Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/275

Runo L]

She has been too long a herd-girl,

With the flocks too far has wandered.”

And she bore her heavy burden,

And the pain it brought upon her,

Bore it seven months, bore it eight months,

Bore it through the ninth month also,

By the reckoning of old women,

And for half the tenth month also.

While the tenth month thus was passing,

Then the girl was filled with anguish,

Grievous sufferings came upon her,

And the weight oppressed her sorely.

For a bath she asked her mother,

“O my very dearest mother,

Make a warm place ready for me,

And a warm room ready for me,

Where the girl awhile may rest her.

In the house of suffering women.”

But her mother gave her answer,

Answered thus, the aged woman:

“Woe to thee, O whore of Hiisi,

Tell me now with whom thou restedst,

With a man as yet unmarried,

Or beside a married hero?“

Marjatta the petted damsel,

Then replied to her in thiswise:

“Neither with a man unmarried,

Nor with any married hero,

But I sought the hill of berries,

And I went to pluck the cranberries,

And I took what seemed a berry,

And upon my tongue I laid it,

Quickly in my throat it glided,

And it dropped into my stomach.

Thus it is that I am pregnant,

Thus it comes that I am pregnant.”

For a bath she asked her father,

“O my very dearest father,

Give me now a well-warmed refuge,

Make a warm room ready for me,