ilkmaid
once found a cock and a hen. The cock flew away, but she caught the hen,
and brought it home, where it grew up into a proud princess who had many
lovers, among whom were the sun and--"The Kalevide," shouted he; and the
maiden screamed and fled into the house. Then her father came to the
door, and the Kalevide saluted him courteously, and asked him the way to
the world's end. The wise man answered that it was a vain quest. The sea
had no end, and those who had formerly attempted this quest had found
their deaths on the Fire Island. The raven had only directed them on the
road to Porgu, but if they wished to return home, he would be pleased to
guide them.

The Kalevide answered that he needed no pilot to show him the way home,
but would be glad if the Lapp could pilot him to the door at the World's
End. The Lapp consented, but bargained for what was chained to the wall
at home, which the hero readily promised.

So Varrak the Laplander took the helm and steered the vessel due north
for many days and nights. The first danger they encountered was a great
whirlpool,[86] which threatened to engulf the ship. Then Varrak threw a
small barrel overboard, wrapped in red cloths and ornamented with red
streamers. This bait was swallowed by a whale, which took to flight, and
towed the ship to a place of safety.

Again they sailed on for a long distance, till they came in sight of the
Island of Fire,[87] where huge pillars of flame were towering up, and
vast clouds of smoke filled the air. The Kalevide wished to visit the
island, but Varrak warned him of the danger, and at length the Sulevide
volunteered to land alone. So Varrak ran the ship ashore at a spot where
one mountain was casting up flames, a second smoke, and a third boiling
water, while the burning lava ran down into the valley.

The son of Sulev wandered on amid ashes and snowfields, amid a rain of
red-hot stones, till he reached the mouth of the volcano, when his coat
caught fire and his hair and eyebrows were singed, and he returned
scorched to the ship. The Kalevide asked if he had seen anything of the
cupbearer, who had followed him; but he had not. Then a white bird
perched on the ship, and the wise Finn, who knew the language of
animals, asked for tidings of the boy. But the bird answered that he had
wandered away to a beautiful country which lay behind the
snow-mountains, where he was enjoying himself in the company of the
water-nymphs. He would return no