Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/63

Runo XXIX]

Which to solid land was changing,

And became a promontory.

On the cape he found a homestead,

Where he found the mistress baking,

And her daughters dough were kneading.

“O thou very gracious mistress,

If you but perceived my hunger,

Thought upon my sad condition,

You would hurry to the storehouse,

To the alehouse like a snowstorm,

And a can of ale would fetch me,

And a strip of pork would fetch me,

In the pan would broil it for me,

And would pour some butter on it,

That the weary man might eat it,

And the fainting hero drink it.

Nights and days have I been swimming

Out upon the broad lake’s billows,

With the wind as my protector,

At the mercy of the lake-waves.”

Thereupon the gracious mistress

Hastened to the mountain storehouse,

Sliced some butter in the storehouse,

And a slice of pork provided,

In the pan thereafter broiled it,

That the hungry man might eat it.

Then she fetched of ale a canful,

For the fainting hero’s drinking,

And she gave him a new vessel,

And a boat completely finished,

Which to other lands should take him,

And convey him to his birthplace.

Then the lively Lemminkainen

Started on his homeward journey,

Saw the lands and saw the beaches,

Here the islands, there the channels,

Saw the ancient landing-stages,

Saw the former dwelling-places,

And he saw the pine-clad mountains,

All the hills with fir-trees covered,