 Chapter 32 of Finnish Legends. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Fanno Jahangili. Finnish Legends by R. I. Wind. Chapter 32. The Capture of the Sampo. After the magic entallee was finished, the three great heroes and magicians sailed away again towards this small Northland. Ilmarinen led their hours on one side of the ship, and Lemminkainen to the other, and all Vynamoinen steered. They soon reached Pajola and landed near Lohu's house. When they had drawn their vessel up on land, they all went up to Luhi's house, and Vynamoinen told her that they were come for the sample. That if she would only give them the many colored lid, they would go away content. But if not, they would take the whole sample by force. Then Luhi grew very angry, and called together all the Northland warriors to assay them. But Vynamoinen began to play upon his cantallee, and so wonderfully sweet were the tunes that he played, that the warriors forgot all about fighting, and began to weep, and all the men of Pajola began to dance. They still Vynamoinen played on and on until a deep slumber came upon all the Northland folk. Then he seized playing, and cast a powerful spell over them so that they should not awake. When all the Pajola folk were sound asleep, the three great heroes went to the mountains to seek the magic sample. And as they went, Vynamoinen played such wonderful music that the great cliffs opened before them, and left them an open road to where the Sampolei hid. When they had come near the cavern in which the Sampolei, they sent Lemenkainen to enter the cave and bring it out. He boasting of his strength went into the cavern, and seizing hold of the magic sample, he put forth all his strength to lift it up, but it remained immovable, for the roots had grown deep into the earth, and bound down tightly. Then Lemenkainen remembered a huge ox that he had seen out in the fields, with horned seven fathoms long, and he went after it and hitched it to the biggest plow he could find, and began to plow all around the roots which hold the sample down. And in a very short while, the roots became loosened, and they were able to pick up the magic sample and carry it on board their vessel. As soon as it was safely on board, they sailed away, leaving all the Pajola folk sleeping. On they flew towards their homes in Kallavala, but Lemenkainen grew weary of the silence, and asked Vainamoin and why he would not sing to cheer them, but Vainamoin answered that song would only disturb the rowers, and that it was best never to rejoice until all danger was passed. At length, when they had gone three days on their journey, Lemenkainen grew angry at Vainamoin and silence, and began to sing himself, but his voice sounded harsh and unmelodious, and it made the very ship tremble. Far off on the land, a crane was standing amidst the rushes, amusing itself by counting its toes, but when it heard Lemenkainen's attempt at singing, it was so frightened that it flew off a screaming over Pajola, and by its screeching, it awoke all the slumbering people. As soon as Luhi awoke, she hurried off to her barns and cattle pens to see if anything had been stolen, but she found everything alright. Next she hurried to the mountains, the cavern where she had hidden the sample, but when she came there, she found the cavern empty, and saw how her visitors had torn the sample loose from its fastenings. Then Luhi returned to her palace, pale with anger and fear, for she knew that if the sample were lost, that all the prosperity of the new land would be lost with it. So she called up the goddess of the fox, and sent her out to delay Vainamoin's vessel, and then she called on Ikotorso, a wicked monster living in the depth of the sea, to swim to the ship and sink it, and to eat the man in it, but to bring back the sample to Pajola once more, and she prayed moreover to great Ukko that if the sea monster should not succeed, that Ukko himself would send a fearful tempest to wreck the vessel. First came the goddess of the fox, and wrapped them in such a thick mist that they could not move, three days they lay so, and then Vainamoin drew his sword, exclaiming, we shall all perish here in the park if no attempt is made to drive it away, and with these wars he struck their ways with his sword. From the blade there flowed a stream of honey, and all at once the fox broke up, and left the way clear before them, but the scarcely had the fox disappeared, and they heard a mighty roaring sound, and the foam began to shoot up from the water alongside, and to cover the ship. Then Vainamoin leaned over the vessel side, and stretching out his arm, he grasped something that he saw in the water, and pulled up the awful monster Ikotorso, but the monster was so frightened by being lifted out of the water, that he promised to leave them in peace, and never to appear above the waters again, if Vainamoin would only release him. So Vainamoin let him go, and the second danger was passed, but now came the third and most terrible of all, for Ukko sent a mighty storm wind, which lashed the waves into a fury, and stirred up the ocean to its very bottom, but at the very first pitch of the ship, the magic entallée was swept overboard by the waves and otu, the sea god caught it, and carried it off to his home beneath the waves. Then Vainamoin began to bewail the loss of his wonderful