Then he
put on the hat, and cried out, "Hat, carry us quickly to the entrance
gate, where I left the planks." He found himself there at once, but the
cooks and the kettle had disappeared, and nothing was left behind but
the ashes of the fire, in which a few dying embers still remained. These
the hero fanned into a flame, into which he contemptuously tossed the
hat, which was immediately consumed.

The sisters began to cry, and reproached him with having destroyed a hat
which had not its equal on earth or in Porgu, and said that all hope was
now at an end. But the hero comforted them, telling them that it was no
time for lamentation, for the summer was at its loveliest, and they
should soon find themselves in full possession of all the pleasures of
life, from which they had been so long debarred. So he took the planks
on his back, piled all his booty upon them, and then invited the sisters
to take their place again on the top of all. Before their departure, the
sisters had also provided themselves with good store of rich clothing
from the silk and satin chambers, while the youngest had secured the
wishing-rod in case of need.

Notwithstanding his load, the Kalevide ran on as if his feet were
burning, while the sisters jested and laughed and sang.

[Footnote 75: A mythical blue bird, the daughter of Taara. Two songs
respecting her will be found in another part of the book. Reinthal
improperly translates the word "griffin." "Phoenix" or "Seemurgh"
would have been a more appropriate rendering.]

[Footnote 76: These bath-whisks, which are dried birch-twigs with the
leaves left on, are often alluded to in the _Kalevala_.]

[Footnote 77: Or Tuehja. See _ante_, p. 84.]

[Footnote 78: Compare Canto 10 of the _Kalevipoeg_, and the story of the
Grateful Prince, as well as _ante_, p. 58 note. Sarvik seems to have
belonged to the same family as the water-demon who was tricked by the
Alevide in Canto 10.]

CANTO XV

THE MARRIAGE OF THE SISTERS

The Kalevide had not gone far on his homeward journey when he found that
Tuehi himself was pursuing him with a band of his followers. Then the
youngest sister took the wishing-rod, and called upon it to flood the
whole country, a bridge rising before them for the hero, while water
flowed behind between him and his enemies. The demons stopped in
confusion, and Tuehi shouted to the Kalevide to ask if he was carrying
off his adopted daughters? "It looks like it," answered the h