The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That CountryKirby, W. F. (William Forsell)
History
The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That Country
Kirby, W. F. (William Forsell)
Estonian literature; Estonian literature -- History and criticism
At other times he used to amuse himself quietly in the enclosure,
carving skates or weaving baskets. Thus he passed his days till he came
to man's estate.
After the death of Kalev, Linda was much pestered by suitors who were
anxious to marry the rich widow; but she refused them all, and at
length they ceased to trouble her. Last of all came a mighty
wind-sorcerer from Finland, calling himself Kalev's cousin; and when
she refused him also, he vowed revenge. But she laughed at his threats,
telling him she had three young eagles with sharp claws growing up in
the house, who would protect their mother.
Linda was no longer tormented by suitors, but the magician whom she had
discarded recommended all his friends not to seek a wife in Kalev's
house, for notwithstanding Linda's wealth her beauty was faded, her
teeth were iron, and her words were red-hot pincers. They would do
better to sail to Finland, where they would find rows of maidens, rich
in money, pearls, jewels, and golden bracelets, waiting for them on the
rocky coast.
[Pg 24]
CANTO III
THE FATE OF LINDA
One hot day, the youngest son of Kalev was sitting on the top
of a cliff watching the clouds and waves. Suddenly the sky
became overcast, and a terrific storm arose, which lashed the
breakers into foam. Äike,
[32] the Thunder-God, was driving his brazen-wheeled chariot
over the iron bridges of the sky, and as he thundered above,
the sparks flew from the wheels, and he hurled down flash after
flash of lightning from his strong right hand against a company
of wicked demons of the air, who plunged from the rocks into
the sea, dodged the thunderbolts among the waves,
[Pg 25]
and mocked and insulted the god. The hero was enraged at their
audacity, and plunging into the water, dragged them from their
hiding-places like crabs, and filled a whole sack with them.
He then swam to the shore, and cast them out on the rocks,
where the bolts of the angry god soon reduced them to a
disgusting mass that even the wolves would not touch.
Another day, the three sons of Kalev went hunting in the forest
with their three dogs.
[33] The dogs killed a bear among the bushes, an elk in the
open country, and a wild ox in the fir-wood. Next they
encountered a pack of wolves and another of foxes, numbering
five dozen of each, and killed them all. All this game the
youngest brother bound together and carried on his back; and on
the way home they found the rye-fields full of hares, of which
they likewise secured five dozen.
[34]
[Pg 26]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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