Venerable Väinämöinen

said to Louhi, Pohja’s mistress:

325 “I myself cannot forge Sampo

hammer out the starry-lidded.

If you take me to my own lands

I will send smith Ilmarinen

who for you will hammer Sampo,

330 forge for you the lid star-studded,

he will pacify your maiden,

he will satisfy your daughter.

 

“Blacksmith he is very skillful,

very talented at forging,

335 he has hammered out the blue sky,

even forged the arc of heaven:

cannot see the hammer markings

nor the place where tongs were holding.”

 

Louhi, mistress of Pohjola

340 thus she said, these words declaring:

“To him I will give my daughter,

my own child to him will promise,

who for me can hammer Sampo,

forge for me the starry-lidded

345 from the quill tip of a white swan,

from the milk of barren heifer,

from a single grain of barley,

from the wool of just one ewe lamb.”

 

Louhi harnessed up a gelding

350 placed before the sleigh a brown horse;

took the ancient Väinämöinen,

down into the sleigh him settling.

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