Kalevipoeg — Canto V

✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦

The Finnish Sorcerer


Canto V is the pivot of the Kalevipoeg's first arc — the moment the hero's strength becomes the source of his loss. Having crossed the sea alone (Canto IV), Kalevipoeg arrives on the Finnish shore and sleeps for a day and a night on the cliff-rocks while the narrator warns of coming violence. Meanwhile the island old man and old woman — parents of the maiden drowned in Canto IV — plant an oak and a spruce by the empty swing where their daughter once played, and tend an eagle's egg and a fish in a silver bowl.

On the second day, Kalevipoeg wakes and marches through Finland's mountains and forests searching for the sorcerer (tuuslar) who kidnapped his mother Linda. He finds the sorcerer's farmstead in a valley, tears up an oak tree for a weapon, and storms the yard. The sorcerer, waking in terror, scatters feathers from his bosom and blows spell-words into the wind — conjuring an army of warriors from thin air. Kalevipoeg destroys them all with the oak club, and the sorcerer falls to his knees and confesses: he kidnapped Linda by sorcery, but the Sky-Father's thunderbolt struck him senseless on Iru Hill, and when he woke she was gone.

In his fury, Kalevipoeg strikes the sorcerer dead — and only then realizes that the one person who might have known where Linda was hidden is now a corpse at his feet. He searches every room, cellar, and attic in the farmstead. Nothing. At nightfall, a dream comes: his mother blooms in youthful beauty on the village swing, singing the same bridal song from Canto I. But the vision comes from beyond this world — Linda sits in Uku's courtyard, in the light of the fortunate day. Kalevipoeg wakes knowing his mother is dead.

This is a Good Works Translation by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, translated from the Estonian text of the 1857 first edition as preserved in Project Gutenberg. The parallelism and rhythm of Estonian regivärss are preserved in the line structure. No existing English translation was consulted as a source.


The Sea Crossing

Already the morning redness,
Herald of the dawn,
Brightens the face of the sky;
Already the glimmering stars
Pale at the edge of dawn;
Already the Creator's rooster sings
At the mouth of the new day's door,
The old man's hen crows
At the gate of light's courtyard.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
On the water-bed's rolling,
On the wide waves' rocking,
Swims toward Finland's shore.
A strong hand broke the waves,
Beat the waves on the sea's surface;
The cradling water's cradle
Rocked the lively man,
The tireless swimmer
On the rocking waves' crest
Farther toward the north,
Toward the rocky shore's banks.

The brighter glow of dawn
Sets the sea blushing,
The sea waves glowing.
Already from afar appears
Finland's cliff-hilled shore,
Rising ever higher
To stand before the eye's gaze.

A strong hand broke the waves,
Beat the waves on the sea's surface;
The cradling water's cradle
Rocked the lively man,
The tireless swimmer
On the rocking waves' crest
Farther toward the shore.

And when the day's creating light
Broke free from the dawn's fist,
Began to scatter greetings
Of dew-drops from the sky —
Like ribbons on the sea's surface,
Silk bands upon the waves
That dress the water-maiden:
Kalev's son arrived,
The heroes' foster-child,
At Finland's shore-banks.

The weary lad sat
Upon a high cliff-ledge,
Letting his sea-wrenched limbs
Rest a little while;
Sat upon the cliff-ledge,
Refreshing his tired body
In the morning wind's breath,
In the waves' coolness,
Sat down upon the cliff
To rest his worn-out strength
On the cooling dew-tracks,
In the sea's refreshing mist.

A Finnish sorcerer, wind-sage,
Had left his boat on the shore,
Chained his little craft
Fast to the cliff's side,
Lest the waves' playing,
The high waves' rocking,
The storm-wind's raging
Should break the small boat.

Songbirds with merry strings
Rose to greet the risen sun.
Already the lark, trilling,
Treads the light wind-road,
The nightingale rings from the alder grove,
The cuckoo calls from the spruce grove,
Other singers from the oak grove:
Singing songs of thanks
To the Old Father for beauty,
To Taara-father for honour.

No other creature on the open ground,
On the wide cliff-strewn shore
Was anywhere stirring,
Nor any folk wandering,
No human footprints
Anywhere to be seen.

Forests, hills, and meadows
Slumbered in the dawn-sleep
At the new day's brightening.

Kalevipoeg raised his eyes,
Sent his gaze farther:
Could he find somewhere a trace-mark,
A trace-mark, a recognition-sign
Of the Finnish sorcerer?
But as far as the eye could reach
Nothing could be discerned,
Nor any marks found.

Silent morning peace
Covered the land, covered the sea,
Covered the folk and their families
Under its sheltering wing.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Rested his blown-out body,
Let slumber fall upon his eyelids
For an hour's worth of rest.

While the sun stood in its shining,
Waiting for the wind's gust,
They dried his wet clothes.

The gleam of sleep did not give time
At the day-star's brightening
To birth a dream.

The Singer's Warning

Kalev's dearest son!
While you lie on your back
On the cliff-hill in the dawn-sleep,
Letting slumber fall swiftly on your eyelids,
The singer gazes with spirit-eyes
Upon your road-journeys,
Your paths on Finland's shore.

In peaceful rays the sun shines
On the sleeper on the cliff-hill;
But storm-winds' ragings,
Wind-gusts' flurries
Already on swift heels
Hasten to extinguish the sun of fortune!

Thunder steps forth threatening,
Lightning hurls bolts from the cloud,
Fire-sparks upon your path.
War-weapons rattle,
The din of strife rises in the wind,
Blood flows upon the grass —
A mourning-cloth in the birch grove:
A murderer, the sword's master.

Rest your weary body, son!
The singer's wings will fly
As the sun at the sky's edge
In beauty's light ever higher,
Will go to other meadows.

The Island Parents

Now when the island old man,
The island's dear old woman
Found no daughter from the waves,
They heard the child's song,
The daughter's shadow flickering,
The lost hen's crowing:
Then they left their searching,
Went home in mourning,
Went to look at the oak tree,
To check the spruce in the grove.

They took an oak from the field,
A great oak with wide branches,
Brought the oak beneath the yard,
Carried it near the swing
Where once the young daughter
Had swung in the evening's beauty;
Planted it for the daughter's joy,
For the lost hen's remembrance.

"Grow, oak, into a proud tree,
Spread your crown high,
Scatter your branches to the clouds!"

They took a spruce from the grove,
A great spruce with wide branches,
Carried the spruce beneath the yard,
Brought it near the swing
Where once the young daughter
Had swung in the evening's beauty;
Planted beside the swing-post
A beautiful spruce nearby,
For the daughter to rise toward,
For the lost hen's remembrance.

