Kysyin maata velloltani
In the SKVR edition: Medussi, Ruditsa. O. Groundstroem. n. 13. 1861. Okoi.
SKVR textEnglish
1Kysyin maata velloltani,I asked for land from my brother.
2Anoin maata ainoltani.I begged for land from my only one.
3Vello vaston vastaeli:Brother answered, replied:
4"Mihi maata neitoiselle,"Why land for a maiden,
5Peltoa pakenevalla,A field for the fleeing one,
6Niitty riipajalalle,A meadow for Riipajala,
7Niittu on neitosen rivan,The meadow is the maiden's strip,
8Sarka on kaaterin kasasse,The strip is in Kaater's heap,
9Pelto on pollen kantomessa."The field is in Polli's fallow."
10Sisö vellol vastaeli:Sister replied to brother:
11"Mihi mie siinnoi kylvän,"Why would I sow here,
12Kuhu kylvän pellervoita?"Where would I sow the crops?"
13Antoi kuitenkin vähäin,He gave a little nonetheless,
14Toikaeli pikkaraisenBrought a tiny piece,
15Kivikkoa, kannikkoa,Stony ground, heathland,
16Palanutta antoi paasikkoa,Burnt slate ground he gave,
17Kuivannutta antoi kuusikkoa,Dried spruce forest he gave,
18Märkää antoi määen alust,Wet land at the hill's base,
19Sen mje kynsin kynsilläin,I clawed it with my nails,
20Varpahilla vakoisin,With toes I furrowed,
21Lusikkan sinnoi kylvin,With a spoon I sowed there,
22Piion kylvin pellervoita.Secretly sowed the crops.
23Mäni yötä kaksi, kolme,I went two, three nights,
24Viipui viikko, sai etälle,A week passed, moved onward,
25Kavastui kaheksan yötä,Turned eight nights,
26Jo mäni yli yheksen.Now I went beyond one.
27Mänin jo katsomaan sinoja:I went to see the crops:
28Sino jo on sinikukalle,The crops turned to cornflower,
29Pellervoinen kalkkalalle,The crop to weeds,
30Sino itki kitkijätä,The crop wept for a weeder,
31Pellervo puhastajata.The crop for a cleaner.
32Aloin kitkee sinoi,I began to weed the crops,
33Puhastella pellervoi,To cleanse the crops,
34Kitin kolkan, kitin toisen,I weeded a corner, another,
35Jo kolkas kitin kolmanes.Now three corners weeded.
36Ajoi ratsas rävinkäinenA swift rider came,
37Rävinkäisell orol:On a swift horse:
38"Jumal auks, nuori neito,"God help, young maiden,
39Älä kitkele sinoi,Do not weed the crops,
40Puhastele pellervoita,Do not cleanse the crops,
41Jo sie ot neito miulle myöty,For you are the maiden promised to me,
42Kauno miulle kauppaeltu."A beauty bargained for me."
43Neito vaston vastaeli:The maiden answered:
44"Ken möj, kuka lupas?""Who sold, who promised?"
45"Iso möj, emo lupas,"Father sold, mother promised,
46Vello kaupat kauppaeli,Brother struck the deal,
47Siso silkkisen serenkon."Sister the silken shift."
48Venäläinen, vainolainen,The Russian, the enemy,
49Sotikoira suomalainen,The Finnish war-dog,
50Mitä se otti miun sisoin?What did he take from my sister?
51Siso otti sinervon uukon.Sister took a blue old man.
52Mitä otti välvyeni?What took my brother-in-law?
53Vollois otti soti oroisen.Took a warhorse.
54Mitä otti miun emoni?What took my mother?
55Emo otti Mahikke lehmän.Mother took Mahikke's cow.
56Mitä otti miun isoin?What took my father?
57Isä otti rahaisen ratsun.Father took a moneyed horse.
58Venäläinen vainojaThe Russian persecutor
59Vei neion venehen,Took the maiden into a boat,
60Souteloo, joutelooRowed, journeyed
61Hyyn alaitse, jään alaitse,Under frost, under ice,
62Reunoisen retusen saaren,Past the edge of Retunen island,
63Kalasaaren kainaloitse.Beside Fish Island.
64Venäläin oot vainoloin,The Russian is of enemies,
65Souvas tuolle rantuelle,Came to that shore,
66Mill on rannall isoin.Where father is on the shore.
67Venäläinen, vainolainen,The Russian, the enemy,
68Souvas tuolla rantuelle,Came to that shore,
69Mill on rannall isoin.Where father is on the shore.
70"Hoi iso, isohueni,"Hoi, my great father,
71Lunasta sie minun lumensatteistRansom me from the snowstorm,
72Viholaisen viitan alta,From under the enemy's cloak,
73Kaavun alta karjalaisen!"From the Karelian's garment!"
