nter into a
contest with Wainamoinen to see if he could not beat him.

His mother tried to persuade him not to go, but in vain, and he made
ready for the journey, declaring that he would sing such magic songs as
would turn old Wainamoinen into stone. Then he brought out his noble
steed and harnessed him to a golden sledge, and then jumping in, he gave
the steed a cut with his pearl-handled whip, and dashed off towards
Kalevala. On the evening of the third day he drew near to Wainamoinen's
home, and there he met Wainamoinen himself driving along the highway.

Now Youkahainen was too proud to turn out of the road for any one, and
so their sledges dashed together and were smashed to pieces, and the
harnesses became all twisted up together. Then Wainamoinen said: 'Who
art thou, O foolish youth, that thou drivest so badly that thou hast run
into my sledge and broken it to pieces?' And Youkahainen answered
proudly: 'I am Youkahainen, and have come hither to beat the old
magician Wainamoinen in singing and in magic.'

Wainamoinen then told him who he was, and accepted the challenge, and so
the contest began. But Youkahainen soon found that he was no match for
his opponent, and at length he cried out in anger: 'If I cannot beat
thee at singing and in magic, at least I can conquer thee with my bright
sword.'

Wainamoinen answered that he would not fight so weak an opponent, and
then Youkahainen declared that he was a coward and afraid to fight. At
last these taunts made Wainamoinen so angry that he could not restrain
himself any longer, and he began to sing. He sang such wondrous spells
that the mountains and the rocks began to tremble, and the sea was
upheaved as if by a great storm. Youkahainen stood transfixed, and as
Wainamoinen went on singing his sledge was changed to brushwood and the
reins to willow branches, the pearl-handled whip became a reed, and his
steed was transformed into a rock in the water, and all the harness into
seaweed. And still the old magician sang his magic spells, and
Youkahainen's gaily-painted bow became a rainbow in the sky, his
feathered arrows flew away as hawks and eagles, and his dog was turned
to a stone at his feet. His cap turned into a curling mist, his clothing
into white clouds, and his jewel-set girdle into stars.

And at length the spell began to take effect on Youkahainen himself.
Slowly, slowly he felt himself sinking into a quicksand, and all his
struggles to escape were in vain