instrument, but as the storm grew worse, and tossed their ship about like a feather, all on board began to despair of ever reaching land alive, but Vainamoin and gave them comfort and courage, and he and Elmarinen and Lemenkainen by their magical spells, quietened the winds and the waves, and repaired the damage which the vessel had suffered from the storm. And then they went on their way in peace. End of chapter 32 Chapter 33 of Finnish Legends This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Fano Jahankeli Finnish Legends by R.I.Wend Chapter 33 The Sampo is Lost in the Sea But when Luhi found that all her magic had failed, he assembled all her warriors and embarked them in her largest ship, and herself sailed off to recapture the Sampo by force of arms. Before long, they came in sight of Vainamoin's vessel, and when he saw that Luhi was pursuing him with such a mighty host of warriors, he carried out to Elmarinen and Lemenkainen to row with all their might in order to escape from their pursuers. So all the rowers rowed until the vessel fairly trembled, and the foam was tossed up from the bow as high as the clouds, but still they could not gain on their pursuers. Then Vainamoin and saw that he must use some other means. So he took out a piece of flint from his tinderbox and dropped it into the water. Saying as he did so, rise up from the bottom of the sea into a mighty mountain so that Luhi's ship may be dashed to pieces. And suddenly a mountain of rocks sprang up out of the water, and before Luhi could stop her ship, it had hit upon their rocks and was wrecked. But Luhi was not to be outdone in magic, so she took the timbles of the ship and made from them a magic eagle using the rudder for its tail and five sharp iron sights for its talons. And on his wings and back, she posted all her warriors, and then the magic eagle rose up into the air. It made one circle round the heavens, and then lit upon the mast of Vainamoin's vessel, almost overturning it by its weight. Vainamoin had first prayed to Uko for aid, and then he asked Luhi if she would consent now to divide the Sampo between them. But she scorned his offer, and the eagle made a soup-down war to pick up the Sampo in its talons. But Lemenkinan raised his sword, and no sooner had the eagle grasped the Sampo than he brought down his sword with such force that every talon was cut off but one. Then the eagle flew up on to the mast once more and up-braided Lemenkinan because he had broken his promise to his mother that he would not go through war for sixty years. But Vainamoin and believing that his last hour was come took the rudder in his hand and struck the eagle such a mighty blow that all the warriors fell from its wings and back into the water. Then the eagle made one more soup-down upon the vessel, and with the one talon it had left it dragged the Sampo over the side of the ship so that it fell to the bottom of the ocean and was broken to pieces. And it is this that has brought so much wealth to the sea for where the Sampo is there will always be wealth also. But a few pieces of the lid floated ashore to Kalavala and it is therefore that our country has now the harvests that before that grew in the dismal Northland. But Luhi threatened Vainamoin and saying, I will seal away thy silver moonlight and thy golden sunlight. I will send thy frost and hail to kill thy crops and I will send the bear would sow from the forest to kill thy cattle and sheep. I will send upon thy people nine diseases each one of them more fatal than the other before. Then Vainamoin replied, No one from dismal Northland can harm us of Kalavala only you co-rudes the fate of your people and he will guard my crops from frost and hail and my cattle from the bear would sow. Thou must hide evil people in thy northern caverns but thou canst never hasteath a sun and moon and all thy frost and plagues and bears may turn against thyself. And then Luhi departed to her home weeping for the loss of the magic sample and ever since that time there have been famines and poverty in gloomy Pajola. But Vainamoin and the other heroes returned home rejoicing and on the shore they found fragments of the sample's lid. And Vainamoin prayed to Ukot to be merciful and kind to them and to protect them from frost and hail and bears and to let the golden light of the moon and sun shine forever on the plains of Kalavala. Oh, said Eric half smiling. It's a great pity that the whole sun parted and floated shore to our country for perhaps then there would never have been any famines in our land at all and he sighed as he thought the hard winters in years passed. All is in God's hands, said Father Miko reverently. And we must take both good and ill as they come to us. It is not for us to say what we would wish. Let us be thankful that even a part of the sample floated hither he added a smiling. There was a few moments silence and then Mimi asked what Vainamoin had done about his last cantile. So Father Miko went on. When the heroes had returned home and found the fragments of the sample on the shore, they wished to make merry over the good fortune which even these fragments were sure to bring. But Vainamoinon could not give the music since the wondrous cantile had been lost in the sea. Then he bade Ilmarinin make a huge rake with copper teeth a hundred fathoms long and the handle a thousand