ncluding: 620

"Grant, O Jumala, in future,
Once again, O good Creator,
That once more we meet rejoicing,
And may once again assemble
Here to feast on bear so fattened,
Feasting on the shaggy creature.

"Grant, O Jumala, for ever,
Grant again, O good Creator,
That the posts be raised to guide us,
And the trees be blazed before us, 630
For the most heroic people,
For the manly race of heroes.

"Grant, O Jumala, for ever,
Grant again, O good Creator,
That may sound the horn of Tapio,
And the forest-pipe may whistle
Even in this little courtyard,
Even in this narrow homestead.

"In the day may we be playing,
And at eventide rejoicing, 640
In this firm and solid country,
In the wide expanse of Suomi,
With the young who now are growing,
With the rising generation."

RUNO XLVII.--THE ROBBERY OF THE SUN AND MOON

_Argument_

The moon and sun descend to listen to Vaeinaemoeinen's playing. The
Mistress of Pohjola succeeds in capturing them, hides them in a
mountain, and steals the fire from the homes of Kalevala (1-40). Ukko,
the Supreme God, is surprised at the darkness in the sky, and kindles
fire for a new moon and a new sun (41-82). The fire falls to the ground,
and Vaeinaemoeinen and Ilmarinen go to search for it (83-126). The Virgin
of the Air informs them that the fire has fallen into Lake Alue, and has
been swallowed by a fish (127-312). Vaeinaemoeinen and Ilmarinen try to
catch the fish with a net of bast, but without success (313-364).

Vaeinaemoeinen, old and steadfast,
On his kantele was playing,
Long he played, and long was singing,
And was ever full of gladness.

In the moon's house heard they playing
Came delight to the sun's window,
And the moon came from his dwelling,
Standing on a crooked birch-tree,
And the sun came from his castle,
Sitting on a fir-tree's summit, 10
To the kantele to listen,
Filled with wonder and rejoicing.

Louhi, Pohjola's old Mistress,
Old and gap-toothed dame of Pohja,
Set to work the sun to capture,
In her hands the moon seized likewise.
From the birch the moon she captured,
And the sun from fir-tree's summit;
Straightway to her home she brought them,
To the gloomy land of Pohja. 20

Then she h