oak and
made the pegs from it.

But the harp was not yet finished, for the five strings were still
lacking. Then Wainamoinen journeyed on through the forest, until at
length he came to where a forest-maiden was sitting on a mound and
singing, and her long golden hair was falling loose over her shoulders.
So Wainamoinen went up to her and begged her to give him some of her
golden tresses, from which to weave the five strings for the kantele.
And the maiden willingly gave up a portion of her golden hair, and from
it Wainamoinen wove five strings, and at last the second kantele was
complete. Then Wainamoinen sat down upon a rock and placed the kantele
upon his knees, and after putting all the strings in tune he began to
play. The fairy music resounded over hill and dale, until at length the
very mountains began to dance with delight, and the rocks were rent in
sunder and floated on the surface of the ocean. The trees of the forest,
too, laughed with joy and began to dance about like children. The young
men and maidens rejoiced as they listened to the music, and the
gray-haired men and women were amazed, while the babies tried to crawl
to where the sweet sounds came from.

The magic music resounded far and wide over Kalevala, and all the wild
beasts of the forest fell upon their knees in wonder, while the birds
perched upon the trees about him and accompanied the music with their
singing. The fish left their homes beneath the waters and crowded to the
shore to listen. And everything in nature, from earth and air and water,
came to listen to the magic sweetness of Wainamoinen's playing.

Three days and more he played unceasing; playing in the houses of his
people until their very beams rejoiced, and wandering through the
forest, where the trees all bent in homage to him and waved their
branches to his music. Then over the meadows, still playing, until the
very ferns and flowers laughed with delight and the bushes chimed in in
unison with the magic music of the kantele.

* * * * *

'Oh! I'm so glad that he got another kantele,' cried little Mimi,
delighted. 'And now what is coming next, Pappa Mikko?'

'I shall tell you all of Louhi's attempt at revenge on the heroes who
captured the Sampo,' he replied; 'and how they all failed, and then I
shall wind up with the last story of all!'

After having rested a while, the old man continued.

[Illustration]

LOUHI ATTEMPTS REVENGE

L