"Grow, spruce, thrive, spruce,
Grow, spruce, into a proud tree,
Spread your crown high,
Scatter your branches to the clouds!"

When the oak had been planted,
The spruce set to growing,
Rising near the swing —
A beautiful spruce at one swing-post,
A sturdy oak at the other:
Then the old man went inside,
The old woman to the secret chamber
To look at the eagle's egg,
Which there in an iron hat
Had been set to hatch.

The iron hat stood cold,
The egg cold in the hat:
The egg had no one to warm it,
The nest no one to sit upon.

The old woman set the egg in the sunshine,
In the sun's warmth to hatch,
Hatched the egg herself at night,
The eagle's egg in her warm embrace.

The old man went to look at the oak,
The old woman to check the spruce.
The oak had risen, the spruce had grown —
The oak had risen a hundred fathoms,
The spruce had grown ten fathoms.

Then they went home together;
The old man to the secret cellar,
The old man went to look at the fish
That grew in the silver bowl.

The old man spoke in mourning:
"I had a pretty little apple,
I had a sweet little berry,
Bright from the twilight's side,
Dim from the dawn's side,
Rosy from the sun's side.

The apple fell into the sea,
The berry dropped into the waves.
I went to search for the apple,
To pick the berry from the sea,
I went knee-deep into the sea,
Neck-deep into the fish-spawn.

What touched my knee?
A fish touched my knee!
What shall come of this fish now?"

The fish understood, answered back,
Called out from the silver bowl:
"Let the fish into the waves,
Back into the sea to play;
I have a father, I have a mother,
Five more brothers at home,
A host of other sisters,
Golden-scaled maidens."

The old man brought the fish to the shore,
Let it free into the waves,
Then went to look at the oak,
To check the beautiful spruce.

The oak had risen, the spruce had grown —
The oak had risen to the sky,
The spruce had grown to the clouds,
Its crown breaking the heavens,
Its branches scattering the clouds.

From the egg grew an eaglet,
Rose a sturdy little bird.
The old woman put it in the chamber to grow.
The eagle escaped from the chamber,
Flew at once far away.

They went to look at the oak.
The oak wants to rise to the sky,
Its branches to creep into the clouds;
The oak wants to split the sky,
Its branches to scatter the clouds.

The old man went to find a wise man,
To hire a strong one
Who could chop the oak down —
The great oak with the wide branches.

The old woman went down to the hayfield,
The old woman went to take a swath,
To rake up the stalks,
A golden rake in hand,
A bronze handle following,
Silver rake-tines,
Golden bands at their sides.

She took one swath, she took two,
Started to take a third;
What did she find beneath the swath?
Found an eagle beneath the swath.

This was the home-raised eagle,
By day hatched, the sun's child,
By night hatched, the mother's child.

The old woman brought the eagle home,
Put the catch in the chamber.
What was under the eagle's wing?
A man was under the eagle's wing;
The man's height measured
Two hand-spans beyond the usual.

What was in the man's arms?
An axe was in the man's arms.

The March Through Finland

Kalevipoeg, dear brother,
You wanted only an hour
To let slumber fall on your eyelids,
Wanted just a little rest
To turn in the dawn-sleep;
But weariness had overcome
Your intentions,
Had chained the hero.

You rested the whole day,
Slumbered through the long dark night,
A piece of the second day as well.

On the second day past dawn,
When the sun had already risen
A couple of fathoms
Above the breast of dawn,
Shining on the sea's surface:
There awoke from sleep's bonds
Kalevipoeg, the hero.
The man had no more patience
For longer resting.

With wrathful steps hastening,
Kalev's son hurried
Farther onward marching.
Hastened along the strange road,
Along the shore-paths
Marching toward the inland;
Hastened through the mountains,
Through the cliff-hills,
Through the heaths and valleys,
Over the wide open plains,
Along thick forests,
Through the open woodlands,
Along the gorge-banks
Farther into the rocky land.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Hastened his stepping pace:
Had his mother's footprints,
His dear mother's steps
Grown upon the dewy grass?
Already the day had reached
Past mid-morning higher,
Flew toward the young noon.
The burning sun lashed
And forced the skin to steam.

With wrathful steps hastening,
Kalev's son tried
Through the high mountains,
Through the cliff-hills
Farther toward Finland;
The burning sun lashed
And forced the skin to steam.

But the sorcerer, wind-sage,
Was still nowhere to be seen,
Nor anywhere his mother's tracks
Growing in the dew's turning.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Pondered many thoughts:
How the robber's paths,
His dear mother's tracks
He might find at greater length?
How his mother from the thief's claws
He might most easily free?

With wrathful steps hastening,
Kalev's son tried
Through the heaths and valleys,
Over the wide open plains
Farther into the rocky land.
The burning sun lashed
And forced the skin to steam.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Climbed the steep bank
Steadily upward:
Could his eyes from the ridge's crest
Carry farther into the distance?

Stretching his eyes from the hilltop,
Extending his gaze,
Kalev's son saw
Beside a wide gorge
A fair valley growing green;
At the edge of a forest-grove
Stood the wind-sage's farm,
The thief's shadowy den,
The robber-claws' hiding-place.

With wrathful steps hastening,
Kalev's son hurried
Nearer toward the valley,
Until the field was reached,
The yard-gate came into view.

The Sorcerer's Farm

Kalev's dearest son,
Looking, steadying his step,
Gazed from the field over the gate
At the wind-sage's yard.
Buildings all around the yard
Showed a prosperous farm.
On the grass near the house slept,
His bread settling into his bones,
The Finnish sorcerer, wind-sage.
At the field's edge a grove sheltered
A beautiful little oak wood.

Kalevipoeg steps into the grove,
Tears up the stoutest oak,
Tears the oak roots and all
Up out of the earth for a club;
Strips the branches wider,
Shakes off all the finer ones,
Leaves the knots unplucked,
The branch-stumps unbroken,
Leaves the thickest roots
Like a cudgel at the club's end,
Takes the great thing by the crown
As a stout weapon for his strong hands:
Something to thrash the thief with,
To flog his mother's robber!

The Battle

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Steps swiftly over the field,
Hurrying nearer to the yard;
His heavy iron-step
Sets the grass-ground,
The earth shaking from afar,
Hills and valleys trembling.

The Finnish sorcerer, wind-sage,
Wakes from sleep's stifling,
Frees himself from slumber's bonds,
Thinks Thunder is threatening,
The Thunderer rumbling from afar,
Thinks Pikker in the clouds
Is riding his iron wagon.