74Iso vaston vastajele:Father answered:
75Mill mie sinun lunastan?"How shall I ransom you?
76On siull rahainen ratsu,You have a moneyed horse,
77Paa se poli miun allain,Put half under me,
78Pooli paa pääsi päästimeksi.Half for your head's release."
79Iso vaston vastaeli:Father replied:
80Ennen laihun lapsestan"I’d sooner lose my child
81Kuin rahaisest ratsustan.Than my moneyed horse."
82Venäläinen, vainolainenRussian, the foe,
83Souteloo, joutelooRowed, journeyed
84Hyyn alaitse, jään alaitse,Under frost, under ice,
85Souvas tuolle rannaiselle,Came to that shore,
86Mill on rannal emoini.Where my mother is on the shore.
87"Lunasta emo miu,"Ransom me, mother,
88Lunasta lumen sateista,Ransom me from snowfall,
89Päästä päien leikivost!"Free me from the play of days!"
90Emo vaston vastajaa:Mother answered:
91"Mill mie sinun lunastan?""How shall I ransom you?
92"On siull Mahikke lehmä,"You have Mahikke's cow,
93Paa puolet minun alas,Put half under me,
94Puolet päätä päästimeksi!"Half for your head's release!"
95Emo vaston vastaeli:Mother replied:
96"Ennen laihun lapsestani,"I’d sooner lose my child
97Ennen ku Mahikke lehmäst."Than Mahikke's cow."
98Venäläinen vainolainen,The Russian enemy,
99Souvas tuolle rannaiselle,Came to that shore,
100Miss on minun velvyeni.Where my brother-in-law is.
101Lunasta vello minu!Brother, redeem me!
102Mill mie sinu lunastan?With what should I ransom you?
103On siul soti oroinen,You have a battle-steed,
104Pane puoli minun alle,Put half under me,
105Puolet päätä päästimeksi.Half the head as a release token.
106Ennen mie i siiun siskostaniI’d sooner lose your sister
107Kuin sotioroisestani.Than my warhorse.
108Venäläinen, vainolainenRussian, the foe,
109Souteloo, jouteloo etc.Rowed, hastened, etc.
110Souva tuolle rantaselle,Moved to that shore,
111Miss on miun sissoin.Where my sister is.
112Lunasta nyt sissoin minu,Now redeem me, sister,
113Lunasta pois lumensatteist,Redeem me from snowstorms,
114Päästä päien leikivost.Free me from time’s games.
115Siso vaston vastaeli:Sister answered:
116Millä mie sinun lunastan?How shall I ransom you?
117On siul sinerva uukko,You have a graybeard,
118Paa puolet minun alla,Put half beneath me,
119Puolet pääni päästimeksi.Half my head as release.
120Siso vaston vastaja:Sister replied:
121Ennen siiun siskostani,I’d sooner lose my sister
122Ennen ko sinerväst uukosta.Than that graybeard.
Venä[läinen], vai[nolainen] mänö[ö] taas soutelemaan etc.
- - -
124"Souva tuolla rantuella,"Move to yonder shore,
125Miss' on minun vävyini."Where my son-in-law is."
126Venäläinen, vainolainenRussian, the foe,
127Sousi ki tuolle rantuelle,Hurried to that shore,
128Mill on rannal vävy:Where the son-in-law stood:
129Voi vävy, vävy hyvä,Oh son-in-law, good son-in-law,
130Lunasta vävy minu.Redeem me, son-in-law!
131Vävy vaston vastaeli:Son-in-law answered:
132"Mill mie siun lunastan?""How shall I ransom you?"
133On siul pajunen linna,You have a willow castle,
134Paa puolet miun alanen,Put half beneath me,
135Puolet paa pää päästimeksi.Half the head as release.
136Vävy pani pajuisen linnan,Son-in-law placed the willow castle,
137Päästi viholaisen viitan alta.Freed [you] from the foe’s cloak.
English translations by DeepSeek R1, provided by Lidia Pivovarova (University of Helsinki). AI-generated translations may contain inaccuracies.
The text is that of the SKVR digital edition of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), with these changes:
- The editors’ signs inside the verses ([ ], ⌈ ⌉, *, [!], [?]) are left out, as in the poem reader; the letters they enclose are kept.
- The edition’s line numbers are replaced by a number on every verse, counted as in the poem reader.
- The editors’ notes, and the marks in the verses that point to them, are left out; they can be read at SKS.
Source
Text: SKVR (Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot), the digital edition of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Permanent address of this poem at SKS: http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-013025 · Read at SKS ↗
Added by RunoVerse: the English translations, the song types, the verse numbers and the links.