Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/36

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O’er the cloud-encompassed headland,

And the island’s misty summit.

Then the wastes were clothed with verdure,

And the woods grew up and flourished;

Leaves on trees and grass in meadows.

In the trees the birds were singing,

Loudly sang the cheery throstle;

In the tree-tops called the cuckoo.

Then the earth brought forth her berries;

Shone the fields with golden blossoms;

Herbs of every species flourished;

Plants and trees of all descriptions;

But the barley would not flourish,

Nor the precious seed would ripen.

Then the aged Väinämöinen,

Walked around, and deeply pondered,

By the blue waves’ sandy margin,

On the mighty ocean’s border,

And six grains of corn he found there,

Seven fine seeds of corn he found there,

On the borders of the ocean,

On the yielding, sandy margin.

In a marten’s skin he placed them,

From the leg of summer squirrel.

Then he went to sow the fallows;

On the ground the seeds to scatter,

Near to Kaleva’s own fountain,

And upon the field of Osmo.

From a tree there chirped the titmouse:

“Osmo’s barley will not flourish,

Nor will Kaleva’s oats prosper,

While untilled remains the country,

And uncleared remains the forest,

Nor the fire has burned it over.”

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,

Ground his axe-blade edge to sharpness

And began to fell the forest,

Toiling hard to clear the country.

All the lovely trees he levelled,

Sparing but a single birch-tree,