Opening his eyes wide,
Spreading his eyelids,
He sees the enemy at the gate —
Who has shaken the yard,
Who has rocked the grass-ground.

The man woken from sleep,
The sorcerer-old-man could not manage
Anymore to flee,
To slip to his hiding-den,
Nor had time on the wind's wing,
On a whirlwind to escape.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Steps now into the yard,
Club in hand whistling,
Eyes upon the thief.

The Finnish sorcerer, wind-sage,
In his bitterest straits:
Scatters a fistful of feathers
From his bosom into the wind to whirl,
Blows mist-feathers
Scattering wide to fly,
On the wind's wing to dance,
On the air's shoulder to spin!
Blows power-words into the wind,
Forces strength-words
To bring the sorcerer's children to life.

By the sorcerer-word's compulsion,
By the wind-sage's working,
He makes warriors from the feathers.

In an eye-blink birthing them,
The wind-wings flurried
In a hail-cloud's scattering —
Horse-riders and foot-soldiers
By hundreds streaming,
By thousands surging,
As reinforcements for the sorcerer.

The sorcerer's warrior-flocks,
Creatures born from air,
The wind-sage's auxiliaries
Rolled onto the field,
Came thronging into the yard,
Fell like a dense forest
Upon Kalev's neck.
Like swine in the evening's beauty,
Like sparrows at twilight's edge,
Like bees swarming in a cluster:
The wind-sage's boys tried
In a thick cloud's swelling,
In a rain-cloud's rolling
To smother dear Kalev's son,
The Taara-folk's seedling,
To simply suffocate him.

Kalev's dearest son
Was ready to receive them;
Quick mind reckoning,
Sharp eye aiming,
Strong hand striking!
Takes the club in his strong hand,
The sturdy oak in his grip,
Hurries to prod the attackers,
To thrash the enemies,
To comb the warriors,
To pummel the guests!

Gives fire to those who come,
Scales to the sorcerer's friends,
A flogging to the sorcerer's knights,
To the word-born company.
Swings the club and declares,
Flings the weapon and calls:
"I do not fear the evil herd,
The sorcerer's servants,
The wind-brought ghosts,
The word-wrought warriors,
Nor hell's household,
The Devil's mighty ones;
I do not fear the strongest,
Nor shrink from the tallest!

A bit of my father's strength I have,
A little power from my mother's milk,
A portion of my own force,
My rearing's inheritance!"

Where the hero Kalev
Unwittingly lands a blow,
Deals a heavier strike:
There man and horse sink down!
Where he sends five or flings ten:
There he scatters a corpse-pile!
Where the oak-trunk
Strikes more thickly:
There tens of dozens sink.
Wherever he forces the heavy club
To dance in the wind:
There life wakes no more!

The oak dances hissing,
The club quick and whistling,
The club in storm-wind's play,
In whirlwind's flurrying,
The great thing wrecks in a wild way,
Scatters in hell's whirling!
Men fall on the grass
Like chaff upon the dust,
Like hail on the field-paths,
Like snow on the furrow-ridges.
Whoever in luck saves his life,
Tries to salvage his limbs:
Gives it to his legs,
Fire-speed to his heels.

In a short while after,
For a small bit of sport,
The battle had been put to sleep,
The fighting settled,
The raging finished.
Corpse-piles buried the grass,
In the yard the senseless groaners,
On the field the death-gaspers.
The blood-stream rose to the belt,
Grew nearly to the armpit,
Flowed from the yard to the field,
From the field down to the grove;
Blood flowed like rivers,
The river swelled into a lake.
Whoever here escaped death's claws
Had fled on the wind's flight.

The Sorcerer's Confession

The Finnish sorcerer, wind-sage,
Sorcerer-word's begetter,
Spell-word's creator,
Was in the battle's snare,
In his bitterest straits;
Seeing the warriors' death,
His reinforcements' ruin:
The man's last hope was gone.

With honeyed tongue, sweet disposition,
The sorcerer began to plead,
To give good words:
"Kalev's dearest son,
Linda's grief-consoler!
Cast mercy upon me,
Give pardon to a pleader!
Let us settle the quarrel,
Extinguish the evil that has happened,
Forget the wrong.

I once walked the crooked path,
The day before I did evil,
I walked the robber's ways,
The thief's toe-steps;
In wrongdoing's bondage
I forced my way into your house,
Crept into the eagle's nest
When the three sons
Had gone merrily flying.

I took the mother as a thief takes,
Carried the dear one in hawk's claws,
The home-hen from her chamber.

I weakened the mother's strength
By the sorcerer-word's birthing,
Diminished the woman's power,
Her meagre force by the witch's bond;
I wanted to bring my prize to harbour,
To take the widow into my boat;
I wanted on the water's rolling,
On the wide waves' rocking
To row to Finland's shore.

At Iru Hill, having arrived,
I heard the Thunderer crashing,
Thunder fiercely threatening;
The Sky-Father's little fire
Set my eyes blinding,
The thunderbolt's striking
Hit me with a heavy blow
Down senseless on the grass,
So that like one dead,
More senseless than sleep's slave,
A numb little stump,
I lay frozen on the hill.

Who has measured death's steps,
Measured the depth of fainting;
Who for one sunk in the grave
Could reckon the length of time:
That one could perhaps explain
The time of my fainting.

Freed from sleep's bonds,
Stretching my eyes around,
I began to look:
Where had the mother vanished?
Were there no hen's tracks,
No grouse-path to see —
Where the bird had flown,
Where the duck had escaped its bonds?

The Devil knows whether on the wind's wing,
On the air's hem,
On secret messengers' carriage
Widow Linda had flown?
Or whether the grass-mother
Had buried her under the turf?
The tracks remained unseen,
The signs unrecognised.

Fear drove me along the shore,
Dread drove me down from Iru Hill;
I feared the eagle's sons
Were searching for their mother's tracks.
Fleeing toward the sea,
I gave fire to my heels,
Pain to my toes,
Ran in flight to my boat
That waited for me on the shore.

Fear sat beside the rower,
Dread at the tiller as companion —
How they drove me on the water's rolling,
On the waves' rocking!

In the small dawn's turning
I reached my homeland's shore."

The Killing

Kalev's dearest son
Listened to the wind-sage's speech,
The sorcerer's excuses,
With a foul mood, with half an ear;
Then set anger's leash
To drive his speech to sail:

"Woman-thief, liar,
Tongue-flapper, rogue's son!
You who went to the widow's mourning-bed,
The good mother's bed,
To defile it with a rush!