fathoms. And when the rake was ready Vainamoinon took it and sailing out over the sea in a magic vessel he needed neither sails nor ores to move it. He raked over the whole bottom of the ocean. But he only raked up shells and seaweed and found no trace of the cantile. Then Vainamoinon returned sadly home saying, Never again shall I pour forth floods of music to the people of Kalevala from the magic strings of my cantile. And driven on by his grief he left his house and went far off into the forest. As he wandered there he heard the birch tree and Vainamoinon asked the tree why it was unhappy when it had such lovely silver leaves and tassels. To this the birch tree replied thou thinkest that I am always happy and that my leaves and tassels must always be whispering joy. But alas I am so weak and feeble and must always stand alone without a word of sympathy. Others rejoice at the coming of the spring but I am robbed of bark and tassels and tender twigs and am cut up for firewood and then in the wintertime the frost and the cold biting winds kill my young shoots and strip me of my silver leaves and leave me cold and naked. While the birch tree was speaking Vainamoinon's face began to brighten and he finally exclaimed Weep no more good birch tree for I will turn thy grief into joy and make thee sing the most marvellous songs. Having said this he set to work to make a new cantile taking birch wood for the framework. At length the frame was already but he did not know of what to make the pegs. Suddenly he came upon a great oak tree on which grew golden coloured acorns and on each acorn sat a sacred cuckoo singing its melody. So Vainamoinon took a piece of the oak and made the pegs from it. But the harp was not yet finished for the five strings were still lacking. Then Vainamoinon journeyed on through the forest until at length he came to where a forest maiden was sitting on a mound and singing and her long golden hair was falling loose over her shoulders. So Vainamoinon went up to her and begged her to give him some of her golden tresses from which to weave the five strings for the cantile. And the maiden willingly gave up a portion of her golden hair and from it Vainamoinon wove five strings and at last the second cantile was complete. Then Vainamoinon sat down upon a rock and placed the cantile upon his knees and after putting five strings in tune he began to play. The fairy music resounded over hill and dale until at length the very mountains began to dance with delight and the rocks were rent in sunder and floated on the surface of the ocean. The trees of the forest too laughed with joy and began to dance about like children. The young men and maidens rejoiced as they listened to the music and the grey-haired men and women were amazed while the babies tried to sing. The magic music resounded far and wide over Kalevala and all the wild beasts of the forest fell upon their knees in wonder while the birds perched upon the trees about him and accompanied the music with their singing. The fish left their homes beneath the waters and crowded the shore to listen and everything in nature from earth and air and water came to listen to the magic sweetness of Vainamoinon playing. Three days and more he played unceasing playing with the voices of his people until their very beams rejoiced and wandering through the forest where the trees all bent in homage to him and waved their branches to his music. Then over the meadows still playing until the very ferns and flowers laughed with delight and the bushes chimed in unison with the magic music of the cantele. Oh, I'm so glad that he got another cantele cried little Mimi delighted and now what is coming next, Papa Miko? I shall tell you all a hint at revenge on the heroes who captured the Sampo, he replied and how they all failed and then I shall wind up with the last story of all. And having rested a while, the old man continued. End of Chapter 34 Chapter 35 of Finnish Legends This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit www.vox.org Recording by Sonja Finnish Legends by R. Aivind Chapter 35 Lohi Attempts Revenge Lohi grew more and more angry and envious when she heard how prosperous and happy all the folk of Kalevala were since the fragments of the Sampo had floated to their shore. So she pondered long in her evil heart how she might send them sorrow and misfortune. Now just at that time the old witch Lohi Attar Tuoni's daughter came to Lohi and asked for shelter from the storms and cold and Lohi took her in and treated her like an honoured guest. And while Lohi Attar was there, nine children were born to her. All horrible diseases and she named them Collic, Fever, Plague, Plurisy, Ulcer, Consumption, Gout, Sterility and Cancer. And then Lohi's evil heart rejoiced and she took the nine diseases and sent them into Kalevala, there to harass and kill Vynamoinen's people. And when the diseases came everyone in Kalevala, both young and old, fell ill of all sorts of illnesses and Vynamoinen at first did not know whence all his evil had come, but soon by his magic power he learned that it came from the children of Tuoni's daughter, Lohi Attar and then he set to work to drive them away. First he took all those that were ill to the bath houses and then he brought buckets of water and he did blocks of stone until he had filled the whole room with warm