Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/19

Runo XXVI]

From the heavens to earth descending.

Spears they are which form the hedgestakes,

And for wattles, creeping serpents,

Thus the fence with snakes is wattled,

And among them there are lizards,

And their tails are always waving,

And their thick heads always swelling,

And their round heads always hissing,

Heads turned out, and tails turned inwards.

“On the ground are other serpents,

On the path are snakes and adders,

And above, their tongues are hissing,

And below, their tails are waving.

One of all the most terrific

Lies before the gate across it,

Longer is he than a roof-tree,

Than the roof-props is he thicker,

And above, his tongue is hissing,

And above, his mouth is hissing,

Lifted not against another,

Threatening thee, O luckless hero!”

Answered lively Lemminkainen,

Said the handsome Kaukomieli:

“Such a death is perhaps for children;

But ’tis not a death for heroes,

For I can enchant the fire,

And can quench a glowing furnace,

And can ban away the serpents,

Twist the snakes between my fingers.

Only yesterday it happened

That I ploughed a field of adders;

On the ground the snakes were twisting,

And my hands were all uncovered.

With my nails I seized the vipers,

In my hands I took the serpents,

Ten I killed among the vipers,

And the serpents black by hundreds.

Still my nails are stained with snake-blood,

And my hands with slime of serpents.

Therefore will I not permit me,