You hope to soothe me with a smooth mouth,
With a tale perhaps to appease,
With lies perhaps to quiet me?

You think to escape so easily,
To get out of trouble lightly?

Your step's measure will be full;
Take, robber, the robber's wages,
Taste, thief, the thief's club!"

With the oak-club in a dancing turn,
Striking hard with a strong hand,
He let it fall once
On the sorcerer's brow,
Between the two eyes!

The Finnish sorcerer, wind-sage,
Fell like a sack,
Sighed his soul out without a groan,
Fell without a word spoken,
Sank into death's cold embrace,
With no twitch of the lip,
Nor flutter of the eyelid.

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Hurried inside to search,
To track his mother's traces,
Rummaged through the sorcerer's farm
Lengthwise and crosswise,
Every place on its own,
Searched through the robber's dens,
Sniffed through the thief's corners,
Tramped from room to chamber,
From chamber to cellar,
Went to spy in the attic,
Broke the locked doors,
The stronger door-locks,
Broke doors, scattered posts
Into splinters under his fists!

The banging's crashing,
The raging's rumbling,
The people heard in fright
For ten versts' distance.
The clatter echoed over the wilderness,
Flew over the open land,
Over the grass into the forests,
Leaped onto the high cliffs,
From the cliffs startled into the sea,
Fell into the wide waves.
Forest birds took to flight,
Four-legged beasts to fleeing,
Fish in fright to the bottom,
To the sea's secret depths,
To the water-maiden's dens.

The folk, hearing this, spoke:
Has war with iron step,
Battle on blood-wagons
Come to crush our land?

Still the mother's traces,
The grouse-daughter's road-journeys
Remained hidden from the son's eyes,
Veiled in fog to the searcher.

Strong Kalev's son
Began to rage with anger,
To regret his evil temper —
That in his rash rush against the sorcerer
He had sealed the mouth in death,
Bound the tongue's bonds
Before the man had testified:
Where was the mother's hiding-den,
The dear mother's secret place.

Wretched hasty anger,
The mindless agent,
The wisdom-weak manager:
You hand the reins to evil,
And the horse goes straight to the forest.

Kalev's dearest son
Counted both directions,
Just like a chicken without a head:
From room to yard, from yard to room,
To chamber, attic, cellar;
He ran in a rush through the barns,
Broke through the cattle-stalls,
Searched dozens of times,
Racing through every place,
Until the sheltering evening's hem
Put a stop to the searching,
Put a halt to the journeying.

Kalev's dearest son
Mourned his vanished mother,
His forest-gone old one
Whose tracks he had lost.
Grief found no extinction,
Nor mourning any consolation.

The Dream of Linda

At last weariness
In its bondage tamed the strong man
Into sleep's bonds to rest.
A comforting dream's wing
Came to extinguish the sorrow,
To console the mourning.

His mother bloomed in youthful beauty,
Bloomed like a bride in her chamber,
A woman, a young wife at the table,
On the wedding-day's feast.

Linda bloomed, little bird,
In the spring's loveliness,
As once upon the village swing,
In the west birch-grove's coolness
She had bloomed in her mother's yard,
In her foster-mother's grove.

As the grouse-daughter was lifted,
The swing went high!
Higher, farther!

Linda sang, little bird,
The home-hen in her crowing:
"Swing-builders, dear brothers,
Let the swing go higher!
So I may see many a land,
See much, pay much!
So I may shine to the sun,
Gleam upon the sea waves,
My wreath shine to the clouds,
My wreath-ribbons to the rains,
My coat shine to Kungla-land,
My bodice-patterns to Pikker,
My skirt-patterns to the stars!

Until a lad comes, a sun's son,
A suitor, a moon's son,
A better bridegroom, a star's son,
A dearest bridegroom from Kalev-land."

The vision in the dream revealed
Of the dear mother's shadow,
In youth's beauty on the heath,
The maiden on the swing —
This did not come from this world's
Withered meadows;
The image came from farther:
His mother sat in Uku's courtyard
In the fortunate day's light.

Kalev's dearest son
Woke in the morning,
Early before the light,
Began the night's dream,
Its tale, to ponder through;
Pondered an hour, pondered a second,
Then spoke in this way:

"There my mother has gone.
There into the forest my old one,
There flew my little bird,
There vanished my little hen,
Gone from home to the berry-moor,
Gone to the marsh for blueberries.

There came a hawk, an evil bird,
There came a crow, a thief-bird:
Those plucked the hen,
Shook the little bird.

There the hen vanished,
There the little bird died,
Died where no word came,
Withered in death unseen."

Kalevipoeg, the hero,
Now knew his mother was finished,
Had sunk to sleep in the bed of death.


Colophon

Kalevipoeg — composed and compiled by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald from Estonian folk songs and oral tradition, first published in verse form in Kuopio, 1857–1861. Canto V is the structural pivot of the epic's first arc: the hero's strength becomes the instrument of his loss. The Finnish sorcerer's feather-army is the most extraordinary magical sequence in the poem — warriors conjured from mist and spell-words, dissolved by an oak club. The sorcerer's confession is the only account of Linda's abduction told from the kidnapper's perspective. And the dream of Linda on the swing — singing her bridal song from Canto I in the courtyard of the sky god — is one of the most moving passages in Estonian literature.

Translated from 19th-century Estonian by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Good Works Translation), 2026. Translated by Tuuli with Claude (Opus 4.6). No existing English translation was used as a source; the English is independently derived from the Estonian text. W.F. Kirby's 1895 English prose translation exists but was not consulted.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Source Text: Kalevipoeg — Viies Lugu

Estonian source text from Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, "Kalevipoeg" (Kuopio, 1857). Digital text from Project Gutenberg. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