steam. Then he prayed to Uko to drive away all these diseases from them and these evil spirits to Tuoni's kingdom where they belonged. After Vynamoinen had prayed thus to Uko he took a magic balsam and rubbed it over all those that were ill and sang magic spells over them and then prayed once more to Uko for success and that length he drove out in nine diseases and saved his people from dying. When the nine diseases had been driven out of Kalevala, the news of Vynamoinen's victory over them came at length to the old witch Lohi and she grew angrier than ever that her revenge had failed but she pondered over what means of revenge she should try next and at length she hit upon another plan. She went out into the forest and cast a magic spell upon the eugest bear in all the Northland the great Otso and he hastened from his Poyola home and began to kill the flocks and herds in Kalevala. Then Vynamoinen hastened to Ilmarinen and bait him make a triple-pointed spear with which to kill Otso and when the spear was ready Vynamoinen hastened off to the forest to find the bear singing as he went and calling upon the forest got Tapio and his wife to grant him success in his hunt. He had not gone far before he heard his dog bark and hurrying up to the spot he found Otso standing facing the dog and trying to snap him up and before the bear perceived him Vynamoinen was able to end Otso's life with a single thrust of his magic spear. When Otso was dead Vynamoinen threw the body across his shoulder and hastened off home singing songs of rejoicing as he went and when he reached his house there was great rejoicing and everyone came out to welcome addressing it as if Otso were some honored guest come to see them. First Vynamoinen sang a song of praise to the dead Otso and bait his people welcome him with all due honor and then the people answered with the most extravagant expressions of pleasure and welcome and admiration for Otso and offered him all the best things in the house and when all this ceremony was over they took off the fur and cut the body up and prepared the steaks and joints to make a grand feast. At length the whole of the bear was cooked and the great feast was spread in Vynamoinen's house on golden dishes and with sparkling beer in copper beakers and when all was seated at the table Vynamoinen rose and sang the story of Otso's birth and life and this is the story which he sang. Long ago a maiden walked in the ether on the edges of the clouds and as she walked she threw down wool and hair upon the waters from two boxes that she carried. The wool and hair were floated into the shore and there Mialiki, wife of the forest god found them and joined the wool and hair together by magic spells. Then she laid the bundle in a birch bark basket and bound it in the top of the lofty pine and there the young bear was rocked into life. Otso grew quickly and became graceful in his movements although his feet were clumsy and his ankles crooked his mouth large and forehead broad but he still had no teeth or claws. Then Mialiki said I would give the claws and teeth Otso but I fear that I will use them to harm people with. But Otso fell on his knees and swore that he would never harm the good. So Mialiki took the hardest all the trees to make him teeth and claws but all of them were too weak. Then she went to a magic fur that grew in Tapio's kingdom and which had silver branches and golden cones and from these she made Otso's claws and teeth. Thus was Otso born and reared. So they feasted and made merry and when the feast was over they all tried to see which could pull out Otso's teeth and claws in order to serve them for their magic power and of all the men there only the aged Vainamoinen could draw them out. When this was done Vainamoinen called for his cantere and paid them light torches as it was already dark. Then he sang sweet songs and played lovely music so that the long evening passed away like magic and he sang of the hunter's victory and prayed to Uko always to give good fortune to the hunters of Kalevala. Thus were Louise's two first attempts at revenge unsuccessful. End of chapter 35 Chapter 36 of Finnish Legends This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Sonja Finnish Legends by R Avin Chapter 36 Lohi steals the sun, the moon and fire. When these two dangers were overcome Vainamoinen played upon his cantere so sweetly that the sun and moon came down from their stations in the sky to listen to his music. But evil Lohi crept upon them unawares and made both sun and moon her captives and carried them off to the dismal Northland and there she hit them both in caverns in the mountains that they might never again shine upon Kalevala. Next Lohi crept back to Kalevala and stole all the fire from the horse and left all their homes cold and cheerless. Then there was nothing but black night in the world and great Uko himself did not know what to do without the light of the sun and moon. Uko wandered all over the clouds that had become of the sun and moon and at last he whirled his fire sword round his head so that the lightning flashed over the whole sky. From this lightning he kindled a little fire and putting it in a gold and silver cradle he gave it to the aether maidens to rock and care for until it grew into a second sun. So the fire child was cared for tenderly and he grew fast but one day the child