The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That Country Part 43

THE SPIDER AND THE HORNET.

Once upon a time some boys burned a hornet's nest because the hornet stung them so badly. Then the hornet went to G.o.d to complain that the boys despised His gifts, and scattered broken victuals about in the fields. But G.o.d objected that she had no witnesses. So she went to the king of the spiders, and made him return with her to G.o.d, who asked if he had seen the boys scatter food about the fields. But the spider said that it was not their fault, for they had no table to put their bread on. Then G.o.d praised the spider for speaking the truth, and condemned the hornet for telling lies and hating her neighbours without a cause.

He then struck her on the back with his staff, and cast her down from heaven to earth, so that she broke in two with the fall. But he let the spider down with a cord, because he had spoken the truth. Since then the spider has had a net and a web, by which he can climb up and down as he likes, as on a cord; but the hornet still retains the pinched-in body which she got when falling from heaven, but is fat enough at both ends.

THE OFFICIOUS FLIES.

A few dozen flies once attacked a cart-horse who was feeding quietly in a thicket, and lamented that they were not more numerous, that they might make him lie down. Presently his skin began to itch, when he lay down, rolled first on once side and then on the other, and crushed them all.

PART III

Esthonian Ballads, &c.

For reasons stated in the Preface, only a few specimens are here given.

THE HERALD OF WAR[79]

To the Finnish Bridge when driving On the west wind's path of copper, On the pathway of the rainbow, With the king's note in my wallet, And his mandate in my bosom, And upon my tongue defiance, What was that which came to meet me, And what horror to confound me?

Nothing but an ancient corbie, Aged crow, a wretched creature; With his beak he sniffed around him, And his nostrils snuffed the vapour; He had smelt the war already, When his nostrils snuffed the vapour, That he might discern the message Which I carried in my pocket; He had smelt the war already, And the scent of blood allured him.

To the Finnish Bridge when driving On the west wind's path of copper, On the pathway of the rainbow, Swift I hastened as an envoy, With the king's note in my wallet, And his mandate in my bosom, In my charge the leader's orders, And upon my tongue the secret That the flags in breeze should flutter, And the lance-points smite in battle, And the swords should do their duty.

What was that which came to meet me, And what horror to confound me?

'Twas an eagle came to meet me, Eagle fierce with beak hooked sharply; With his beak he sniffed around him, Through the mist he pushed his nostrils, By the scent he sought to fathom What was in the envoy's message.

He had smelt the war already, And the scent of blood had reached him, And he went to call his comrades.

To the Finnish Bridge when driving On the west wind's path of copper, On the pathway of the rainbow, Swift I hastened on as envoy, With the king's note in my wallet, And his mandate in my bosom, And upon my tongue the secret And the leader's secret orders That the flags should now be waving, And the spear-points should be sharpened, What was it I there encountered, And what met me there to vex me?

'Twas the raven's son that met me, 'Twas a carrion-bird that met me; With his beak he sniffed around him, And his nostrils snuffed the vapour, That the meaning of my message With his nose he thus might fathom.

He had smelt the war already, And the scent of blood had reached him, And he went to call his comrades.

To the Finnish Bridge when driving On the west wind's path of copper, On the pathway of the rainbow, While I hastened as an envoy, With the king's note in my wallet, And his mandate in my bosom, And upon my tongue the secret, And the leader's secret orders, What was that which came to meet me, And what horror to confound me?

'Twas a little wolf that met me, And a bear that followed closely; With their snouts they sniffed around them, Through the mist they pushed their nostrils, Seeking thus to probe the secret, And the letter to discover; They had smelt the war already, And the scent of blood had reached them, And they ran to spread the tidings.

To the Finnish Bridge when driving On the west wind's path of copper, On the pathway of the rainbow, While I hastened as an envoy, With the king's note in my wallet, And his mandate in my bosom, And upon my tongue defiance, With the leader's secret orders That the flags unfurled should flutter, And the spear-points do their duty, And the axes should be lifted, And the swords should flash in sunlight, What was that which came to meet me, And what horror to confound me?

It was Famine met me tottering, Tottering Famine, chewing garbage; With her nose she sniffed around her, That the meaning of my message With her nose she thus might fathom; For she smelt the war already, And the scent of blood had reached her, And she went to call her comrades.

To the Finnish Bridge while driving On the west wind's path of copper, On the pathway of the rainbow, While I hastened as an envoy, With the king's note in my wallet, And his mandate in my bosom, On my tongue the secret orders That the flags unfurled should flutter, And the spear-points do their duty, And the axes and the fish-spears All should do the work before them, What was that which came to meet me, What unlooked-for horror met me?

'Twas the Plague I there encountered, Crafty Plague, the people's murderer, Of the sevenfold war-plagues direst; With his nose he sniffed around him, And his nostrils snuffed the vapour, Seeking thus to probe the matter, And the letter to discover; He had smelt the war already, And the scent of blood had lured him And he went to call his comrades.

After this my horse I halted, Yoked him with a yoke of iron, Fettered him with Kalev's fetters, That he stood as rooted firmly, From the spot to move unable, While I pondered and considered, Deeply in my heart reflecting If the profit of my journey Were not lost in greater evil For the war brings wounds and bloodshed, And the war has throat of serpent.

Wherefore then should I the battle, Whence springs only pain and murder, Forth to peaceful homesteads carry?

