Kalevala, The Land of the Heroes, Volume Two. Anonymous

Runo XXVIII.—Lemminkainen and his Mother

       Table of Contents

      Argument

      Lemminkainen escapes with all speed from Pohjola, comes home and asks his mother where he can hide himself from the people of Pohjola, who will soon attack him in his home, a hundred to one (1-164). His mother reproaches him for his expedition to Pohjola, suggests various places of concealment, and at length advises him to go far across the lakes to a distant island, where his father once lived in peace during a year of great war (165-294).

      Then did Ahti Saarelainen,

       He the lively Lemminkainen,

       Haste to reach a place for hiding,

       Hasten quickly to remove him

       From the gloomy land of Pohja,

       From the gloomy house of Sara.

      From the room he rushed like snowfall,

       To the yard like snake he hurried,

       That he might escape the evil,

       From the crime he had committed. 10

      When he came into the courtyard,

       Then he gazed around and pondered,

       Seeking for the horse he left there,

       But he nowhere saw him standing;

       In the field a stone was standing, On the waste a clump of willows.

      Who will come to give him counsel,

       Who will now advise and help him,

       That his head come not in danger,

       And his hair remain uninjured, 20

       Nor his handsome hair be draggled

       In the courtyard foul of Pohja?

       In the village heard he shouting,

       Uproar too from other homesteads,

       Lights were shining in the village,

       Eyes were at the open windows.

      Then must lively Lemminkainen,

       Then must Ahti Saarelainen,

       Alter now his shape completely,

       And transform without delaying, 30

       And must soar aloft as eagle,

       Up to heaven to soar attempting;

       But the sun his face was scorching,

       And the moon shone on his temples.

      Then the lively Lemminkainen,

       Sent aloft a prayer to Ukko:

       "Ukko, Jumala most gracious,

       Thou the wisest in the heavens,

       Of the thunderclouds the leader,

       Of the scattered clouds the ruler! 40

       Let it now be gloomy weather,

       And a little cloudlet give me,

       So that under its protection

       I may hasten homeward quickly,

       Homeward to my dearest mother,

       Unto the revered old woman."

      As he flew upon his journey,

       As he chanced to look behind him,

       There he saw a hawk, a grey one,

       And its eyes were fiery-glowing, 50

       As it were the son of Pohja,

       Like the former lord of Pohja.

      And the grey hawk called unto him,

       "Ahti, O my dearest brother,

       Think you on our former combat,

       Head to head in equal contest?"

      Then said Ahti Saarelainen,

       Said the handsome Kaukomieli,

       "O my hawk, my bird so charming,

       Turn thyself and hasten homeward, 60

       To the place from which you started,

       To the gloomy land of Pohja.

       Hard it is to catch the eagle,

       Clutch the strong-winged bird with talons."

      Then he hurried quickly homeward,

       Homeward to his dearest mother,

       And his face was full of trouble,

       And his heart with care o'erladen.

      Then his mother came to meet him,

       As along the path he hurried, 70

       As he past the fence was walking,

       And his mother first bespoke him.

       "O my son, my son, my youngest,

       Thou the strongest of my children!

       Why returnest thou so sadly,

       Home from Pohjola's dark regions?

       Hast thou harmed thyself by drinking

       At the drinking-bout of Pohja?

       If the goblet made thee suffer,

       Here a better one awaits thee, 80

       Which thy father won in battle,

       Which he fought for in the contest."

      Said the lively Lemminkainen,

       "O my mother who hast borne me,

       If the goblet made me suffer,

       I would overcome the masters,

       Overcome a hundred heroes,

       And would face a thousand heroes."

      Then said Lemminkainen's mother,

       "Wherefore art thou then in trouble? 90

       If the horse has overcome you,

       Wherefore let the horse annoy you?

       If the horse has overcome you,