Juba hommikune puna,
Koidu ettekuulutaja
Taeva palgeid palistamas;
Juba sirendavad tähed
Koidu piirel kahvatamas;
Ju ehk laulis Looja kukke
Uue pääva ukse suussa,
Kõõruteles taadi kana
Valguse õue väraval.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane
Vetevoode veeretusel,
Laia laente langutusel
Ujub Soome ranna poole.
Tugev käsi lõhkus laeneid,
Peksis laeneid merepinnal;
Kiigutava vete kätki
Veereteles virku meesta,
Usinada ujujada
Langutava laente turjal
Kaugemale põhja poole.
Kaljuranna kallastele.
Koidu heledama kuma
Paneb merda punetama,
Mere laeneid lõkendama.
Juba paistab kauge'elta
Soome kaljukünklik randa,
Kerkib ikka kõrgemale
Silmavaatel seisamaie.
Tugev käsi lõhkus laeneid,
Peksis laeneid merepinnal;
Kiigutava vete kätki
Veereteles virku meesta,
Usinada ujujada
Langutava laente turjal
Kaugemale kalda poole.
Ja kui pääva luues valgus
Koidu pihust lahti peasis,
Teretelles terasida
Taevast hakkas külvamaie,
Mis kui litrid merepinnal,
Siidilindid laenetele
Vesineidu ehitavad:
Jõudis Kalevide poega,
Kangelaste kasvandikku
Soome ranna kaldadele.
Istus väsind vennikene
Kõrge kaljurünka peale,
Veteveerul vintsund liikmeid
Natukene puhkamaie;
Istus kaljurünka peale.
Väsind keha karastama
Hommikuse tuule õhul,
Vete laenete vilula,
Istus maha kalju peale
Tülpind rammu toetama
Jahutaval kaste jälgil,
Mere karastaval aurul.
Soome tuuslar, tuuletarka,
Oli paati randa jätnud,
Lodjakesta ahelaga
Kalju külgi kütkendanud,
Et ei laente mängimine,
Kõrgemate kõikumine,
Marutuule mässamine
Lootsikut ei lõhkunessa.
Laululinnud lustikeelil
Tõusnud päikest teretama.
Juba lõuke lõõritelles
Tallab kerget tuuleteeda,
Ööpik hõiskab lepikusta,
Kägu kukub kuusikusta,
Teised lauljad tammikusta:
Laulid tänulugusida
Vanaisale iluksa,
Taara-taadile auksa.
Muud ei looma lagedala,
Laial kaljulisel kaldal
Kusagil ei liikumaies,
Ega rahva rändamista,
Inimeste jälgesida
Kusagilt ei paistnud silma.
Metsad, mäed ja nurmekesed
Uinusivad koidu-unda
Uue pääva palistusel.
Kalevipoeg tõstis silma,
Saatis vaatmist kaugemale:
Kas ehk kuskil jälge märki,
Jälge märki, tunnistähte
Soome tuuslarist võiks saada?
Aga silma ulatusel
Midagi ei tähte tunda,
Ega leida märkisida.
Vaikne hommikune rahu
Kattis maada, kattis merda,
Kattis rahva perekonda
Kaitseliku tiiva alla.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Puhkas puhu väsind keha,
Laskis tuku laugudele
Tunnikeseks aset võtta.
Senni päikese paiste,
Tahendelles tuulehoogu
Märga riideid kuivatasid.
Une kiir ei annud aega
Pääva-tera palistusel
Unenägu sünnitada.
Kalevide kallim poega!
Senni kui sa selilie
Kaljukünkal koidu-unda
Lased kiirel laugudele,
Vaatab laulik vaimusilmil
Sinu teede-käikisida,
Radasida Soome rannas.
Rahupalgeil paistab päike
Kaljukünkal magajada;
Aga maru möllamised,
Tuulehoogu tuiskamised
Kipuvad ju kiirel kannul
Onnepäikest kustutama!
Äike astub ähvardelles,
Pikker viskab pilvest välku
Tuliteral sinu teele.
Sõariistad rägisevad,
Tüli kärin tõuseb tuulde,
Veri valguneb murula –
Leinanuttu lepikussa:
Mõrtsukas mõõga peremees.
Puhka väsind keha, poega!
Lauliku tiivad lendavad
Nii kui päike taeva sõrvas
Ilupaistel kõrgemale,
Lähvad teiste luhadele.
Kui nüüd saare taadikene,
Saare hella eidekene
Laenetest ei tütart leidnud,
Kuulivad nad lapse laulu,
Tütre varju tuikamista,
Kadund kana kõõrutusta:
Siisap jätsid otsimista,
Läksivad kurtes koduje,
Läksid tamme vaatamaie,
Kuuske koplis katsumaie.
Võtsid tamme vainuelta,
Suure tamme, laiad oksad,
Viisid tamme õue alla,
Kandsid kiige ligidale,
Kus oli enne tütar noori
Õhtu ilul õõtsutanud;
Istutasid tütre iluks,
Kadund kana mälestuseks.
"Kasva, tamme, uhkeks puuksa,
Lahuta ladva kõrgele,
Puista okse pilvedani!"
Võtsid kuuse koppelista,
Suure kuuse, laiad oksad,
Kandsid kuuse õue alla,
Viisid kiige ligidale,
Kus oli enne tütar noori
Ohtu ilul õõtsutanud;
Istutasid kiigesamba
Ligidale kena kuuse,
Tütre iluks tõusemaie,
Kadund kana mälestuseks.
"Kasva, kuuske, jõua, kuuske,
Kasva, kuuske, uhkeks puuksa,
Lahuta ladva kõrgele,
Puista okse pilvedani!"
Kui oli tamme istutatud,
Kuuske pandud kasvamaie,
Kiige juure kerkimaie;
Ühte samba ilus kuuske,
Teise samba tugev tamme:
Siis läks taati tubaje,
Eit aga salakamberile
Kotkamuna vaatamaie,
Mis seal raudakübarasse
Oli pandud haudumaie.
Raudakübar seisis külma,
Muna külma kübarassa:
Muna ei haudund haudujata,
Pesa ei pealeistujata.
Eit pani muna päävadela
Pääva paistel' haudumaie,
Haudus öösel ise muna,
Kotkamuna soojas kaisus.
Taat läks tamme vaatamaie,
Eit läks kuuske katsumaie.
Tamme tõusis, kuuske kerkis,
Tamme tõusis sada sülda,
Kuuske kasvis kümme sülda.
Läksid siis ühes koduje,
Taat aga salakelderisse;
Taat läks kala vaatamaie,
Mis seal hõbekausis kasvis.
Taati kurtes kõnelema:
"Oli mul õunake ilusa,
Oli mul marjuke magusa,