Let a message so accursed In the ocean-depths be sunken, There to sleep in endless slumber, Lost among the sp.a.w.n of fishes, There to rest in deepest caverns, Rather than that I should take it, Till it spreads among the hamlets.

Thereupon I took the mandate Which I carried in my wallet, And amid the depths I sunk it, Underneath the waves of ocean, Till the waves to foam had torn it, And to mud had quite reduced it, While the fishes fled before it.

Thus was hushed the sound of warfare, Thus was lost the news of battle.

[Footnote 79: _Kalevipoeg_, Canto 9, lines 769-925. Neus, _Ehstnische Volkslieder_, pp. 305-311. The manner in which the gathering symbols of the horrors of war, each more terrible than the last, are successively brought upon the scene in this poem is very fine.]

THE BLUE BIRD[80] (I.).

Siuru, bird and Taara's daughter, Siuru, bird of azure plumage, With the s.h.i.+ning silken feathers, Was not reared by care of father, Nor the nursing of her mother, Nor affection of her sisters, Nor protection of her brothers; For the bird was wholly nestless, Like a swallow needing shelter, Where her down could grow to feathers And her wing-plumes could develop; Yet did Ukko wisely order, And the aged Father's wisdom Gave his daughter wind-like pinions, Wings of wind and cloudy pinions, That his child might float upon them, Far into the distance soaring.

Siuru, bird and Taara's daughter, Siuru, bird of azure plumage, Sailed afar into the distance, And she winged her way to southward, Then she turned again to northward, And above three worlds went sailing.

One of these the world of maidens, One where dwell the curly-headed, One the home of prattling children, Where the little ones are tended.

Siuru bird outspread her pinions, Wide her silken plumes expanding, Soaring far aloft to heaven.

To the fortress of the sunlight, To the lighter halls of moonlight, To the little gate of copper.

Siuru bird outspread her pinions, Wide her silken plumes expanding, Soaring far into the distance, Till she reached her home at evening; And her father asked his daughter, "Whither have thy pinions borne thee?

Whither didst thou take thy journey?

Tell me what thine eyes have witnessed."

Siuru heard and comprehended, And without alarm she answered, "Where my pinions have conveyed me, There I scattered feathers from me; Where I sailed above the country, There I scattered silken feathers; Where I shook and flapped my pinions, From my tail I dropped the feathers: What I saw with marten keenness, Might be told in seven narrations, Or in eight tales be recounted.

Long I flew on path of thunder, On the roadway of the rainbow, And the hailstone's toilsome pathway; Onwards thus I sailed light-hearted, Heedless, far into the distance, And at length three worlds discovered, One the country of the maidens, One where dwell the curly-headed, One the world of prattling children, Where the little ones are tended; There it is they rear the fair ones, Slender-grown and silky-headed."

"What thou heardest? speak and tell me; What thou sawest, let us hear it."

"What then heard I, sire beloved, What beheld, O dearest father?

There I heard the sport of maidens, There I heard their mirth and sadness, Jesting from the curly-headed, From the little infants wailing.

Wherefore, said the maidens, jesting, Do the curly-headed children Dwell in solitude and lonely, Living thus apart from nurses?

And they asked in every quarter, Are no youths in starry regions, Youths of starry birth or other, Who might dwell among the maidens, And amuse the curly-headed?"

Ukko heard her words, and answered, "Soar away, my dearest daughter, Steer thy flight again to southward, Sailing far away till evening, Turning then unto the northward, Come before the doors of Ukko, To the western mother's threshold, To the northern mother's region; Seek thou there the youths to woo them, Youths that may release the maidens."

[Footnote 80: _Kalevipoeg_, xix. 493-583.]

THE BLUE BIRD (II.).

This totally different ballad is from Neus, _Ehstnische Volkslieder_, p.

42. Neus quotes Ganander as saying that one of the names of the Finnish Wood-G.o.ddess (the spouse of Tapio) is Blue Bird. The present poem is _possibly_ a fragment of a creation-myth.

Lo, the bird with azure plumage, Feathers blue and eyes all l.u.s.trous, Took her flight, and hovered, soaring, Over forests four in number, Over four woods in succession; One a wood of golden pine-trees, One a wood of beauteous apples, One a wood of silver birch-trees, One a swampy wood of lime-trees.

Lo, the bird with azure plumage, Feathers blue and eyes all l.u.s.trous, Took her flight, and hovered, soaring, Over lakelets three in number; Three the lakes all close together, And the first with wine was br.i.m.m.i.n.g, And with ale the second foaming, And the third with mead was frothing.

Lo, the bird with azure plumage, Feathers blue and eyes all l.u.s.trous, Took her flight, and hovered, soaring, Over three fields in succession, Over three fields close together; In the first the oats were growing, In the second rye was waving, In the third the wheat was springing.

And the wood of golden pine-trees Was a wood of youthful striplings, And the wood of beauteous apples Was a wood of youthful maidens, And the wood of silver birch-trees Was a wood of youthful matrons, And the swampy wood of lime-trees Was a wood of men all aged.

And the lake with wine o'erbr.i.m.m.i.n.g Was the lake of youthful striplings, And the lake with ale up-foaming Was the lake of youthful matrons, And the lake where mead was frothing Was the lake of youthful maidens.

And the field where oats were growing Was the field of youthful striplings, And the field where rye was waving Was the field of youthful matrons, And the field where wheat was springing Was the share of youthful maidens.