rops, and
the cattle began to die of hunger. Every living thing felt sick and
faint in the dark, dreary world. Then one of the maidens of Kalevala
suggested to Ilmarinen to make a moon of gold and a sun of silver, and
to hang them up in the heavens; so Ilmarinen set to work. While he was
forging them, Wainamoinen came and asked what he was working at, and so
Ilmarinen told him that he was going to make a new sun and moon. But
Wainamoinen said: 'This is mere folly, for silver and gold will not
shine like the sun and moon.' Still Ilmarinen worked on, and at length
he had forged a moon of gold and a sun of silver, and hung them in
their places in the sky. But they gave no light, as Wainamoinen had
said.

Then Wainamoinen determined to find out where the sun and moon had gone.
So he cut three chips from an alder-tree, and laying them on the ground
before him, he cast many magic spells over them. Then when all was
ready, he asked the alder-chips to tell him truly where the sun and moon
were hid. The alder-chips then answered, that they were hidden in the
caverns of the mountains of Pohjola.

No sooner had Wainamoinen heard this, than he made ready for a journey
and started off for the dismal Northland. When he had travelled three
days and was come to the borders of Pohjola, he found a wide river in
the road and no boat to cross over in. So he built a huge fire on the
shore, and soon such a dense column of smoke arose that Louhi sent some
one to see what was the matter. But when Wainamoinen called to the
messenger to bring him a boat, the man made no reply, but hurried back
to Louhi and told her that it was Wainamoinen, who was coming to her
house.

Then Wainamoinen saw that he could never get across in that way, so he
changed himself into a pike and swam over very easily, and then changed
back to his own shape when he had reached the opposite shore. He
hastened on with mighty strides, and soon reached Louhi's dwelling.
There he was met as if he were a most honoured guest, and they invited
him into the hall. Wainamoinen went in unsuspectingly, but no sooner was
he inside than he found himself surrounded by crowds of armed warriors.

The warriors asked him in a threatening tone why he had come thither.
But Wainamoinen was not frightened, but answered boldly that he had come
to seek the Sun and the Moon. Then the chief of the warriors replied:
'We have the Sun and Moon safe in a mountain cavern, and thou shalt
never get th