Eha poolt heledakene,
Koidu poolt kumedikene,
Pääva poolt punasikene.
Õunake kukkus meresse,
Marjuke langes laenesse.
Läksin õuna otsimaie,
Marja merest noppimaie,
Läksin põlvini meresse,
Kaelani kalakudusse.
Mis mul põlvi puutunesse?
Kala mul põlvi puutunesse!
Mis sest kalast nüüd võib saada?"
Kala mõistis, kostis vasta,
Hõbekausista healitses:
"Lase kala laenetesse,
Merde jälle mängimaie;
Mul on isa, mul on ema,
Viis veel venda koduje,
Hulk veel teisi õdesida,
Kuldasoomus-piigasida."
Taat viis kala kaldale,
Laskis lahti laenetesse,
Läks siis tamme vaatamaie,
Kena kuuske katsumaie.
Tamme tõusis, kuuske kerkis,
Tamme tõusis taeva'asse,
Kuuske kasvis pilvetesse,
Ladvad taevast lõhkumaies,
Oksad pilveid pillutamas.
Munast kasvis kotkapoega,
Tõusis tugev linnukene.
Eit pani kambri kasvamaie.
Kotkas peasis kamberista,
Lendis kohe kauge'ele.
Läksid tamme vaatamaie.
Tamm tahab tõusta taeva'asse,
Oksad pilveje pugeda;
Tamm tahab taevast jagada,
Oksad pilveid pillutada.
Taat läks tarka otsimaie,
Tugevada tingimaie,
Kesse tamme maha raiuks,
Suure tamme, laiad oksad.
Eit läks alla heinamaale.
Eit läks loogu võttemaie,
Riismeid kokku riisumaie,
Reha kuldane käessa,
Vars vaskine järela,
Hõbedased rehapulgad,
Võrud kuldased küllessa.
Võttis kaare, võttis kaksi,
Hakkas kolmat võttemaie;
Mis ta leidis kaare alta?
Leidis kotka kaare alta.
See'p see kodu kasvand kotkas,
Pääval hautud päävapoega,
Öösel hautud eidepoega.
Eit viis kotka koduje,
Pani köide kamberie.
Mis seal kotka tiiva all?
Mees on kotka tiiva all;
Mehikese kõrgus kandis
Kahe vaksa vääraliseks.
Mis seal mehe kaendelassa?
Kerves mehe kaendelassa.
Kalevipoeg, hella venda,
Tahtsid aga tunnikese
Tukul lasta laugusida,
Tahtsid pisut puhkadelles
Koidu-unda keerutada;
Aga väsimuse võimus
Võitnud ettevõttemised,
Kütkendanud kangelase.
Puhkasid sa terve pääva,
Uinusid pika öö pimeda,
Tükikest veel teise pääva.
Teisel pääval pärast koitu
Päike võis ju paari sülda
Koidu rinnalt kõrgendanud
Mere pinnal paistemaies:
Sealap ärkas une paelust
Kalevipoeg, kangelane.
Polnud mehel enam mahti,
Pikemada puhkamista.
Kiuste sammul kihutelles
Ruttas Kalevide poega
Kaugemale kõndimaie.
Tõttas mööda võõrast teeda,
Rannast mööda radasida
Maade poole marssimaie;
Tõttas mööda mägesida,
Mööda kaljukünkasida,
Mööda aru, orgusida,
Üle laia lagedaida,
Piki metsi, paksusida,
Läbi lausa laanesida.
Kuristiku kaldaid mööda
Kaugemale kaljumaale.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Kiirusteles sammu käiki:
Kas ehk eide jälgesida,
Armsa ema astemeida
Kaste murul' kasvatanud?
Juba pääva jõudanessa
Keskhommikult kõrgemale,
Lendas noore lõune poole.
Palav pihta virutamas
Sunnib nahka suitsemaie.
Kiuste sammul kihutelles
Püüab Kalevide poega
Mööda kõrgeid mägesida,
Mööda kaljukünkasida
Kaugemale Soome poole;
Palav pihta virutamas
Sunnib nahka suitsemaie.
Aga tuuslar, tuuletarka,
Siiski silmal nägemata,
Ega kuskil ema jälgi
Kaste keerul kasvamaies.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Mõtles mõtteid mitme'essa:
Kuida röövli radasida,
Armsa eide jälgesida
Pikemalt saaks leidamaie?
Kuda eite varga küüsist
Hõlpsamalt saaks peastamaie?
Kiuste sammul kihutelles
Püüab Kalevide poega
Mööda aru, orgusida,
Üle laiu lagedaida
Kaugemale kaljumaale.
Palav pihta virutamas
Sunnib nahka suitsemaie.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Ronib kõrget kallast mööda
Ühtepuhku ülespidi:
Kas ehk mäe harja pealta
Kaugemale silmad kandvad?
Silmi mäelta sirutelles,
Vaatamista venitelles
Nägi Kalevide poega
Laia kuristiku kõrvas
Kena orgu haljendamas;
Metsasalgu sõrva ääres
Seisis tuuletarga talu,
Varga varjuline urgas,
Röövelküüsi redupaika.
Kiuste sammul kihutelles
Ruttab Kalevide poega
Ligemale oru poole,
Kunni vainu vasta jõuab,
Õuevärav silma paistab.
Kalevide kallim poega
Vaatab, sammu kinnitelles,
Vainult üle väravada
Tuuletarga õue peale.
Hooned ümberringi õue
Tunnistasid nõukat talu.
Murul toa ligi magas
Leiba luusse laskemisel
Soome tuuslar, tuuletarka.
Vainu ääres koplit varjas
Kena tammemetsakene.
Kalevipoeg astub kopli,
Kisub tüvikama tamme,
Kisub tamme juurte tükis
Maasta ülesse malgaksa;
Laastab oksad laiemada,
Puistab küllest kõik peenemad,
Jätab kisud kitkumata,
Oksa kännud katkemata,
Jätab jämedamad juured
Nuia kombel vembla otsa,
Võtab hudja ladvapidi
Vahva käte valuriistaks:
Miska varast vemmeldada,
Eide röövlit rooskeldada!
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Astub kiirelt üle vainu
Ruttes õue ligemale;
Tema raske raudasammu
Paneb kaugelt murupinda,
Maada kõigul müdisema,
Mäed ja orud vabisema.
Soome tuuslar, tuuletarka,
Ärkab une ummistusest,
Peaseb magamise paelust,
Arvab Äike ähvardama,
Kõu kaugelt müristama,
Arvab Pikse pilvetessa
Raudavankril sõitemaies.
Silmi lahti sirutelles,