slowly and he escaped from them and bursting through the clouds with a noise like a thunderclap he shot across the heavens like a red fireball. Then Vynamoinen said to Ilmarinen, come, let us see what this fire is that is fallen from the heavens. And so they set out towards the spot where the ball of fire had seemed to fall. Soon they came to a wide river and said to work to make a magic very short time the boat was made and they rode over. On the other bank they were met by the oldest of the aether maidens who asked them whether they were going. So they told her who they were and that they had lost all fire and light in Kalevala so that they were come to seek the fire that they had seen fall from the heavens. Then the aether maiden told them what had happened saying, after the fire child had begun to grow he escaped from us one day and bursting through the clouds he came down to Poyola. There he killed youth and babes and old people until he was driven away by a magic spell. He fled thence burning fields and forests on his way until at length he plunged into a great lake and made the water spoil and rage. Then the fish held a council how to get rid of him and it was decided that one of them must swallow him. First the salmon tried but failed and then the bold whiting made a dash and succeeded in swallowing the evil fire child. After this the waters of the lake grew quiet and all went on as before. But soon the whiting was ceased with terrible pains and began to swim round in agony begging for someone to kill him and put him out of his sufferings. For a long time he swam about unheeded but at last the trout seized the whiting and swallowed him. For a while all was quiet again but then the trout began to suffer in his turn. Still every fish was afraid to swallow him until a pike darted up and ate up the trout. But then the pike was seized with the same pains and he is now swimming about in great agony but none will help him. When the aethermaiden had finished her account of what had happened, Vynamoinen wove a great net from seaweed and hurrying to the lake they began to draw the net all through it in order to catch the fire fish. But the net was a poor one and they failed to catch the pike that had swallowed the other fish and the fire child. Then the two magicians gave up their useless net and choosing an island nearby they resolved to plant flecks that they might make a stronger and better net. They went to Tu'oni's kingdom before they could find the proper seed and found it there under the care of a tiny insect. When they had brought the seed from the death-land they planted it on the shore in the ashes of a ship that had been burned there and in a single night the flecks had grown up and ripened. Then they pulled it and washed and dried and combed it and took it to the Calavala maidens to spin. Soon the spinning was done and the net was woven. So the two great heroes took the flecks and net and hastened back to the lake and began to drag for the fire fish. But they only caught common fish and the pike remained hidden in the deep caverns. Then Vyna Moinen made the net longer and wider and they tried again. But though they caught fish of every species the fire fish was not amongst them. Vyna Moinen then prayed to Ato god of the ocean and his wife Wellamo that would drive the fire fish into his nets. Scarcely had Vyna Moinen finished speaking when a little dwarf rose from the waters and offered to help them. They accepted the tiny man's aid and while they drew their nets the dwarf beat the waters with a magic pole and scared all the fish toward them. And as they drew Vyna Moinen sang a magic charm to bring the fish in still greater numbers. This time the net was full of pike and they dragged it to the shore rejoicing and among them they found the fire fish. So they threw the other fish back into the water and Vyna Moinen drew his knife and began to cut up the fire fish. Inside of the pike he found the trout and inside of the trout the whiting and on opening the whiting he came upon a ball of blue yarn. Vyna Moinen quickly unwound the blue ball and within that found the red ball and when he had opened the red ball he came to the ball of fire in the middle. They pondered how they should get the fire to Kalevala and at last Ilmarinen seized it in his hands to carry it off. But it singed Vyna Moinen's beard and burned Ilmarinen's hands dreadfully and then it jumped out of their reach and rolled off over field and forest burning everything in its course. Vyna Moinen hastened after it and at length caught it hidden in a mass of punk wood. Then he took it and put it, wood and all, in a copper box and hastened off home. Thus the fire returned to Kalevala. But Ilmarinen suffering great agony from his burnt hands hastened to the sea to lave them in the cool water and he called up the ice and frost and snow to come and cool his parched hands and when all these proved insufficient he called on great Ukko to give him some healing balm to take away the cruel torture and Ukko granted his prayer and his hands were healed. Then Ilmarinen returned home and rejoiced to find that Vyna Moinen had already brought the fire thither. End of chapter 36 Chapter 37 of Finnish Legends. