se and ancient, bade
him first say why he wished to come into the Deathland while he was
still alive. And first Wainamoinen answered that Tuoni himself, the
death-god, had sent him. But the maid replied: 'Had Tuoni brought thee,
he would now be with thee, and thou wouldst be wearing his cap and
gloves.' So Wainamoinen answered again: 'I was slain by an iron weapon.'
But the maid would not believe him, because he had no bleeding wound.
Then he said the third time, that he had been washed there by the river.
But still the maid would not believe him, for his clothing was not wet.
And the fourth time he said that fire had burnt him. But the maid
replied: 'If the fire had brought thee to Manala, thy hair and eyebrows
and beard would be all singed and burnt. But now I ask thee for the last
time what it is that hath brought thee, living, hither. Tell me the
truth this time.'

Then Wainamoinen told her that he had been building a boat by magic, but
that he yet lacked one spell, and had come thither to seek it. When he
had said this, Tuoni's daughter came across and rowed him to the
opposite side, having first tried to dissuade him from coming. But
Wainamoinen was not afraid; and when he had landed he walked straight
up to the abode of Tuoni.

There Tuonetar, Tuoni's wife, gave him a golden goblet filled with beer,
saying: 'Drink Tuoni's beer, O wise and ancient Wainamoinen!' But he
carefully inspected the liquor before he tasted it, and saw that it was
black and full of the spawn of frogs and poisonous serpent-broods; and
he said to Tuonetar: 'I have not come hither to drink Tuoni's poisons,
for they that do so will surely be destroyed.'

Tuonetar then asked him why he had come, and he told her of his
boat-building, and how he still needed the three magic words, and that
he hoped to find them there. 'Tuoni will never reveal them,' Tuonetar
said; 'nor shalt thou ever leave these gates alive;' and as she spoke
she waved the slumber-wand over Wainamoinen's head, and he sank into a
deep sleep. And to make sure of his not escaping, Tuoni's son, a hideous
wizard with only three fingers, wove nets of iron and of copper, and set
them all through the river, to catch Wainamoinen if by any chance he
should get so far.

But Wainamoinen soon freed himself from Tuonetar's slumber-spell, and
knowing in how great danger he was, he instantly transformed himself
into a serpent, and wriggled his way to the river, and through the nets
that ha