menu_book Chapter 32

runo thirty two of kalevala the land of the heroes by elias lunroth translated by william forsell kirby eighteen forty four to nineteen twelve this librivox recording is in the public domain recording by expatriate in bangor maine runo thirty two kulevo and the wife of ilmarinen argument the wife of ilmarinen makes kulevo her herdsman and maliciously bakes him a stone in his lunch she then sends him out with the cattle after using the usual prayers and charms for their protection from bears in the pastures culervo calervo's offspring old man's son with blue-dyed stockings finest locks of yellow colour and with shoes a best of leather to the smith's house went directly asked for work that very evening asked the master in the evening and the mistress in the morning give me something now to work at give me work that i may do it set me something now to work at give some work to me the wretched then the wife of ilmarinen pondered deeply on the matter what the new slave could accomplish what the new-bought wretch could work at and she took him as her herdsman who should herd her flocks extensive

then the most malicious mistress she the smith's wife old and jeering baked a loaf to give the herdsman and a great cake did she bake him oats below and wheat above it and between a stone inserted then she spread the cake with butter and upon the crust laid bacon gave it as the slave's allowance as provision for the herdsman she herself the slave instructed and she spoke the words which follow do not eat the food i give you till in wood the herd is driven then did ilmarinen's housewife send the herd away to pasture and she spoke the words which follow and in words like these expressed her send the cows among the bushes and the milkers in the meadow those with wide horns to the aspens those with curved horns to the birches that they thus may fatten on them and may load themselves with tallow there upon the open meadows and upon the wide-spread borders from the lofty birchen forest and the lower growing aspens from among the golden fir-woods from among the silver woodlands watch them jumala most gracious guard them o thou kind creator guard from harm upon the pathway and protect them from all evil that they come not into danger nor may fall in any evil

as beneath the roof-tree watch them keep them under thy protection watch them also in the open when beyond the fold protect them that the herd may grow more handsome and the mistress cattle prosper to the wish of our well-wishers gainst the wish of our ill-wishers if my herdsman is a bad one for the herd girls should be timid make the willow then a herdsman let the older watch the cattle let the mountain ash protect them and the cherry lead them homeward that the mistress need not seek them nor need other folks be anxious if the willow will not herd them nor the mountain ash protect them nor the older watch the cattle nor the cherry lead them homeward send thou then thy better servants send the daughters of creation that they may protect my cattle and the whole herd may look after very many are thy maidens hundreds are beneath thy orders dwelling underneath the heavens noble daughters of creation suvitar the best of women

el talatar nature's old one hungatar the noble mistress katayatar maiden fairest pilayatar little damsel tuomitar of tapio daughter miliki the wood's stepdaughter tellervo the maid of tapio may ye all protect my cattle and protect the best among them through the beauty of the summer in the pleasant time of leafage while the leaves on trees are moving grass upon the ground is waving suvitar the best of women etelatar nature's old one spread thou out thy robe of softness and do thou spread out thy apron as a covering for my cattle for the hiding of the small ones that no ill winds blow upon them nor an evil rain fall on them do thou guard my flock from evil guard from harm upon the pathways and upon the quaking marshes where the surface all is shifting where the marsh is always moving and the depths below are shaking that they come not into danger nor may fall in any evil that no hoof in swamp is twisted nor may slip among the marshes save when jumala perceives it gainst the will of him the holy fetch the cow-horn from a distance fetch it from the midst of heaven bring the mead-horn down from heaven

let the honey-horn be sounded blow into the horn then strongly and repeat the tunes resounding blow then flowers upon the hummocks blow then fare the heathland's borders make the meadow's borders lovely and the forest borders charming borders of the marshes fertile of the springs the borders rolling then give fodder to my cattle give the cattle food sufficient give them food of honey sweetness give them drink as sweet as honey feed them now with hay all golden and the heads of silvery grasses from the springs of all the sweetest from the streams that flow most swiftly from the swiftly rushing torrents from the swiftly running rivers from the hills all golden shining and from out the silvery meadows dig them also wells all golden upon both sides of the pastures that the herd may drink the water and the sweet juice then may trickle down into their teeming udders down into their swelling udders that the veins may all be moving and the milk may flow in rivers and the streams of milk be loosened and may foam the milky torrents and the milk streams may be silent and the milk streams may be swollen and the milk be always flowing and the stream be always dropping down upon the greenest haycocks and no evil fingers guide it

that no milk may flow to manna nor upon the ground be wasted there are many who are wicked and who send the milk to manna and upon the ground who waste it give the cattle's yield to others they are few but they are skilful who can bring the milk from manna sourest milk from village storage and when new from other quarters never has indeed my mother sought for counsel in the village brought it from another household but she fetched her milk from manna sour milk brought from those who stored it and fresh milk obtained from others had the milk from distance carried had it fetched from distant regions fetched the milk from realms of tuoni neath the earth and mana's kingdom secretly at night they brought it and in murky places hid it that the wicked should not hear it nor the worthless ones should know it nor bad hay should fall into it and it should be saved from spoiling thus my mother always told me in the very words which follow where has gone the yield of cattle whither has the milk now vanished

