Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/245

Runo XLVII]

Which has just dropped down from heaven,

From above the clouds has fallen.”

Then the woman gave them answer,

And she spoke the words which follow:

“Hard it is to track the fire,

And the bright flame to discover.

It has evil wrought already,

And the flame has crime committed,

For the red spark has shot downward,

And the red ball has descended

From the realms of the Creator,

Where it was by Ukko kindled,

Through the level plains of heaven,

Through the void aerial spaces,

Downwards through the sooty smoke-hole,

Downward through the seasoned roof-tree

Of the new-built house of Tuuri,

Of a wretched roofless dwelling.

“When the fire at length came thither,

In the new-built house of Tuuri,

Evil deeds he then accomplished,

Shocking deeds he then accomplished,

Burning up the maidens’ bosoms,

Tearing at the breasts of maidens,

And the knees of boys destroying,

And the master’s beard consuming.

“And her child the mother suckled,

In a cradle of misfortune.

Thither, too, the fire rushed onward,

And its evil work accomplished,

In the cradle burned the baby,

Burning, too, the mother’s bosom,

And the child went off to Mana,

And the boy went straight to Tuoni.

Thus it was the infant perished,

And was cast into destruction,

In the red flame’s fiery torture,

In the anguish of its glowing.

“Great the knowledge of the mother,

And to Manala she went not.