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Sonja. Finnish Legends by R Avin. Chapter 37 The Restoration of the Sun and Moon Though the fire had been restored to Kalevala still the golden moon and the silver sun were lost and the frost came and killed the crops and the cattle began to die of hunger. Every living thing felt sick and faint in the dark dreary world. Then one of the maidens of Kalevala suggested to Ilmarinen to make a moon of gold and the sun of silver and to hang them up in the heavens. So Ilmarinen set to work. While he was forging them Vyna Moinen came and asked what he was working at and so Ilmarinen told him that he was going to make a new sun and moon. But Vyna Moinen said this is mere folly for silver and gold will not shine like the sun and moon. Still Ilmarinen worked on and at length he had forged a moon of gold and the sun of silver and hung them in their places in the sky. But they gave no light as Vyna Moinen had said. Then Vyna Moinen determined to find out where the sun and moon had gone. So he cut three chips from an alder tree and around before him he cast many magic spells over them. Then when all was ready he asked the alder chips to tell him truly where the sun and moon were hid. The alder chips then answered that they were hidden in the caverns of the mountains of Poyola. No sooner had Vyna Moinen heard this then he made ready for a journey and started off for the dismal Northland. When he had travelled three days and was come to the borders of Poyola he found a white river in the road and no boat to cross over in. So he built a huge fire on the shore and soon such a dense column of smoke arose that Lowy sent someone to see what was the matter. But when Vyna Moinen called to the messenger to bring him a boat the man made no reply but hurried back to Lowy and told her that it was Vyna Moinen who was coming to her house. Then Vyna Moinen saw that he was crossing that way so he changed himself into a pike and swam over very easily and then changed back to his own shape when he had reached the opposite shore. He hastened on with mighty strides and soon reached Lowy's dwelling. There he was met as if he were a most honored guest and they invited him into the hall. Vyna Moinen went in unsuspectingly but no sooner was he inside then he found himself surrounded by crowds of armed warriors. The warriors asked him in a threatening tone why he had come thither but Vyna Moinen was not frightened but answered boldly that he had come to seek the sun and the moon. Then the chief of the warriors replied we have the sun and moon safe in a mountain cavern and thou shalt never get them back nor shall thou leave this hall alive. No sooner had he finished speaking then Vyna Moinen drew his magic sword and fell upon those that stood between him and the door. They gave way before him and in a moment he was out in the courtyard where he could have room to fight fairly. All the warriors rushed at him with drawn swords and lifted spears and the fire fleshed from their weapons but Vyna Moinen was more than a match for all of them and in a very short time he had stretched them all lifeless on the ground. Then he left the court and hastened on to find the sun and moon. Soon he came to a solitary birch tree and beside the trees stood a carved pillar of stone which concealed an opening in the rocks. Vyna Moinen gave three blows with his magic sword and the pillar broke in pieces showing behind it an entrance into the rock. But the entrance was shut by a massive door and there was only a little crack through which he could peep. Inside he saw the sun and moon prisoners but though he tried with all his strength and all his magic spells to open the door it still remained tightly shut and he could not budge it so much as an inch. Vyna Moinen began to despair of ever succeeding in liberating the sun and moon and he hastened off home to ask for Ilmarinen's help. He directed him to forge a whole set of skeleton keys so that one of them would fit the lock of the door to the sun's prison. Ilmarinen went to work and soon his anvil was ringing merrily to the blows of his hammer. Now Lohi had grown very much alarmed after Vyna Moinen had slain all her warriors and so she assumed the shape of an eagle and flew away to Kalevala to see what was going on there. She heard the merry ring of Ilmarinen's work and flew down and lit in the window of the smithy. She asked what he was doing and the cunning Ilmarinen replied I am forging a collar of steel for the neck of evil Lohi and with it I shall bind her fast to the rocks. Lohi was terribly alarmed at this so she flew off to Pojola and released the sun and moon from prison immediately and sent them up to their places in the heavens. Then the silver sunlight and the golden moonlight returned once more to Kalevala and Ilmarinen and Vyna Moinen and all the people offered up a prayer that they might never again be deprived of the blessed sun and moon. It would have served O Lohi right if Ilmarinen had made a steel collar and put it round her neck, said Mimi, but I am so glad that Vyna Moinen always got the best of it, she added. There was one time when he was defeated, however, father Miko, and now I shall tell it you, it is the last story and it is about Vyna Moinen's departure from Kalevala. So he began. End of chapter 37 Chapter 38 of Finnish Legends This is a LibriVox recording or LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Sonja Finnish Legends by R Aivind Chapter 38 Marietta