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." [Pg 296] THE BLUE BIRD (II.). This totally different ballad is from Neus, _Ehstnische Volkslieder_, p. 42. Neus quotes Ganander as saying that one of the names of the Finnish Wood-goddess (the spouse of Tapio) is Blue Bird. The present poem is _possibly_ a fragment of a creation-myth. Lo, the bird with azure plumage, Feathers blue and eyes all lustrous, Took her flight, and hovered, soaring, Over forests four in number, Over four woods in succession; One a wood of golden pine-trees, One a wood of beauteous apples, One a wood of silver birch-trees, One a swampy wood of lime-trees. Lo, the bird with azure plumage, Feathers blue and eyes all lustrous, Took her flight, and hovered, soaring, Over lakelets three in number; Three the lakes all close together, And the first with wine was brimming, And with ale the second foaming, And the third with mead was frothing. [Pg 297] Lo, the bird with azure plumage, Feathers blue and eyes all lustrous, Took her flight, and hovered, soaring, Over three fields in succession, Over three fields close together; In the first the oats were growing, In the second rye was waving, In the third the wheat was springing. And the wood of golden pine-trees Was a wood of youthful striplings, And the wood of beauteous apples Was a wood of youthful maidens, And the wood of silver birch-trees Was a wood of youthful matrons, And the swampy wood of lime-trees Was a wood of men all aged. And the lake with wine o'erbrimming Was the lake of youthful striplings, And the lake with ale up-foaming Was the lake of youthful matrons, And the lake where mead was frothing Was the lake of youthful maidens. And the field where oats were growing Was the field of youthful striplings, And the field where rye was waving Was the field of youthful matrons, And the field where wheat was springing Was the share of youthful maidens. [Pg 298] CHARM AGAINST SNAKE-BITE.[81] Thou beneath the bridge, the smooth wood Under juniper the rough wood, Thou the arrow in the willows, O thou challenged gold-adorned one, Earthy-coloured, liver-coloured, Rainy-hued and hazel-coloured, Firebrand hued and cherry-coloured, Do not thou in secret bite me, Nor attack me unsuspecting, Do not bite me when I heed not. [Pg 299] BIBLIOGRAPHY The present list contains only books and papers which have been used or specially consulted in the preparation of this work, or which have been published in England on Esthonian tales and poems. Other books quoted are referred to in the Index and Glossary. Blumberg, G. _Quellen und Realien des Kalewipoeg, nebst Varianten und Ergänzungen_. Dorpat, 1869. An important work, including a map, from which we have borrowed some particulars.