86. In Icelandic sagas we often find heroes roused from their graves,
but this is usually attempted in order to obtain a sword which has been
buried with them.
93-104. Hiawatha was also swallowed by the sturgeon Nahma,
but the circumstances were quite different.
211. Note the resonance of the line:
Kuusista kuhisevista.
237. Ahava, a dry cold wind that blows in March and April,
probably corresponding to our cold spring east wind.
285, 286. Vipunen here refers to himself as a little man, which I
presume is to be understood figuratively, as I have rendered it.
RUNO XVIII
379. Compare Cuchullain's wooing of Eimer in Irish story.
RUNO XIX
33. This episode is very like the story of Jason and Medea.
210. "The wolf Fenrir opens his enormous mouth; the lower jaw
reaches to the earth, and the upper one to heaven, and would in fact
reach still further were there space to admit of it." (Prose Edda.)
217. Vetehinen, a water-spirit.
311. "Ukko's bow" here means the rainbow, broken by the fiery
eagle. It may be worth noting that in the Scandinavian Mythology, the
sons of Fire (Muspell) are to ride over the rainbow, and break it to
pieces, on their way to battle with the gods.
483. In the Danish Ballads there are several stories of children
speaking in their cradles, but generally to vow vengeance against an
enemy.
RUNO XX
17. The Great Ox is a stock subject in Finnish and Esthonian ballad
literature.
RUNO XXI
161. The Glutton or wolverine, a well-known animal in sub-Arctic
Europe, Asia, and America.
182-186. These civilities sound very Oriental.
393. This curious passage may have been partly suggested by the
"coats of skin," and "the land flowing with milk and honey" of the
Old Testament.
RUNO XXII
76. The word used here for father Is taatto, which curiously recalls
the Welsh tad. (English, dad.)
194. In the Scandinavian Mythology the giantess Skadi was required
to choose a husband from among the gods by looking at their feet only.
RUNO XXIII
330. The usual word to express a long time is viikko, a week.
469, 470. These infernal damsels play various parts in the _Kalevala_,
as boat-women, death-bringers, etc., and here we find them in the
character of Furies.
487. The term "snowy month" is used for the period between Feb.
20 and March 20. I have rendered it March.
787-792. Perhaps this is only figurative, as in the case of the
unpropitious forest-deities.
RUNO XXIV
119. The roots of the marsh arum (_Calla palustris_), not a British
plant, though naturalized in a pond at Ripley. The most usual substitute
for more wholesome food in times of famine is bread composed of a
mixture of fir-bark and rye.
240. Slav peasant women are said sometimes to regard beating as a sign
of affection on the part of their husbands, but this does not seem to be
the case with the Finns. In the _Kalevala_ we read a good deal
about wife-beating in theory, but find very little of it in practice;
and even the licentious and violent Lemminkainen never thinks of beating
his wife when he quarrels with her.
279-296. A similar story is told to the Princess by her confidante
Olga, in the Russian opera _Rusalka_ (water-nymph), Act III. scene i.
"And now I'd better sing a little song:
As they passed in our street,
A man besought his wife,
'Why don't you look pleasant?
You are my delight,
Darling Mashenka.'
"But the woman was obstinate,
And averted her little head;
'Oh, I don't want your caresses,
Nor your pretty speeches;
I'm not very well,
And I've got a headache.'
"But under a birch tree
The man taught his wife;
'Wait a bit, my darling,
I'll beat that tune out of you.
In my own way.'
"Then the woman was sorry,
Bowed low as the waistband.
'Don't frighten yourself, dearest,
And do not be troubled,
I find myself better,
My headache has gone.'"
446, 450, 454. The commentary explains the word used here to
mean "wander round thee," an alteration which I consider unnecessary
except in the last line.
467. From the sarcastic tone of this speech, Ilmarinen seems to have
been quite tired and disgusted with all the fuss, in which most of our
readers will probably sympathize with him.
RUNO XXV
47. According to popular usage, a son is ennobled by being called a
brother.
97. In some of the legends of Sigurd and Brynhilda, Brynhilda is
represented as lying asleep in a tower of glass, encompassed by a circle of
fire, through which Sigurd had to ride to wake her. In this story she
is the prototype of the Sleeping Beauty.
157. We often read in Russian folk-tales of revolving huts supported
on fowls' legs.
159. The favourite weapon of the Icelander Skarphedin, the son of
Njal, was a bell which rang out shortly before any person was to be
killed by it.
169. In the dales of Yorkshire it used to be considered very inhospitable
not to leave the door open at mealtimes.
289, 290. Saxony and Viro are Germany and Esthonia.
564. Apparently a sort of master of the ceremonies at Finnish
weddings, corresponding to the Russian svat, or matchmaker.
596. The scoter duck, (_Oidemia nigra_).
642. Brows; literally, eyelashes.
646. Her shift-collar.
665, 666. The beautiful Esthonian story of the Dawn, the Moon, and
the Morning and Evening Twilight will be found in Jones and Kropf's
_Folk-Tales of the Magyars_, pp. 326-328, and in Kirby's _Hero of
Esthonia_, II., pp. 30-34.
END OF VOL. I
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