Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/14

2

Bring thou food, and bring it quickly,

That the hungry man may eat it,

And the moody man devour it,

While they warm the bathroom for me,

And the bathroom set in order,

That the man may wash and cleanse him,

And adorn him like a hero.”

Then did Lemminkainen’s mother,

Bring him food, and bring it quickly,

That the hungry man might eat it,

And the moody man devour it,

While they put the bath in order,

And arranged the bathroom for him.

Then the lively Lemminkainen

Quickly ate the food she gave him,

Hurried then into the bathroom,

Hastened quickly to the bathroom,

There it was the finch now washed him,

There the bullfinch washed and cleansed him,

Washed his head to flaxen whiteness,

And his throat to shining whiteness.

From the bath the room he entered,

And he spoke the words which follow:

“O my mother, aged woman,

Seek the storehouse on the mountain,

Bring me thence my shirt, the fine one,

Likewise bring the finest clothing,

That I now may put it on me,

And may fitly clothe me in it.”

But his mother asked him quickly,

Asked him thus, the aged woman,

“Whither goes my son, my dearest,

Dost thou go to hunt the lynxes,

Or to chase the elk on snowshoes,

Or perchance to shoot a squirrel?”

Answered lively Lemminkainen,

Said the handsome Kaukomieli,

“O my mother who hast borne me,

Not to hunt the lynx I wander,

Nor to chase the elk on snowshoes,