Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 217 pages of information about Kalevala .

Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 217 pages of information about Kalevala .
As each cuckoo’s call resounded,
Five the notes of song that issued
From the songster’s throat of joyance;
From each throat came liquid music,
Gold and silver for the master,
Flowing to the hills and hillocks,
To the silvery vales and mountains;
Thence he took the merry harp-pins,
That the harp might play in concord. 
Spake again wise Wainamoinen: 
“I the pins have well completed,
Still the harp is yet unfinished;
Now I need five strings for playing,
Where shall I procure the harp-strings?”
Then the ancient bard and minstrel
Journeyed through the fen and forest. 
On a hillock sat a maiden,
Sat a virgin of the valley;
And the maiden was not weeping,
Joyful was the sylvan daughter,
Singing with the woodland songsters,
That the eventide might hasten,
In the hope that her beloved
Would the sooner sit beside her. 
Wainamoinen, old and trusted,
Hastened, tripping to the virgin,
Asked her for her golden ringleta,
These the words of the magician. 
“Give me, maiden, of thy tresses,
Give to me thy golden ringlets;
I will weave them into harp-strings,
To the joy of Wainamoinen,
To the pleasure of his people.” 
Thereupon the forest-maiden
Gave the singer of her tresses,
Gave him of her golden ringlets,
And of these he made the harp-strings. 
Sources of eternal pleasure
To the people of Wainola. 
Thus the sacred harp is finished,
And the minstrel, Wainamoinen,
Sits upon the rock of joyance,
Takes the harp within his fingers,
Turns the arch up, looking skyward;
With his knee the arch supporting,
Sets the strings in tuneful order,
Runs his fingers o’er the harp-strings,
And the notes of pleasure follow. 
Straightway ancient Wainamoinen,
The eternal wisdom-singer,
Plays upon his harp of birch-wood. 
Far away is heard the music,
Wide the harp of joy re-echoes;
Mountains dance and valleys listen,
Flinty rocks are tom asunder,
Stones are hurled upon the waters,
Pebbles swim upon the Big-Sea,
Pines and lindens laugh with pleasure,
Alders skip about the heather,
And the aspen sways in concord. 
All the daughters of Wainola
Straightway leave their shining needles,
Hasten forward like the current,
Speed along like rapid rivers,
That they may enjoy and wonder. 
Laugh the younger men and maidens,
Happy-hearted are the matrons
Flying swift to bear the playing,
To enjoy the common pleasure,
Hear the harp of Wainamoinen. 
Aged men and bearded seniors,
Gray-haired mothers with their daughters
Stop in wonderment and listen. 
Creeps the babe in full enjoyment
As he hears the magic singing,
Hears the harp of Wainamoinen. 
All of Northland stops in wonder,
Speaks in unison these measures: 
“Never have we heard such playing,
Never heard such strains of music,
Never since the earth was fashioned,
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Project Gutenberg
Kalevala : the Epic Poem of Finland — Volume 02 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.