. About a month after this, all the maidens were met
together for a dance in a glen among the hills, and among them was
Kyllikki. Suddenly Lemminkainen came galloping up in his sledge and
seized the fair Kyllikki as she was dancing with the rest, placed her in
his sledge, and drove off like the whirlwind, and as he flew by the
frightened maidens he cried out to them: 'Never tell that I have taken
Kyllikki, or I will cast a magic spell over your lovers, so that they
will all leave you and go off to the wars and will never come back to
dance and make merry with you.'

But Kyllikki wept and begged Lemminkainen to give her back her freedom,
saying, 'Oh, give me back my freedom, cruel Lemminkainen; let me return
on foot to my grieving father and mother. If thou wilt not let me go, O
Ahti, I will curse thee and will call upon my seven valiant brothers to
pursue and kill thee. Once I was happy among my people, but now all my
joy has gone since thou hast come to torment me, O cruel-hearted Ahti!'

But all her words could not move Lemminkainen to release her. Then he
said to her: 'Dearest maiden, fair Kyllikki, cease thy weeping and be
joyful; I will never harm thee nor deceive thee. Why shouldst thou be
sorrowful, for I have a lovely home and friends and riches, and thou
shalt never need to labour. Do not despise me because my family is not
mighty, for I have a good spear and a sharp sword, and with these I will
gain greatness and power for thy sake.'

Then Kyllikki asked him: 'O Ahti, son of Lempo, wilt thou then be to me
a faithful husband; wilt thou swear to me never to go to battle nor to
strife of any sort?'

'I will swear upon my honour,' Lemminkainen replied, 'that I will never
go to battle, if thou wilt promise in return never to go to dance in the
village, however much thou mayst long for it.'

So the two swore before the great Ukko, Lemminkainen promising never to
go to battle, and Kyllikki that she would never go to the village
dances. And then Lemminkainen rejoicing cracked his whip, and they
galloped on like the wind over hills and valleys towards the plains of
Kalevala.

As they came near to Lemminkainen's home, Kyllikki saw that it looked
dreary and poor, and began to weep again, but Lemminkainen comforted
her, telling her that now he would build a splendid mansion for her, and
so she grew cheerful once more.

They drove up to his mother's cottage, and as they entered his mother
asked him how he had fared