Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/208

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Head bowed down, and sadly grieving,

And his cap awry adjusted,

And he said the words which follow:

“Unto me is lost for ever

Pleasure from the harp of pike-teeth,

From the harp I made of fish-bone.”

As he wandered through the country,

On the borders of the woodlands,

There he heard a birch-tree weeping,

And a speckled tree lamenting,

And in that direction hastened,

Walking till he reached the birch-tree.

Thereupon he spoke and asked it,

“Wherefore weep’st thou, beauteous birch-tree,

Shedding tears, O green-leaved birch-tree,

By thy belt of white conspicuous?

To the war thou art not taken,

Longest not for battle-struggle.”

Answer made the leaning birch-tree,

And the green-leaved tree responded:

“There is much that I could speak of,

Many things I might reflect on,

How I best might live in pleasure,

And I might rejoice for pleasure.

I am wretched in my sorrow,

And can but rejoice in trouble,

Living with my life o’erclouded,

And lamenting in my sorrow.

“And I weep my utter weakness,

And my worthlessness lament for,

I am poor, and all unaided,

Wholly wretched, void of succour,

Here in such an evil station,

On a plain among the willows.

“Perfect happiness and pleasure

Others always are expecting,

When arrives the beauteous summer,

In the warm days of the summer.

But my fate is different, wretched,

Nought but wretchedness awaits me;