370

Then his mother spoke as follows,
And in words like these expressed her:
"Now to Jumala be praises,
Praise to thee, O great Creator
For the daughter thou hast sent me,
Who can fan the flames up brightly,
Who can work at weaving deftly,
And is skilful, too, in spinning,
And accomplished, too, in washing,
And can bleach the clothes to whiteness. 380

"For thy own weal thank him also;
Good is won, and good brought homeward:
Good decreed by the Creator,
Good that's granted by his mercy.
On the snow is fair the bunting,
Fairer yet is she beside thee;
White the foam upon the water,
Whiter yet this noble lady:
On the lake the duck is lovely,
Lovelier yet thy cherished darling; 390
Brilliant is a star in heaven,
Brighter yet thy promised fair one.

"Let the floors be wide expanded,
And the windows widened greatly,
Let new walls be now erected,
All the house be greatly bettered,
And the threshold new-constructed,
Place new doors upon the threshold,
For the youthful bride beside you,
She, of all the very fairest, 400
She, the best of all the maidens,
And the noblest in her lineage."

RUNO XII.--LEMMINKAINEN'S FIRST EXPEDITION TO POHJOLA

_Argument_

Kyllikki forgets her oath and goes to the village, whereupon
Lemminkainen is enraged and resolves to divorce her immediately, and to
set forth to woo the Maiden of Pohja (1-128). His mother does her utmost
to dissuade him, telling him that he will very probably be killed.
Lemminkainen, who is brushing his hair, throws the brush angrily out of
his hand and declares that blood shall flow from the brush if he should
come to harm (129-212). He makes ready, starts on his journey, comes to
Pohjola, and sings all the men out of the homestead of Pohjola; and only
neglects to enchant one wicked cowherd (213-504).

Then did Ahti Lemminkainen,
He the handsome Kaukolainen
Live awhile a life of quiet
With the young bride he had chosen,
And he went not forth to battle,
Nor went Kylli to the village.

But at length one day it happened
In the early morning hours,
Forth went Ahti Lemminkainen
To the place where spawn the fishes, 10
And he came not home at evening,
And at nightfall he returned not.
Kyllikki then sought the