Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/231

Runo XLVI]

Be not frightened at the maidens,

Fear not the unbraided maidens,

Be not fearful of the women,

They the wearers of the stockings.

All the women of the household,

Quickly round the stove will gather,

When they see the hero enter,

And behold the youth advancing.”

Said the aged Väinämöinen,

“Jumala be gracious to us,

Underneath these famous rafters,

Underneath this roof so handsome.

Whither shall I take my darling,

And shall bring the shaggy creature?”

And the people spoke in answer,

“Hail, all hail to thee who comest!

Thither shall thou bring thy birdling,

Thither take thy golden beauty

To the end of pole of pinewood,

To the end of bench of iron,

That his shaggy coat we gaze on,

And his hair may well examine.

“Be not grieved for this, O Otso,

Neither let it make thee angry,

That we take thy hide an hour,

And thy hair to gaze on always.

For thy hide will not be injured,

And thy hair will not be draggled,

Like the rags of evil people,

Or the clothing of the beggars.”

Then the aged Väinämöinen

From the bear stripped off the bearskin,

On the storehouse floor he laid it,

Put the flesh into the kettles,

Put it in the gilded kettles,

In the copper caldrons placed it.

On the fire the pots arranged he,

In the blaze their sides of copper,

Filled them up, and overfilled them,

With the meat he overfilled them,