has it been conveyed to strangers carried to the village storehouse in the laps of beggar wenches in the arms of those who envy or among the trees been carried and been lost amid the forest and been scattered in the woodlands or been lost upon the heathlands but no milk shall gautamana nor the yield of cows to strangers in the laps of beggar wenches in the arms of those who envy nor among the trees be carried nor be lost amid the forest nor be scattered in the woodlands nor be lost upon the heathlands in the house the milk is useful and at all times it is needed in the house there waits the mistress in her hand the wooden milk-pail suvitar the best of women etelautar nature's old one go and fodder my syutiki give thou drink to my jotiki milk confer upon hermiki and fresh fodder give tworiki give thou milk until my riki put fresh milk into the cow-house from the heads of brightest herbage and the reeds of all the forest from the lovely earth upspringing from the hillocks rich in honey from the sweetest meadow grasses and the berry-bearing regions from the goddess of the heather and the nymph who tends the grasses and the milkmaid of the cloudlets and the maid in midst of heaven

give the cows their milk-filled udders always filled to overflowing to be milked by dwarfish women that a little girl may milk them rise o virgin from the valley from the spring in gorgeous raiment from the spring o maiden rise thou from the ooze arise o fairest from the spring take thou some water sprinkle thou my cattle with it that the cattle may be finer and the mistress cattle prosper ere the coming of the mistress ere the herd-girl look upon them she the most unskilful mistress and the very timid herd-girl miliki the forest mistress of the herds the bounteous mother send the tallest of thy handmaids and the best among thy servants that they may protect my cattle and my herd be watched and tended through the finest of the summer in the good creator's summer under jumala's protection and protected by his favour tellervo o maid of tapio little daughter of the forest clad in soft and beauteous garments with thy yellow hair so lovely be the guardian of the cattle do thou guard the mistress cattle all through metzala so lovely and through tapiola's bright regions do thou guard the herd securely do thou watch the herd unsleeping

with thy lovely hands protect them with thy slender fingers stroke them rub them with the skins of lynxes comb them with the fins of fishes like the hue of the lake creatures like the wool of yew of meadow come at evening and night's darkness when the twilight round is closing then do thou lead home my cattle lead them to their noble mistress on their backs the water pouring lakes of milk upon their cruppers when the sun to rest has sunken and the bird of eve is singing then i say unto my cattle speak unto my horned creatures come ye home ye cur of horned cattle milk dispensers to the household in the house tis very pleasant where the floor is nice for resting on the waste tis bad to wander or upon the shore to bellow therefore you should hasten homeward and the women fire will kindle in the field of honeyed grasses on the ground o'ergrown with berries niriki o son of tapio blue coat offspring of the forest take the stumps of tallest pine trees and the lofty crowns of fir trees for a bridge in miry places where the ground is bad for walking

deep morass and swampy moorland and the treacherous pools of water let the curved horned cattle wander and the split hoofed cattle gallop unto where the smoke is rising free from harm and free from danger sinking not into the marshes nor embogged in miry places if the cattle pay no heating nor will home return at nightfall pilayatar little damsel katayatar fairest maiden quickly cut a branch of birch-tree take a rod from out the bushes likewise take a whip of cherry and of juniper to scourge them from the back of tapio's castle from among the slopes of alder drive the herd towards the household at the time for bathroom heating homeward drive the household cattle cows from metsla's great forest atzo apple of the forest with thy honey paws so curving let us make a peace between us haste to make a peace between us so that always and forever in the days that we are living

thou wilt fell now hoofed cattle nor wilt overthrow the milchkine through the finest of the summer in the good creator's summer when thou hear'st the cowbells ringing or thou hear'st the cow-horns sounding cast thou down among the hillocks sleep thou there upon the meadow thrust thine ears into the stubble hide thy head among the hillocks or conceal thee in the thickets to thy mossy lair retreat thou go thou forth to other districts flee away to other hillocks that thou mayst not hear the cow-bells nor the talking of the herdsmen o my otso o my darling handsome one with paws of honey i forbid thee to approach them or molest the herd of cattle neither with thy tongue to touch them nor with ugly mouth to seize them with thy teeth to tear to pieces neither with thy claws to scratch them go thou slouching through the meadow go in secret through the pasture slinking off when bells are ringing shun the talking of the shepherds if the herd is on the heath land then into the swamps retreat thou if the herd is in the marshes then conceal thee in the thickets if the herd should climb the mountain quickly then descend the mountain if the herd should wander downward wander then along the mountain