Laugusida laiendelles
Näeb ta vaenlast väravassa:
Kesse õue kõigutanud,
Murupinda kiigutanud.
Unest ärkand mehikene,
Tuuslar-taat ei saanud mahti
Enam pakku põgeneda,
Redu-urka varjul minna,
Ega aega tuule tiival
Tuulispaskel peaseneda.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Astub praegu õue peale,
Vemmal käessa vihisedes
Vaatab silma varga peale.
Soome tuuslar, tuuletarka,
Kibedamas kitsikussa:
Puistab sulgi pihutäie
Põuest tuulde pöörlemaie,
Puhub udusulgesida
Laialiste lendamaie,
Tuule tiivul tantsimaie
Õhu õlal keerlemaie!
Puhub tuulde võimu-sõnu,
Sunnib rammu-sõnasida
Nõia lapsi elustama.
Sortsi sõna sunnitusel,
Tuuletarga toimetusel
Teeb ta sulgist sõalaisi.
Silmapilgul sünnitelles
Tuiskasivad tuuletiivad
Rahepilve pillutusel
Hobuse- ja jalaväge
Sadandella sõudemaie,
Tuhandella tuikumaie,
Abilaisteks tuuslarile.
Sortsi sõalaiste parved,
Õhul sünnitatud loomad,
Tuuletarga tugilased
Veeresivad vainuele,
Tulid tungil õue peale,
Langesid kui laanemetsa
Kalevide kaela peale.
Nii kui seased õhtu ilul,
Pihulased eha piirel,
Peret heites mesilased:
Püüdsid tuuletarga poisid
Paksu pilve paisutusel,
Vihmapilve veeretusel
Kallist Kalevide poega,
Taaralaiste taimekesta
Lausa ära lämmatada.
Kalevide kallim poega
Oli valmis vasta võtmas;
Agar mõistus arvamaies,
Silma osav sihtimaies,
Käsi võimus virutamas!
Võtab vembla vahva kätte,
Tamme tugeva pihusse,
Tõttab tung'jaid tonkimaie,
Vaenlasi vemmeldama.
Sõalaisi sugemaie,
Külalisi kolkimaie!
Annab tulda tulijaile,
Soomust sortsi sõbradele,
Rooska nõia rüütridele,
Sõnul sünnitud seltsile.
Paiskab rooska pajatelles,
Viskab vemmalt ja healitseb:
"Ei ma karda kurja karja,
Sortsilase sellisida,
Tuulest toodud tontisida,
Sõnul soetud sõalaisi,
Ega põrgu perekonda,
Vanapoisi vägevaida;
Ei ma karda kangemaida,
Ega kohku kõrgemaida!
Raasuke mul isa rammu,
Pisut võimu ema piimast,
Järguke mul enda jõudu,
Kasupõlve pärandusta!"
Kuhu kangelane Kalev
Kogemata annab vopsu,
Rabab matsu raskemasta:
Senna suigub mees ja hobu!
Kuhu tema viis ehk viskab,
Kümme vopsu välja külvab:
Senna surnuvirna puistab!
Kuhu tamme-tüvikuda
Korra sagedamast' salvab:
Senna suigub mitukümmend.
Kus ta iial rasket malka
Tuulde sunnib tantsimaie:
Seal ei enam elu ärka!
Tamme tantsib tuhisedes,
Vemmal virku vihisedes,
Malka marutuule mängil,
Tuulispaska tuiskamisel,
Hudja hukkab hullul kombel,
Puistab põrgu pöörandusel!
Mehi langeb muru peale
Nii kui pihu põrmu peale,
Rahet raatmaa rajadele,
Lunda põllupeenderila.
Kesse õnnel elu peastab,
Liikmeid püüab lunastada:
Annab aga jalgadele,
Kiiru tulist kandadele.
Üürikese aja pärast,
Pisukese nalja peale
Oli sõda suigutatud,
Taplemine tallitatud,
Mässamine lõpetatud.
Surnuvirnad matsid muru,
Õue oimatu oigajad,
Vainu hingevaakujad.
Vööni tõusis vereoja,
Kasvis ligi kaendelassa,
Voolas õuesta vainule,
Vainult alla koppelisse;
Veri voolas jõgedana,
Jõgi paisus järve'eksa.
Kes siin peasnud surma küüsist,
Läinud pakku tuule lennul.
Soome tuuslar, tuuletarka,
Sortsisõna sünnitaja,
Lausumise-sõna looja
Oli vaenu võrgutuses,
Kibedamas kitsikuses;
Sõalaiste surma nähes,
Abilaiste äpardusta:
Lõppes mehel viimne lootus.
Ainekeelil, mesimeelil,
Hakkas tuuslar palumaie,
Hüva sõnu andemaie:
"Kalevide kallim poega,
Linda leina lepitaja!
Heida armu minu peale,
Anna andeks palujale!
Las meid tüli lepitada,
Juhtund kurja kustutada,
Ülekohut unustada.
Käisin korra eksiteeda,
Toonaeile tegin kurja,
Käisin röövli käikisida,
Varga varba astemisi;
Ülekohtu kütkenduses
Tungisin teie talusse,
Pugesin kotka pesasse,
Kui olid pojad kolmekeste
Lustil läinud lendamaie.
Viisin eide varga viisil,
Kandsin kalli kulliküüsil,
Kodukana kamberista.
Raugendasin eide rammu
Sortsisõna sünnitusel,
Vähendasin naise võimu,
Nõdra jõudu nõiapaelul;
Tahtsin saaki sadamasse,
Leske viia lootsikusse;
Tahtsin vete veeretusel,
Laia laente langutusel
Soome randa sõudanessa.
Iru mäele jõudanessa
Kuulin Kõu kärgatama,
Äikest kurjast' ähvardama;
Taevataadi tulukene
Pani silmad pimendama,
Piksenooli puutumine
Rabas minda raskel löögil
Maha uimaseks murule,
Et ma surnu sarnaliseks,
Uimasemaks une orjaks,
Tuimaks läinud tombukeseks
Kesket mäge kohmetasin.
Kesse surma sammusida,
Minestuse määra mõõtnud;
Kesse kalmus suikujale
Aja pikkust arvanesse:
See ehk oskab seletada
Minu minestuse aega.
Une paelust lahti peastes,
Silmi ümber sirutelles
Hakkasin ma vaatamaie:
Kuhu eite kadunesse?
Kas ei kana jälgesida,
Tedrekese teeda näha:
Kuhu lindu lendanesse,
Parti paelust peasenesse?
Tühi teab, kas tuule tiival,
Ohukese hõlmadela,
Salasaadikute viival
Leske Linda lennanud?
Ehk kas murueidekene
Muru alla teda matnud?
Jäljed jäivad nägemata,
Tunnismärgid tundemata.
Kartus viis mind mööda kallast,
Hirm mind alla Iru mäelta;
Kartsin kotka poegasida
Eide jälgi otsimaies.
