Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v2.djvu/265

At the head of Väinämöinen,
Thus to slay Suvantolainen.
Then they questioned the intruder
In the very words that follow:
“What’s your news, you wretched fellow,
What’s your need, O swimming hero?”190
Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
Answered in the words which follow:
“Of the moon are curious tidings,
Of the sun are wondrous tidings.
Where is now the sun imprisoned,
Whither has the moon been taken?”
Answered then the sons of Pohja,
And the evil army answered:
“Thus it is the sun is hidden,
Sun is hidden, moon imprisoned,200
In the stones of many colours,
In the rocks as hard as iron,
And from this, escape they cannot,
And release shall never reach them.”
Then the aged Väinämöinen
Answered in the words that follow:
“If the sun from rock ascends not,
Nor the moon from rocky mountain,
Let us join in closest conflict,
Let us grasp our trusty sword-blades.”210
Sword they drew, and tried their sword-blades,
Drew from out the sheaths their weapons;
At the point the moon was shining,
On the hilt the sun was shining,
On the back a horse was standing,
At the knob a cat was mewing.
After this the swords they measured,
And they thus compared their weapons,
And the sword of aged Väinö
Was a little trifle longer,220
Longer, as a grain of barley,
As the width of straw-stalk longer.
Out into the yard they hastened,
On the grass to meet in conflict,