reat master-builder, and to him was intrusted the task
of building the cities and fortifications.

When the Kalevide learned that he had lost seven weeks in a magic sleep,
he gave the three sisters to the charge of the son of Alev, who married
the youngest. The son of Sulev married the eldest, but the second sister
found no lover, and while the others were talking together of their
wedded happiness she stole apart weeping; and at length she was carried
away by a famous sorcerer, and her strong brothers-in-law went in search
of her. On the third evening they came upon her track, when the sorcerer
spread out a great lake to impede their passage. But the Alevide had
brought with him the wishing-rod, which quickly provided them with a
bridge. They rushed across, broke the locks, and burst open the doors,
slew the sorcerer, released the captive, and then sent the red cock on
the roof.[81]

Then the son of Olev took the second sister to wife; and thus all the
three sisters whom the Kalevide had released from the regions of Sarvik
were happily married, and many great tribes derived their origin from
them.

[Footnote 79: Compare the similar scene in the story of "Slyboots,"
later in this volume.]

[Footnote 80: This incident resembles an adventure attributed to Thor.
In the legends of all countries, sorcerers or fugitives are represented
as raising magic floods, either to sweep away their enemies or to baffle
pursuit. There are three instances in this very canto.]

[Footnote 81: This is the usual Esthonian euphemism for setting a house
on fire. I understand that there is also some connection between red
cocks and fire in Scottish folk-lore; and in Scandinavian mythology two
of the three cocks which are to crow before Ragnaroek are red. May they
not have some connection with the fire of Surtur?]

CANTO XVI

THE VOYAGE OF THE KALEVIDE

The Kalevide now decided on a journey north, to the uttermost end of the
world, where it touches the sky. He imagined that he could only reach
this point by sea, and thought at first of travelling on the wings of an
eagle. Meantime, a raven directed him, when he came to a broad expanse
of blue water, to look for a place where rushes grew on the bank, and to
stamp on the ground with his right foot, when the mouth of the earth and
the strongly guarded doors would fly open, and he would reach the end of
the world.

Then the Kalevide reflected how he had waded through every lake and