“But under a birch tree
The man taught his wife;
‘Wait a bit, my darling,
I’ll beat that tune out of you,
In my own way.’
“Then the woman was sorry,
Bowed low as the waistband.
‘Don’t frighten yourself, dearest,
And do not be troubled,
I find myself better,
My headache has gone.’“
446, 450, 454. The commentary explains the word used here to mean “wander round thee,” an alteration which I consider unnecessary except in the last line.
467. From the sarcastic tone of this speech, Ilmarinen seems to have been quite tired and disgusted with all the fuss, in which most of our readers will probably sympathize with him.
RUNO XXV
47. According to popular usage, a son is ennobled by being called a brother.
97. In some of the legends of Sigurd and Brynhilda, Brynhilda is represented as lying asleep in a tower of glass, encompassed by a circle of fire, through which Sigurd had to ride to wake her. In this story she is the prototype of the Sleeping Beauty.
157. We often read in Russian folk-tales of revolving huts supported on fowls’ legs.
159. The favourite weapon of the Icelander Skarphedin, the son of Njal, was a bell which rang out shortly before any person was to be killed by it.
169. In the dales of Yorkshire it used to be considered very inhospitable not to leave the door open at mealtimes.
289, 290. Saxony and Viro are Germany and Esthonia.
564. Apparently a sort of master of the ceremonies at Finnish weddings, corresponding to the Russian svat, or matchmaker.
596. The scoter duck, (Oidemia nigra).
642. Brows; literally, eyelashes.
646. Her shift-collar.
665, 666. The beautiful Esthonian story of the Dawn, the Moon, and the Morning and Evening Twilight will be found in Jones and Kropf’s Folk-Tales of the Magyars, pp. 326-328, and in Ruby’s Hero of Esthonia, II., pp. 30-34.
END OF VOL. I