and Vyna Moinen's departure Delived a fair and lovely maiden in Kalevala called Marietta. She was the loveliest and purest of virgins and tended her parents flocks upon the mountainsides. Here one day as she was watching the sheep she heard a voice calling her and on looking round she found that it was a bright red berry calling to her and asking her to pluck it. Marietta did not know that this was a magic berry so she picked it and put it to her lips to eat it. But the berry rolled from her lips down into her bosom and said to her Thou shalt have a son and he shall become a mighty man and dry forth the old magician Vyna Moinen. Then Marietta took the flocks home and was so silent and still that her parents noticed it and asked what was the matter. So she told them what had happened but they grew angry and would not keep her in their house for they did not believe the story about the berry. Poor Marietta was now obliged to wander about without the shelter from the cold winds. At length she sent a servant who had remained faithful to her and had accompanied her to a village of Poyola to ask for shelter from an old man named Rurotus. The maid Pilty went to Rurotus and told him of Marietta's hard lot but Rurotus and his wife would not have her in their house but only grudgingly consented to let her go to a stable in the forest where the fire horse of Heezy was kept. So Marietta was obliged to go to the stable in the dense forest far off from every human being and there she begged the Heezy horse to keep her warm by his fiery breath. The Heezy horse was kinder to her than men had been for he let her lie down comfortably in his manger and kept her warm with his fiery breath. There the babe was born and his mother grew happy once more in spite of her sorrowful circumstances. But one night while she slept the babe disappeared and the poor mother was overwhelmed with grief. Then she wandered forth and looked everywhere for him but in vain. So she asked the North Star if he had seen her son but the North Star answered I would not tell thee even if I knew for it is thy son who hath made me and set me here in the bitter cold and next Marietta asked the moon and received the same answer as the North Star had given then she went to the son and asked him and the son said I know very well where thy son is hidden for he made me and put me here to shine with my silver light he lies sleeping yonder in the swamp land. So Marietta hastened to the spot that the son had pointed out and there found her babe sleeping peacefully in the water among the rushes. Then she returned with the babe to her father's house and this time he received her and allowed her to live there in peace and the child grew with him and his mother called him flower but others called him son of sorrow. Then his mother called in an old man Virocannas to baptize the child. But Virocannas said first must someone see if the child shall become an honest man or wicked wizard for if he be not honest I will not baptize him. So Vainamoinan was called to examine the child it was only two weeks old then and see if it would grow up a noble man or not. Vainamoinan came and saw the child and then said since this child is only a poor outcast born in a manger and having no father save a berry let him be cast out onto the hillsides or into the marshes to perish. But all at once the babe himself began to speak saying oh aged Vainamoinan foolish hero thou hast given a false decision thou thyself has done great wrongs yet has not been punished thou gave us thine own brother Ilmarinan to ransom thy poor life thou persecuted the lovely I know so that she perished in the deep sea yet thou had not killed for all this. Then Virocannas saw that this was truly a magic babe and he baptized him to become a mighty hero and a ruler and king over Kalevala. Years passed by after this and Vainamoinan felt his power gradually leaving him and going over to Marietta's child. So the ancient hero with a sad heart sang his last magic spell in Kalevala and made a magic boat of copper to sail away in. Then he cast loose from the shore and sailed off towards the west, singing to the land. Fair ye well, my people, many sons shall rise and set on Kalevala until the people shall at length regret my absence and shall call upon me to come back with my magic songs and wisdom. Fair ye well. Thus Vainamoinan in his magic boat of copper left Kalevala only sailed to the land of the setting sun and at length he reached and anchored his boat, never again to return to Kalevala. But the wondrous Kantele and all his songs and wisdom remain among us to this day. And now, said Father Miko, I have told you my last story. Old Vainamoinan has left Kalevala and the rule of the Christ child has begun. Under it our land has advanced and grown comfortable and happy. Let us pray that we may never be less so. They were all silent for some time, and then all of them thanked Father Miko heartily for the pleasure that he had given them. Soon after this they had supper and went to bed, and the next morning Father Miko drove off in his sledge, the moonlight covering all the country with a flood of silver, and soon he had disappeared into the dark and silent fur forest. But not before they had promised them all that he would stop there again next year if possible. The End End of Chapter 38 End of Finish Legends by R. Avin