in a curving alder,
To the kantele to listen,
That she might enjoy the music. 70

And the birds of air assembled,
Those upon two wings that raise them,
Backwards sailing, forwards sailing,
And with all their speed came flying,
Swift to listen to the music,
All in wonder and rejoicing.

When the eagle in his eyry,
Heard the sweet tones sound from Suomi,
In the nest she left her fledgelings,
And she hovered round to listen 80
To the gallant hero's playing,
And to Vaeinaemoeinen's singing.
High in air there soared the eagle,
Through the clouds the hawk was sailing,
Came the ducks from deepest waters,
Came the swans from snow-wreathed marshes,
And the smallest of the finches,
All the twittering birds assembled,
Singing-birds flocked round by hundreds,
And in thousands they assembled 90
In the air, and heard delighted,
And alighted on his shoulders,
All rejoicing in the patriarch,
And in Vaeinaemoeinen's playing.

E'en the Daughters of Creation,
Of the air the charming maidens,
Gathered to rejoice and wonder,
To the kantele to listen.
Some on arch of air were seated,
Seated on the dazzling rainbow, 100
Some on little clouds were seated,
Resting on their crimson borders.
Then were Kuutar, slender damsel;
Paeivaetaer, that maid accomplished;
Casting with their hands the shuttle,
Drawing threads that they were weaving,
As they wove a golden fabric,
And they wove the threads of silver,
High upon the red cloud-borders,
On the borders of the rainbow. 110

But when they began to listen
To the notes of charming music,
From their hands they let the comb fall,
Cast from out their hands the shuttle,
And the golden bands were broken,
And the silver shaft was broken.

There remained no living creature,
None of those who dwell in water,
None who with six fins are moving,
Nor the largest shoals of fishes, 120
Which assembled not to listen,
Came not to rejoice and wonder.
Thither came the pikes all swimming,
And the water-dogs swam forward,
From the rocks swam swift the salmon,
From the deeps there came the powans,
Perch and little roach came also,
Powans white, and other fishes;
Th