Hammered thee the lid in colors." Spake the hostess of Pohyola: "Senseless daughter, child of folly, Thus to choose the ancient blacksmith, From whose brow drips perspiration, Evermore to rinse his linen, Lave his hands, and eyes, and forehead, Keep his ancient house in order; Little use his wit and wisdom When compared with gold and silver." This the answer of the daughter: "I will never, never, never, Wed the ancient Wainamoinen With his gold and priceless jewels; Never will I be a helpmate To a hero in his dotage, Little thanks my compensation." Wainamoinen, safely landing In advance of Ilmarinen, Pulls his gaily-covered vessel From the waves upon the sea-beach, On the cylinders of birch-wood, On the rollers copper-banded, Straightway hastens to the guest-room Of the hostess of Pohyola, Of the master of the Northland, Speaks these words upon the threshold To the famous Maid of Beauty: "Come with me, thou lovely virgin, Be my bride and life-companion, Share with me my joys and sorrows, Be my honored wife hereafter!" This the answer of the maiden: "Hast thou built for me the vessel, Built for me the ship of magic From the fragments of the distaff, From the splinters of the spindle?" Wainamoinen thus replying: "I have built the promised vessel, Built the wondrous ship for sailing, Firmly joined the parts by magic; It will weather roughest billows, Will outlive the winds and waters, Swiftly glide upon the blue-back Of the deep and boundless ocean It will ride the waves in beauty, Like an airy bubble rising, Like a cork on lake and river, Through the angry seas of Northland, Through Pohyola's peaceful waters." Northland's fair and slender daughter Gives this answer to her suitor: "Will not wed a sea-born hero, Do not care to rock the billows, Cannot live with such a husband Storms would bring us pain and trouble, Winds would rack our hearts and temples; Therefore thee I cannot follow, Cannot keep thy home in order, Cannot be thy life-companion, Cannot wed old Wainamoinen."

RUNE XIX.

ILMARINEN'S WOOING.

Ilmarinen, hero-blacksmith, The eternal metal-worker, Hastens forward to the court-room Of the hostess of Pohyola, Of the master of the Northland, Hastens through the open portals Into Louhi's home and presence. Servants come with silver pitchers, Filled with Northland's richest brewing; Honey-drink is brought and offered To the blacksmith of Wainola, Ilmarinen thus replying: "I shall not in all my life-time Taste the drink that thou hast brought me, Till I see the Maid of Beauty, Fairy Maiden of the Rainbow; I will drink with her in gladness, For whose hand I journey hither." Spake the hostess of Pohyola: "Trouble does the one selected Give to him that wooes and watches; Not yet are her feet in sandals, Thine affianced is not ready. Only canst thou woo my daughter, Only canst thou win the maiden, When thou hast by aid of magic Plowed the serpent-field of Hisi, Plowed the field of hissing vipers, Touching neither beam nor handles. Once this field was plowed by Piru, Lempo furrowed it with horses, With a plowshare made of copper, With a beam of flaming iron; Never since has any hero Brought this field to cultivation." Ilmarinen of Wainola Straightway hastens to the chamber Of the Maiden of the Rainbow, Speaks these words in hesitation: "Thou of Night and Dawn the daughter, Tell me, dost thou not remember When for thee I forged the Sampo, Hammered thee the lid in colors? Thou didst swear by oath the strougest, By the forge and by the anvil, By the tongs and by the hammer, In the ears of the Almighty, And before omniscient Ukko, Thou wouldst follow me hereafter, Be my bride, my life-companion, Be my honored wife forever. Now thy mother is exacting, Will not give to me her daughter, Till by means of magic only, I have plowed the field of serpents, Plowed the hissing soil of Hisi." The affianced Bride of Beauty Gives this answer to the suitor: "O, thou blacksmith, Ilmarinen, The eternal wonder-forger, Forge thyself a golden plowshare, Forge the beam of shining silver, And of copper forge the handles; Then with ease, by aid of magic, Thou canst plow the field of serpents, Plow the hissing soil of Hisi." Ilmarinen, welcome suitor, Straightway builds a forge and smithy, Places gold within the furnace, In the forge he lays the silver, Forges then a golden plowshare, Forges, too, a beam of silver, Forges handles out of copper, Forges boots and gloves of iron, Forges him a mail of metal, For his limbs a safe protection, Safe protection for his body. Then a horse of fire selecting, Harnesses the flaming stallion, Goes to plow the field of serpents, Plow the viper-lands of Hisi. In the field were countless vipers, Serpents there of every species, Crawling, writhing, hissing, stinging, Harmless all against the hero, Thus he stills the snakes of Lempo: "Vipers, ye by God created, Neither best nor worst of creatures, Ye whose wisdom comes from Ukko, And whose venom comes from Hisi, Ukko is your greater Master, By His will your heads are lifted; Get ye hence before my plowing, Writ-he ye through the grass and stubble, Crawl ye to the nearest thicket, Keep your heads beneath the heather, Hunt our holes to Mana's kingdom If your poison-heads be lifted, Then will mighty Ukko smite them 'With his iron-pointed arrows, With the lightning of his anger." Thus the blacksmith, Ilmarinen, Safely plows the field of serpents, Lifts the vipers in his plowing, Buries them beneath the furrow, Harmless all against his magic. When the task had been completed, Ilmarinen, quick returning, Thus addressed Pohyola's hostess: "I have plowed the field of Hisi, Plowed the field of hissing serpents, Stilled and banished all the vipers; Give me, ancient dame, thy daughter, Fairest maiden of the Northland. Spake the hostess of Pohyola: "Shall not grant to thee my daughter, Shall not give my lovely virgin, Till Tuoni's bear is muzzled, Till Manala's wolf is conquered, In the forests of the Death-land, In the boundaries of Mana. Hundreds have been sent to hunt him, So one yet has been successful, All have perished in Manala." Thereupon young Ilmarinen To the maiden's chamber hastens, Thus addresses his affianced: "Still another test demanded,