Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/34

22

There sat Pohjola’s great Master,

At the end of the long table,

And from thence he made his answer,

In the very words which follow:

“Perhaps there is within this dwelling,

Standing room for your fine courser,

Nor would I indeed forbid you

In the room a quiet corner,

Or to stand within the doorway,

In the doorway, ’neath the rafters,

In the space between two kettles,

There where three large hoes are standing.”

Then the lively Lemminkainen

Tore his black beard in his anger,

(’Twas the colour of a kettle),

And he spoke the words which follow:

“Lempo might perchance be willing,

Thus to stand within the doorway,

Where he might with soot be dirtied,

While the soot falls all around him!

But at no time did my father,

Never did my aged father

Ever stand in such a station,

In the doorway, ’neath the rafters!

There was always room sufficient

For his horse within the stable,

And a clean room for the hero,

And a place to put his gloves in,

Pegs whereon to hang his mittens,

Walls where swords may rest in order.

Why should I not also find it,

As my father always found it?”

After this he strode on further,

To the end of the long table,

At the bench-end then he sat him,

At the end of bench of firwood,

And the bench it cracked beneath him,

And the bench of firwood tottered.

Said the lively Lemminkainen,

“Seems to me that I’m unwelcome,