Page:Kalevala (Kirby 1907) v1.djvu/93

For a girl in father’s dwelling,
Or in household of a husband?’
“Thereupon the bird made answer,
And the fieldfare answered chirping:70
‘Brilliant is the day in summer,
But a maiden’s lot is brighter.
And the frost makes cold the iron,
Yet the new bride’s lot is colder.
In her father’s house a maiden
Lives like strawberry in the garden,
But a bride in house of husband,
Lives like house-dog tightly fettered.
To a slave comes rarely pleasure;
To a wedded damsel never.’”80
Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
Answered in the words which follow:
“Song of birds is idle chatter,
And the throstle’s, merely chirping;
As a child a daughter’s treated,
But a maid must needs be married.
Come into my sledge, O maiden,
In the sledge beside me seat thee.
I am not a man unworthy,
Lazier not than other heroes.”90
But the maid gave crafty answer,
And in words like these responded:
“As a man I will esteem you,
And as hero will regard you,
If you can split up a horsehair
With a blunt and pointless knife-blade,
And an egg in knots you tie me,
Yet no knot is seen upon it.”
Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
Then the hair in twain divided,100
With a blunt and pointless knife-blade,
With a knife completely pointless,
And an egg in knots he twisted,
Yet no knot was seen upon it.
Then again he asked the maiden
In the sledge to sit beside him.