THE BLUE BIRD1 (I.).
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| SIURU, bird and Taara’s daughter, Siuru, bird of azure plumage, With the shining silken feathers, p. 293 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, p. 294 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; p. 295 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.” |
Footnotes
1 Kalevipoeg, xix. 493-583.
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