if they wander in the bushes to the thicker woods retreat thou if the thicker wood they enter wander then into the bushes wander like the golden cuckoo like the dove of silver color move aside as moves the poen glide away like fish in water as a flock of wool drifts sideways o'er a roll of flax the lightest in thy fur thy claws conceal thou in thy gums thy teeth conceal thou that the herd thou dost not frighten nor the little calves be injured let the cattle rest in quiet leave in peace the hoofed cattle let the herd securely wander let them march in perfect order through the swamps and through the open through the tangle of the forests never do thou dare to touch them nor to wickedly molest them keep the former oath thou sworest there by tuanula's deep river by the raging fall of water at the knees of the creator thou hast been indeed permitted three times in the course of summer to approach the bells when ringing and the tinkling of the cow-bells but tis not permitted to thee nor permission has been given to commence a work of evil or a deed of shame accomplish should thy frenzy come upon thee and thy teeth be seized with longing cast thy frenzy in the bushes on the heath thy evil longing

then attack the trees all rotten overthrow the rotten birch trees turn to trees in waters standing growl in berry bearing districts if the need for food should seize thee or for food the wish thou feelest eat the fungi in the forest and do thou break down the ant-hills and the red roots do thou dell for these are metzala's sweet dainties eat no grass reserved for fodder neither do thou hurt my pasture when in metsala the honey is fermenting and is working on the hills of golden colour and upon the plains of silver there is food for those who hunger there is drink for all the thirsty there is food to eat that fails not there is drink that never lessens let us make a league eternal make an endless peace between us that we live in perfect quiet and in comfort all the summer and to us the lambs are common and our provender delicious if thou dost desire a combat and wouldst live in hopes of battle let us combat in the winter and contend in time of snowfall

when the marshes thaw in summer and the pools are all unfrozen never venture to approach thou where the golden herd is living when thou comest to this country and thou movest in this forest we at any time will shoot you though the gunners should be absent there are very skilful women all of them accomplished housewives and they will destroy your pathway on your journey bring destruction lest you might work any evil or indulge in any mischief ill by jumala not sanctioned and against his blessed orders ukko thou of gods the highest shouldst thou hear that he is coming then do thou transform my cattle suddenly transform my cattle into stones convert my own ones change my fair ones into tree trunks when the monster roams the district and the big one wanders through it if i were myself a bruin roamed about a honey-pawed one never would i dare to venture to the feet of aged women there are many other regions there are many other penfolds where a man may go to wander roaming aimless at his pleasure therefore move thy paws across them do thou move thy paws across them in the blue woods deep recesses in the depths of murmuring forest

on the heath o'er pine-cones wander tramp thou through the sandy districts go thou where the way is level do thou bound along the lake shore to the furthest bounds of pohja to the distant plains of lapland there indeed mayst thou be happy good it is for thee to dwell there wandering shoeless in the summer wandering sockless in the autumn through the wide expanse of marshland and across the wide morasses but if thou should not go thither if thou canst not find the pathway hasten then to distant regions do thou wander on thy pathway unto tuonela's great forest or across the heaths of kalma there are marshes to be traversed there are heaths that thou mayst traverse there is kyrios there is karyos there are many other cattle fitted with their iron neck chains ten among them altogether there the lean kind quickly fatten and their bones are soon flesh-covered be propitious wood and forest be thou gracious o thou blue wood give thou peace unto the cattle and protection to the hoofed ones through the whole length of the summer of the lord the loveliest season

quipenna thou king of woodland active graybeard of the forest hold thy dogs in careful keeping watch thou well thy dogs and guard them thrust some fungus in one nostril in the other thrust an apple that they may not smell the cattle and they may not scent their odor bind their eyes with silken ribbons likewise bind their ears with linen that they may not hear them moving and they may not see them walking if this is not yet sufficient and they do not much regard it then do thou forbid thy children do thou drive away thy offspring lead them forth from out this forest from this lake shore do thou drive them from the lands where roam the cattle from among the spreading willows do thou hide thy dogs in caverns nor neglect to bind them firmly bind them with the golden fetters with the slender silver fetters that they may commit no evil and be guilty of no outrage if this is not yet sufficient and they do not much regard it ukko then o golden monarch ukko o thou silver guardian hearken to my words so golden listen to my lovely sayings

take a snaffle made of rowan fix it on their stumpy muzzles or if rowan will not hold them cast thou then a copper muzzle if too weak is found the copper forge thou then an iron muzzle if they break the iron muzzle and it should itself be shattered drive thou then a stake all golden through the chin and through the jawbone do thou close their jaws securely fix them that they cannot move them that they cannot move their jawbones and their teeth can scarcely open if the iron is not opened if the steels should not be loosened if with knife it is not severed if with hatchet tis not broken then did ilmarinen's housewife of the smith a wife so artful drive from out their stalls the cattle send the cattle forth to pasture after them she sent the shepherd that the slave should drive the cattle End of runo 32 recording by expatriate in Bangor, Maine.