Runo XLIV.—Väinämöinen’s New Kantele
Argument
Väinämöinen goes to seek for his kantele which was lost in the lake, but cannot find it (1-76). He makes himself a new kantele of birchwood, on which he plays, and delights every creature in the neighbourhood (77-334).
Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
In his mind was thus reflecting:
“Now the time has come for music,
Time to give ourselves to pleasure,
In our dwelling newly chosen,
In our homestead now so charming,
But the kantele is sunken,
And my joy has gone for ever
To the dwelling-place of fishes,
To the rock-caves of the salmon,10
Where it may enchant the lake-pike,
Likewise Vellamo’s attendants;
But they never will return it,
Ahto will no more return it.
“O thou smith, O Ilmarinen,
Yestreen and before thou workedst,
Work to-day with equal vigour.
Forge me now a rake of iron,
Let the teeth be close together,
Close the teeth, and long the handle20
That I rake among the billows,
And may rake the waves together,
And may rake among the lake-reeds,
With the rake rake all the margins,
And my instrument recover,
And the kantele recover,
From the devious paths of fishes,
From the rocky caves of salmon.”
Thereupon smith Ilmarinen,
He the great primeval craftsman,30
