From
The Ancient Poems of the Finnish People
From
The Ancient Poems of the Finnish People|
Voi meitä merisikoja, hyvän järven hylkehiä, meri syöttävi sikansa, hyvä järvi hylkehensä, hyvä on hylkehen meressä, kalan syömme kaikenlaisen, veen juomme vierestämme. Mikä on meitillä eleä, kuin meille meri näkyvi, meri meiän ikkunahan, meri syötti meri saattoi, meri mieheksi elätti, meri saatoi saappahasen, meri verkahan vetävi, meri silkkihin sivalsi. SKVR XIII2:3346 (Etelä-Karjala) Rautu. Ahlqvist |
Woe us, the porpoises, the seals of the good lake. The sea feeds her own pigs, the good lake its own seals. Well it is for the seal in the sea, all the kinds of fish we eat, water we drink at our side. What there is for us but to live, as the sea is there for us to see, at our window the sea to see. The sea fed us, the sea followed us, the sea bred us to manhood. The sea led us into the boots, the sea drew us into clothes, the sea slashed us into silks. The Old Runes of the people of Finland (SKVR 13,2:3346), Southern Carelia, Rautu parish (Ahlqvist) English translation by Jöns Carlson |