Project Gutenberg's The Song Of The Blood-Red Flower, by Johannes Linnankoski

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Song Of The Blood-Red Flower

Author: Johannes Linnankoski

Release Date: July 18, 2004 [EBook #12935]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SONG OF THE BLOOD-RED FLOWER ***

Produced by Riikka Talonpoika, Cathy Smith and PG Distributed
Proofreaders

THE SONG OF THE BLOOD-RED FLOWER

by

Johannes Linnankoski

_From the Finnish. Original Title: "Laulu Tulipunaisesta Kukasta_"
First Published in 1920.

CONTENTS

THE FAIRY OF THE FOREST

GAZELLE

A MOTHER'S EYES

FATHER AND SON

PANSY

AT SUNRISE

ROWAN

THE FIRST SNOWFALL

DAISY

THE RAPIDS

THE SONG OF THE BLOOD-RED FLOWER

WATER-SPRITE AND WATER-WITCH

THE CAMP-FIRE AT NEITOKALLIO

HAWTHORN

SISTER MAYA

CLEMATIS

DARK FURROWS

TO THE DREGS

BY THE ROADSIDE

THE CUPBOARD

THE HOUSE BUILDING

WAYS THAT MEET

MOISIO

THE BROKEN STRING

THE BRIDAL CHAMBER

THE SOMNAMBULIST

OUT OF THE PAST

THE MARK

THE PILGRIMAGE

THE RECKONING

WAITING

THE HOMECOMING

THE FAIRY OF THE FOREST

The setting sun shone on the wooded slopes of the hill. He clasped the
nearest trees in a burning embrace, offered his hand to those farther
off, and gave to them all a sparkling smile.

There was joy on the hillside.

The summer wind told fairy tales from the south. Told of the trees
there, how tall they are, how dense the forests, and the earth, how it
steams in the heat. How the people are dark as shadows, and their eyes
flashing with light. And all the trees in the wood strained their ears
to listen.

The cuckoo perched in the red-blossomed pine, near the reddest cluster
of all. "It may be as lovely as lovely can be," cuckooed he, "but
nowhere does the heart throb with delight as in Finland forests in
spring, and nowhere is such music in the air."

All the hillside nodded approvingly.

In a little glade half-way down the slope some newly-felled firs lay
tumbled this way and that--their red-blossomed tops were trembling
still.

On one of the stems a youth was seated.

He was tall