Mere poole põgenedes
Andsin tulda kandadele,
Valu jalavarvastele,
Jooksin lendes lootsikusse,
Mis mind merekaldal ootas.
Hirmu istus sõudja kõrvas,
Kartus tüüril kälimeheks:
Mis mind vete veeretusel,
Laente langul kihutasid!
Veike koidu keeritusel
Jõudsin kojumaa kaldale."
Kalevide kallim poega
Kuulas tuuletarga kõnet,
Sortsilase salgamisi
Pahal meelel, poolel kõrvul;
Siis aga pani viha paelul
Pajatusta purjetama:
"Naisevaras, valelikku,
Keelepeksja kelmi poega,
Kes sa lese leinasängi,
Vaga eide voodikesta
Suisa läksid solkimaie!
Loodad sa mind lobasuuga,
Loriga ehk lepitada,
Valega ehk vaigistada?
Arvad sa nii hõlpsalt peasma,
Kergel kombel kimbatusest?
Sinu sammu mõõt saab täide;
Võta, röövel, röövli palka,
Maitse, varas, varga malka!"
Tammevemmalt tantsu keerul
Kange käega kukutelles
Laskis korra langutelles
Tuuslarile kulmu kohta,
Kahe silma keske'ele!
Soome tuuslar, tuuletarka,
Kukkus maha nii kui kotti,
Ohkas hinge oigamata,
Langes sõna lausumata,
Suikus surma külma kaissu,
Et ei suula maigutusta,
Ega laugil liigutusta.
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Tõttas tuppa otsimaie,
Ema jälgi ajamaie,
Tuhnib tuuslaride talu
Pikite ja põigitie,
Iga kohta isepäinis,
Uurib läbi röövli urkad,
Nuusib läbi varga nurgad,
Tallab toasta kamberila,
Kambrist jälle kelderisse,
Läheb lakka luurimaie,
Lõhub lukkupandud uksed,
Tugevamad ukse-tabad,
Lõhub uksed, puistab piidad
Risukilluks rusikala!
Paugutuste parinada,
Möllamise mürinada
Kuuleb rahvas kohkudelles
Kümme versta kaugusele.
Kolin kostab üle kõrve,
Lendab üle lagedaie,
Muru üle metsadesse,
Kargab kõrge kaljudele,
Kaljult kohkudes meresse,
Langeb laia laenetesse.
Metsa linnud lähvad lendu,
Neljajalgsed putkamaie,
Kalad kohkudes kõntsasse,
Mere salasügavusse,
Näkineitsi urkadesse.
Rahvas kuuldes kõnelevad:
Kas on sõda raudasammul,
Vaen ehk verevankeritel
Meie maada muljumaies?
Siiski jäävad eide jäljed,
Tedre tütre teedekäigid
Poja silmil peitusela,
Udukate otsijale.
Kange Kalevide poega
Hakkab viha vihkamaie,
Kurja tuju kahetsema,
Miska tuisa tuuslarile
Surmas suuda kinni sulgnud,
[Keele paelad kütkendanud]
Enne kui ta tunnistanud:
Kus on eide varju-urgas,
Helde ema peidupaika.
Vilets äkiline viha
Meeletu asjaajaja,
Tarkusnõdra tallitaja:
Annad ohjad kurja kätte,
Läheb hobu hoopis metsa.
Kalevide kallim poega
Ladus kaksipidi lugul,
Otsekui kana pääta:
Toast õue, õuest tuppa,
Kambri, lakka, kelderisse,
Käis ta suisal aidad läbi,
Lõhkus läbi karjalaudad,
Otsis mitukümmend korda
Lennates kõik kohad läbi,
Kunni varjav õhtu hõlma
Otsimista lõpeteles,
Käikisida kinniteles.
Kalevide kallim poega
Kaebas kadund eidekesta,
Metsa läinud memmekesta,
Kelle jälgi ta kaotanud.
Kurvastus ei leidnud kustu,
Ega leina lepitusta.
Viimaks rauges väsimuse
Kütkendusel kange meesi
Une paelul puhkamaie.
Trööstiv unenäu tiiba
Tuli kurbtust kustutama,
Leinamista lepitama.
Eite õitses noorel ilul,
Õitses kui mõrsja kamberin,
Naine noorik laua taga,
Pulmapääva pidudela.
Linda õitses, linnukene,
Kevadisel kenadusel,
Kuida enne küla kiigel,
Lääne lepiku vilula
Oli õitsend eide õues,
Kasuema koppelissa.
Tedretütart tõstenessa
Käis aga kiike kõrgele!
Kõrge'ele, kauge'ele!
Linda laulis, linnukene,
Kodukana kõõrutusel:
"Kiigesepad, hellad vennad,
Laske kiige kõrgemale!
Et ma paistan pailu maada,
Paistan pailu, maksan pailu!
Et ma paistan päävadele,
Läigin mere laenetele,
Pärg mul paistab pilvedele,
Pärjasabad sadudele,
Kuub mul paistab Kunglamaale,
Pooga kirjad Pikkerile,
Ruuga kirjad tähtedele!
Et tuleb poissi, pääva poega,
Kosilane, kuude poega,
Parem peigu, tähte poega,
Kallim peigu Kalevallast."
Unenäuna avaldatud
Hella eidekese vari,
Nooruse kena nõmmessa,
Neitsikene kiigendusel,
See'p ei tulnud selle ilma
Närtsiliku nurmedelta;
Kuju tuli kaugemalta:
Eite istus Uku õues
Õnnepääva paistusela.
Kalevide kallim poega
Ärkas üles hommikula,
Vara enne valgeheta,
Hakkas öösest unenägu,
Lugu läbi mõtlemaie;
Mõtles tunni, mõtles teise,
Siis aga nõnda pajateles:
"Senna läinud eidekene.
Senna metsa mul memmeke,
Senna lennanud linnuke,
Senna kadunud kanake,
Läinud kodunt marjasmaale,
Läinud soole sinikaile,
Tuli kulli, kurja lindu,
Tuli vares, varga-lindu:
Needap kana kiskumaie,
Linnukesta lingutama.
Senna kadus kanakene,
Senna suri linnukene,
Suri, kust ei saanud sõna,
Närtsis koolel nägemata."
Kalevipoeg, kangelane,
Teadis nüüd eite lõppenud,
Surmasängila suikunud.


Source Colophon

Estonian text from Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Kalevipoeg (Kuopio, 1857–1861). Digital text sourced from Project Gutenberg (public domain). The double-spacing of the digital edition has been removed; the verse lines are presented in their original sequence with stanza breaks preserved.

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