And five worn-out scythes he gave him,
And six worn-out rakes he gave him,
For a man the most unskilful,
For a slave completely worthless.
Runo XXXII.—Kullervo and the Wife of Ilmarinen
Argument
The wife of Ilmarinen makes Kullervo her herdsman and maliciously bakes him a stone in his lunch (1-32). She then sends him out with the cattle, after using the usual prayers and charms for their protection from bears in the pastures (33-548).
Kullervo, Kalervo’s offspring,
Old man’s son, with blue-dyed stockings,
Finest locks of yellow colour,
And with shoes of best of leather,
To the smith’s house went directly,
Asked for work that very evening,
Asked the master in the evening,
And the mistress in the morning:
“Give me something now to work at,
Give me work that I may do it,10
Set me something now to work at,
Give some work to me the wretched!”
Then the wife of Ilmarinen,
Pondered deeply on the matter,
What the new slave could accomplish,
What the new-bought wretch could work at,
And she took him as her herdsman,
Who should herd her flocks extensive.
Then the most malicious mistress,
She, the smith’s wife, old and jeering,20
Baked a loaf to give the herdsman,
And a great cake did she bake him,
Oats below and wheat above it,
And between, a stone inserted.
