Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/68

56

Sauntered downward to the boathouse,

To the landing-stage he wandered.

There a wooden boat was weeping,

Boat with iron rowlocks grieving;

“Here am I, for sailing ready,

But, O wretched one, rejected.

Ahti rows not forth to battle,

For the space of sixty summers,

Neither for the lust of silver,

Or if need of gold should drive him.”

Then the lively Lemminkainen

Struck his glove upon the vessel,

With his coloured glove he struck it,

And he said the words which follow:

“Care thou not, O deck of pinewood,

Nor lament, O timber-sided.

Thou once more shalt go to battle,

And shalt mingle in the combat,

Shalt again be filled with warriors,

Ere to-morrow shall be ended.”

Then he went to seek his mother,

And he said the words which follow:

“Do not weep for me, O mother,

Nor lament, thou aged woman,

If I once again must wander,

And again must go to battle;

For my mind resolve has taken,

And a plan my brain has seized on,

To destroy the folk of Pohja,

And revenge me on the scoundrels.”

To restrain him sought his mother,

And the aged woman warned him:

“Do not go, my son, my dearest,

Thus ’gainst Pohjola to combat!

There perchance might death o’ercome thee,

And destruction fall upon thee.”

Little troubled Lemminkainen,

But he thought on his departure,

And he started on his journey,

And he spoke the words which follow: