From the omnipotent Creator. 570

"Praise to Jumala most gracious,
Praise to thee, O great Creator,
That thy aid thou hast vouchsafed me,
Granted me thy strong protection,
When my suffering was the greatest,
From the edge of sharpest Iron."

Then the aged Vainamoinen
Further spoke these words of warning:
"People, henceforth in the future
On your present welfare build not, 580
Make no boat in mood of boasting,
Nor confide too much in boat-ribs.
God foresees the course of by-ways,
The Creator orders all things;
Not the foresight of the heroes,
Nor the might of all the great ones."

RUNO X.--THE FORGING OF THE SAMPO

_Argument_

Vainamoinen reaches home and urges Ilmarinen to depart to woo the Maiden
of Pohja, because he would be able to forge a Sampo (1-100). Ilmarinen
refuses to go to Pohjola, but Vainamoinen conveys him thither without
his consent by a stratagem (101-200). Ilmarinen arrives in Pohjola,
where he is very well received, and promises to forge a Sampo (201-280).
He forges the Sampo, and the Mistress of Pohjola conceals it in the
Rocky Mountain of Pohjola (281-432). Ilmarinen asks for the maiden as
his reward, but she makes excuses, saying that she is not yet ready to
leave home (433-462). Ilmarinen receives a boat, returns home, and
informs Vainamoinen that he has forged the Sampo in Pohjola (463-510).

Vainamoinen, old and steadfast,
Took his horse of chestnut colour,
And between the shafts he yoked him,
Yoked before the sledge the chestnut,
On the sledge himself he mounted,
And upon the seat he sat him.

Quickly then his whip he flourished,
Cracked his whip, all bead-embroidered,
Quick he sped upon his journey,
Lurched the sledge, the way was shortened, 10
Loudly rang the birchwood runners,
And the rowan cumber rattled.

On he rushed with speed tremendous,
Through the swamps and open country,
O'er the heaths, so wide extending.
Thus he drove a day, a second,
And at length, upon the third day,
Reached the long bridge-end before him
Kalevala's extended heathlands,
Bordering on the field of Osmo. 20

Then he spoke the words which follow,
And expressed himself in this wise:
"Wolf, do thou devour the dreamer,
Seize the Laplander, O sickness,
He who said that I should