Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/98

78

“Is there any in this household,

Who can heal the wounds of iron,

Who can check this rushing bloodstream,

And can stay the dark red torrent?”

By the stove an old man rested,

On the stove-bed lay a greybeard,

From the stove the old man mumbled,

And the greybeard cried in answer,

“Stemmed before were greater torrents,

Greater floods than this were hindered,

By three words of the Creator,

By the mighty words primeval.

Brooks and streams were checked from flowing,

Mighty streams in cataracts falling,

Bays were formed in rocky headlands,

Tongues of land were linked together.”

the aged Väinämöinen

In the sledge at once stood upright,

From the sledge he sprang unaided,

And courageously stood upright.

To the room he hastened quickly,

And beneath the roof he hurried.

There they brought a silver beaker,

And a golden goblet likewise,

But they proved by far too little,

Holding but the smallest measure

Of the blood of aged Väinö,

From the hero’s foot that spouted.