THEBIRTHOFTHEHARP.

thebirthoftheharp.

wainamoinen,ilmarinen,andthewizardlemminkainenstartedtothenorthlandtowinbackthesampoforgedforlouhibyilmarinen.onthewaytheirboatstuckontheshouldersofagreatpike,whichwaskilledbywainamoinen.thethreethenlanded,orderedthepiketobecookedbythemaidens,andfeasteduntilnothingremainedofthefishbutaheapofbones.

wainamoinen,ancientminstrel,

lookeduponthepileoffragments,

onthefish-boneslookedandpondered,

spakethesewordsinmeditation:

"wondrousthingsmightbeconstructed

fromtherelicsofthismonster,

weretheyintheblacksmith'sfurnace,

inthehandsofthemagician,

inthehandsofilmarinen."

spaketheblacksmithofwainola:

"nothingfinecanbeconstructed

fromthebonesandteethoffishes

bytheskilfulforger-artist,

bythehandsofthemagician."

thesethewordsofwainamoinen:

"somethingwondrousmightbebuilded

fromthesejaws,andteeth,andfish-bones;

mightamagicharpbefashioned,

couldanartistbediscovered

thatcouldshapethemtomywishes."

buthefoundnofish-boneartist

thatcouldshapetheharpofjoyance

fromtherelicsoftheirfeasting,

fromthejaw-bonesofthemonster,

tothewillofthemagician.

thereuponwisewainamoinen

sethimselfatworkdesigning;

quickbecameafish-boneartist,

madeaharpofwondrousbeauty,

lastingjoyandprideofsuomi.

whencetheharp'senchantingarches?

fromthejaw-bonesofthemonster.

whencethenecessaryharp-pins?

fromthepike-teeth,firmlyfastened.

whencethesweetlysingingharp-strings?

fromthetailoflempo'sstallion.

thuswasborntheharpofmagic

fromthemightypikeofnorthland,

fromtherelicsfromthefeasting

oftheheroesofwainola.

alltheyoungmencametoviewit,

alltheagedwiththeirchildren,

motherswiththeirbeauteousdaughters,

maidenswiththeirgoldentresses;

allthepeopleontheislands

cametoviewtheharpofjoyance,

prideandbeautyofthenorthland.

wainamoinen,ancientminstrel,