________________________________________________
Title: Woinomoinen
Author: George Borrow [
More Titles by Borrow]
From the Finnish.
Woinomoinen was, according to the Mythology of the ancient Finns, the second Godhead, being only inferior to Jumala. He was master of the musical art, and when he played upon his instrument produced much the same effect as the Grecian Orpheus, enticing fishes from the stream and the wild animals from the forest. The lines here translated are a fragment of a poem which describes a musical contest between Woinomoinen and the Giant Joukkawainen, in which the latter was signally defeated.
Then the ancient Woinomoinen,
On the bench himself he seated,
Took the harp betwixt his fingers,
On his knee about he turn'd it,
In his hand he fitly plac'd it.
Play'd the ancient Woinomoinen,
Universal joy awaking;
Like a concert was his playing;
There was nothing in the forest
On four nimble feet that runneth,
On four lengthy legs that stalketh,
But repair'd to hear the music,
When the ancient Woinomoinen,
When the Father joy awaken'd.
E'en at Woinomoinen's harping
'Gainst the hedge the bear up-bounded.
There was nothing in the forest
On two whirring pinions flying,
But with whirl-wind speed did hasten;
There was nothing in the ocean,
With six fins about that roweth,
Or with eight to move delighteth,
But repair'd to hear the music.
E'en the briny water's mother {1}
'Gainst the beach, breast-forward, cast her,
On a little sand-hill rais'd her,
On her side with toil up-crawling.
E'en from Woinomoinen's eye-balls
Tears of heart-felt pleasure trickled,
Bigger than the whortle-berry,
Heavier than the eggs of plovers,
Down his broad and mighty bosom,
Knee-ward from his bosom flowing,
From his knee his feet bedewing;
And I've heard, his tears they trickled
Through the five wool-wefts of thickness,
Through his jackets eight of wadmal.
Footnote: {1} The Mermaid.
[The end]
George Borrow's poem: Woinomoinen
________________________________________________
GO TO TOP OF SCREEN
