- Vaka vanha Väinämöinen
- itse tuon sanoiksi virkki:
- "Näistäpä toki tulisi
- kalanluinen kanteloinen,
- kun oisi osoajata,
- soiton luisen laatijata."
- Kun ei toista tullutkana,
- ei ollut osoajata,
- soiton luisen laatijata,
- vaka vanha Väinämöinen
- itse loihe laatijaksi,
- tekijäksi teentelihe.
- Laati soiton hauinluisen,
- suoritti ilon ikuisen.
- Kust' on koppa kanteletta?
- Hauin suuren leukaluusta.
- Kust' on naulat kanteletta?
- Ne on hauin hampahista.
- Kusta kielet kanteletta?
- Hivuksista Hiien ruunan.
- Jo oli soitto suorittuna,
- valmihina kanteloinen,
- soitto suuri hauinluinen,
- kantelo kalaneväinen.
- Tuli tuohon nuoret miehet,
- tuli nainehet urohot,
- tuli pojat puol'-ikäiset
- sekä pienet piikalapset,
- tytöt nuoret, vaimot vanhat,
- naiset keskikertaisetki,
- kanteletta katsomahan,
- soittoa tähyämähän.
- Vaka vanha Väinämöinen
- käski nuoren, käski vanhan,
- käski keskikertaisenki
- soittamahan sormillansa
- tuota ruotaista romua,
- kalanluista kanteletta.
- Soitti nuoret, soitti vanhat,
- soitti keskikertaisetki.
- Nuoret soitti, sormet notkui,
- vanhat väänti, pää vapisi:
- ei ilo ilolle nousnut,
- soitto soitolle ylennyt.
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- Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
- Answered in the words which follow:
- "Yet a harp might be constructed
- Even of the bones of fishes,
- If there were a skilful workman,
- Who could from the bones construct it."
- As no craftsman there was present,
- And there was no skilful workman
- Who could make a harp of fishbones,
- Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
- Then began the harp to fashion,
- And himself the work accomplished,
- And he made a harp of pikebones,
- Fit to give unending pleasure.
- Out of what did he construct it?
- Chiefly from the great pike's jawbones,
- Whence obtained he pegs to suit it?
- Of the teeth of pike he made them;
- Out of what were harpstrings fashioned?
- From the hairs of Hiisi's gelding.
- Now the instrument was ready,
- And the kantele completed,
- Fashioned from the pike's great jawbones,
- And from fins of fish constructed.
- Thereupon the youths came forward,
- Forward came the married heroes,
- And the half-grown boys came forward,
- And the little girls came likewise,
- Maidens young, and aged women,
- And the women middle-agèd,
- All advanced the harp to gaze on,
- And the instrument examine.
- Väinämöinen, old and steadfast,
- Bade the young folks and the old ones,
- And the people middle-agèd,
- With their fingers play upon it,
- On the instrument of fishbone,
- On the kantele of fishbone.
- Played the young and played the aged,
- Likewise played the middle-agèd,
- Played the young, and moved their fingers,
- Tried the old, whose heads were shaking,
- But they drew no music from it,
- Nor composed a tune when playing.
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