Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/119

But he comprehended nothing,
Nor attained to manly wisdom,
For his rearing had been crooked,
And the child was rocked all wrongly,
By perversest foster-father,
And a foolish foster-mother.10
Then to work the boy attempted,
Many things he tried his hand at,
And he went the fish to capture,
And to lay the largest drag-net,
And he spoke the words which follow,
Pondered as he grasped the oar:
“Shall I pull with all my efforts,
Row, exerting all my vigour;
Shall I row with common efforts,
Row no stronger than is needful?”20
And the steersman made him answer,
And he spoke the words which follow:
“Pull away with all your efforts,
Row, exerting all your vigour,
Row the boat in twain you cannot,
Neither break it into fragments.”
Kullervo, Kalervo’s offspring,
Pulled thereat with all his efforts,
Rowed, exerting all his vigour,
Rowed in twain the wooden rowlocks,30
Ribs of juniper he shattered,
And he smashed the boat of aspen.
Kalervo came forth to see it,
And he spoke the words which follow:
“No, you understand not rowing,
You have split the wooden rowlocks,
Ribs of juniper have shattered,
Shattered quite the boat of aspen.
Thresh the fish into the drag-net,
Perhaps you’ll thresh the water better.”40
Kullervo, Kalervo’s offspring,
Then went forth to thresh the water,
And as he the pole was lifting,
Uttered he the words which follow: