Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/170

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Who could make a harp of fishbones,

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,

Then began the harp to fashion,

And himself the work accomplished,

And he made a harp of pikebones,

Fit to give unending pleasure.

Out of what did he construct it?

Chiefly from the great pike’s jawbones,

Whence obtained he pegs to suit it?

Of the teeth of pike he made them;

Out of what were harpstrings fashioned?

From the hairs of Hiisi’s gelding.

Now the instrument was ready,

And the kantele completed,

Fashioned from the pike’s great jawbones,

And from fins of fish constructed.

Thereupon the youths came forward,

Forward came the married heroes,

And the half-grown boys came forward,

And the little girls came likewise,

Maidens young, and aged women,

And the women middle-aged,

All advanced the harp to gaze on,

And the instrument examine.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,

Bade the young folks and the old ones,

And the people middle-aged,

With their fingers play upon it,

On the instrument of fishbone,

On the kantele of fishbone.

Played the young and played the aged,

Likewise played the middle-agèd,

Played the young, and moved their fingers,

Tried the old, whose heads were shaking,

But they drew no music from it,

Nor composed a tune when playing.

Said the lively Lemminkainen,

“O ye boys half-witted only,

And ye maidens, all so stupid,

And you other wretched people,