then drew his sword, and rushed into the wood in pursuit of
them, breaking down the trees and bushes in his way, and destroying all
the wild beasts he met with, while those who could fled to distant
swamps and thickets. He would have utterly exterminated all the wolves
and bears, if the increasing darkness of night had not compelled him at
length to desist from further pursuit. He retired to the open country,
and being wearied out, lay down to sleep on the skin of the horse. But
he had scarcely closed his eyes before a messenger arrived from the
elders of Esthonia, announcing that war had broken out, and that a
hostile army was ravaging the country.

The Kalevide heard the long and woful story to an end, and then threw
himself down again to sleep off his weariness, when another messenger
arrived, whom he sharply upbraided for disturbing him.

The second messenger was a venerable old man with a white beard. He
saluted the king, and apologised for disturbing him, but reminded him
that when he was young the birds had sung to him that a ruler could know
no rest:

Heavy cares oppress the monarch,
And a weighty load the ruler;
Heavier yet a hero's burden:
Thousand duties wait the strongest;
More await the Kalevide!

He then spoke encouragingly to the king, assuring him that much would
result from all his labours for the good of his people. The Kalevide
answered that he would not shun toil and weariness, and would do his
best. The old man assured him that nothing could prosper without the aid
of the gods; and now the Kalevide recognised that Ukko himself spoke
with him. Then the god exhorted him not to quarrel with destiny, and
warned him to beware of his sword, for murder could only be atoned for
by murder, and he who had murdered an innocent man was never secure.

His voice died away in the wind, and the Kalevide sank into slumber till
dawn; and when he awoke he could only recall vague fragments of the long
discourse he had heard in his vision. He then gave the Esthonian
messenger directions for the conduct of the war, and especially the
defence of the coasts, asking to be particularly informed if the war
should spread farther and the need grow greater, and then he himself
would come at once; but he was compelled to rest a little from his
fatigues before he could take part in the war in person.

Here is inserted the grand ballad of the Herald of War, from Neus,
_Ehstnische Volkslieder_, p. 305. I