corner.

Always sat she at the window,

In the room she sat, and rocked her,

As her father’s joy at evening,

And her mother’s love at morning.

“Never may’st thou, luckless husband,

Never may’st thou lead thy dovekin,

Where with arum-roots the mortar,

Stands, the rind to pound from off them,

Or her bread from straw prepare her,

Neither from the shoots of fir-trees.

In her father’s house she never,

In her tender mother’s household,

Needed thus to use the mortar,

Pounding thus the rind from marsh-roots,

Nor from straw her bread prepare her,

Neither from the shoots of fir-tree.

“May’st thou always lead this dovekin

To a slope with corn abundant,

Or to help her from the rye-bins,

From the barley-bins to gather,

Whence large loaves of bread to bake her,

And the best of ale to brew her,

Loaves of wheaten-bread to bake her,

Kneaded dough for cakes prepare her.

“Bridegroom, dearest of my brothers,

Never may’st thou make this dovekin,

Nor may’st cause our tender gosling,

Down to sit, and weep in sadness.

Rh