Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 1, 1890.djvu/44

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38
Magic Songs of the Finns.

Water stretched it long, and twisted it into a 'distaff',[1]
A wind then wafted it ashore, water drew it to a cape,
A current flung it on a rock into a high cliff's cavity.
A wind blew it hard, a chill wind dried it by degrees.
The sun baked it into a spiral form in the cliff's cave upon the beach,
At the side of a speckled stone—the bosom of an evil flagstone.
Hiisi gave life to it, Piru gave it eyes by spells,
Lempo formed the jawbones, the "vile one" assembled the teeth,
Hence came "Tuoni's[2] grub", "Tuoni's grub", "worm of the earth".
Origin was given to the snake, a name was given to the "evil one".

(b.)

Oho! "evil pagan", thy stock is known,
A Juutas started off to run a weak—a legged man to totter off.
The wretch became dizzy with anxiety as he had done an evil deed.
He ran all day, he ran for two, forthwith he ran a third besides.
The villain came from the east—the 'toad' from the place of dawn.
When he had come a long distance, at the close of the third day,
The juutas[3] as he ran, succumbed—wearied as he tottered on,
Fell to the ground upon a rock, flopped upon a heap of stones,
v. Upon Jesus' stone of joy,[4] upon the Creator's rock of sports,
Sank upon a mountain slope, drooped upon a weathered stone,
v.upon the south (F. sun) side of a hill.
He snorted as he slept [v. died], he violently writhed.
Jesus pursued his way, was travelling on a journey
With three of his disciples—two talkative companions.
Juutas sprang from the path—"worn out shoe" from the rock,
Piru began to hurry off—made sudden efforts for a bolt.
Slaver ran from the 'toad's' mouth—slime from the nostrils of the scamp.


  1. =snake; cf. xi, f, line 5.
  2. The god of death.
  3. v. Ruotus, Herod.
  4. A stone where festivities and sports are held.