To the place of furious fighting,
To the battle-field of heroes.
Upright still is standing Unto,
And the wicked man unfallen,
Unavenged my father’s sufferings,
Unavenged my mother’s tear-drops,370
Counting not my bitter sufferings,
Wrongs that I myself have suffered.”
Runo XXXVI.—The Death of Kullervo
Argument
Kullervo prepares for war and leaves home joyfully, for no one but his mother is sorry that he is going to his death (1-154). He comes to Untamola, lays waste the whole district, and burns the homestead (155-250). On returning home he finds his home deserted, and no living thing about the place but an old black dog, with which he goes into the forest to shoot game for food (251-296). While traversing the forest he arrives at the place where he met his sister, and ends his remorse by killing himself with his own sword (297-360).
Kullervo, Kalervo’s offspring,
With the very bluest stockings,
Now prepared himself for battle,
And prepared himself for warfare.
For an hour his sword he sharpened,
Sharpened spear-points for another.
Then his mother spoke unto him,
“Do not go, my son unhappy,
Go not to this mighty battle,
Go not where the swords are clashing!10
He who goes for nought to battle,
He who wilful seeks the combat,
In the fight shall find his death-wound,
And shall perish in the conflict,
By the sword-blades shall he perish,
Thus shall fall, and thus shall perish.
