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HEROES OF THE OLDEN TIME1

THE SAMPO A WONDER TALE OF THE OLD NORTH2

BY JAMES BALDWIN Illustrated by N.3 C. Wyeth4

NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 19175

PROEM6

This is a tale which the runolainen of the far North used to sing in hovel and hall, and which the heroes of primeval times learned by heart and taught to their children.7 In its original form it was related, not in plain, unvarnished prose, as you shall find it here, but in endless monotonous measures, tuned to the music of the kantele.8 [A] It was made up of numerous stories, songs, folk-melodies, and incantations, with which were interwoven many independent episodes that are neither interesting nor necessary to its completeness.9 The weaver of tales, who now relates these adventures to modern readers, has chosen to deviate widely from the methods of the ancient story-tellers.10 He has combined various parts, as pleased his fancy, into one complete harmonious fabric, and, while he has retained much of the original warp and woof, he has added various and many colorings and connecting threads of his own invention.11 In doing this he has merely exercised the time-honored right of poets and story-tellers—the right to make new cloth out of old.12

CONTENTS13

CHAPTER PAGE14

I MISTRESS AND MINSTREL 1 II THE MAID OF BEAUTY 14 III THE GRAYBEARD AND HIS SON 21 IV THE WICKED HORNET 32 V THE TREE OF MAGIC 43 VI THE SMITHY 49 VII THE TEMPEST 59 VIII THE RECIPE 66 IX THE CALDRON 73 X THE FORGING OF THE SAMPO 86 XI THE HOMESICK HERO 97 XII THE UNFINISHED BOAT 109 XIII THE LAND OF TUONELA 125 XIV THE HAG OF THE ROCK 137 XV THE HERO’S RETURN 145 XVI THE WISDOM KEEPER 151 XVII THE LAUNCHING 162 XVIII THE MAID OF THE MORNING 168 XIX THE UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 178 XX THE FRIENDLY RIVALS 190 XXI THE BARKING DOGS 196 XXII THE OLD MAN’S WOOING 207 XXIII THE FIELD OF SERPENTS 214 XXIV THE GREAT PIKE 225 XXV THE BRIDEGROOM’S TRIUMPH 235 XXVI THE WEDDING FEAST 242 XXVII THE HOME COMING 253 XXVIII THE SLAVE BOY 257 XXIX A DREADFUL VENGEANCE 271 XXX THE GOLDEN MAIDEN 278 XXXI THE FAMINE 292 XXXII THE WEEPING SHIP 298 XXXIII THE KANTELE 311 XXXIV THE TRIUMPH OF MUSIC 320 XXXV THE FLIGHT 332 XXXVI THE PURSUIT 346 XXXVII THE FATE OF THE SAMPO 35315

ILLUSTRATIONS16

The Golden Maiden Frontispiece17

The flames died suddenly away, and out of the vessel there sprang a wonderful image—the image of a beautiful maiden.18

FACING PAGE19

The Magician and the Maid of Beauty 1620

High in the sky he saw a rainbow, and on it the Maid of Beauty.21

The Hag of the Rock 13822

An old, old woman, gray-eyed, hook-nosed, wrinkled, was sitting on the rock and busily spinning.23

The Slave Boy 26224

Then, at length, when all were peacefully feeding, he sat down upon a grassy hummock and looked around him, sad, lonely, vindictive.25