Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/207

Runo XLIV]

Forged for him a rake of iron,

Furnished with a copper handle,

Teeth in length a hundred fathoms,

And the handle full five hundred.

Then the aged Väinämöinen

Took the mighty rake of iron,

And a little way he wandered,

Made a very little journey,

Till he reached the quay, steel-fitted,

And the landing-stage of copper.

There he found a boat, found two boats,

Both the boats were waiting ready

On the quay, with steel all fitted,

On the landing-stage of copper,

And the first boat was a new one,

And the second was an old one.

Said the aged Väinämöinen,

To the new boat firstly speaking:

“Go, thou boat, into the water,

To the waves, O vessel, rush thou,

Even though no arm should turn thee,

Even though no thumbs should touch thee.”

Sped the boat into the water,

Rushed amid the waves the vessel.

Old and steadfast Väinämöinen,

In the stern made haste to seat him,

And he went to sweep the water,

And to sweep among the billows.

Scattered leaves of water-lilies,

Raked he up among the shore-drift,

All the rubbish raked together,

All the rubbish, bits of rushes,

Every scrap he raked together,

All the shoals with care raked over,

But he found not, nor discovered,

Where his pike-bone harp was hidden,

And this joy was gone for ever,

With the kantele was sunken.

Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,

Then returned unto his dwelling,