Varis tanssi vaaputteli
In the SKVR edition: [Tyrön tienoo]. D. E. D. Europaeus. III 2. 32. 1853.
SKVR textEnglish
1Varis tanssi vaaputteliThe crow danced flappingly
2Kuin paras papin emäntä.Like the best priest's wife
3Jos mie laulaja olisinIf I were a singer
4Tahi viisas virren seppä,Or wise hymn-forger
5Laulaisin meroille metsän,I'd sing forest to seas
6Järvelle komian korven,To lake, fair woodland
7Korpehen mätästä 3,To moor's hummock
8Kolmin linnoin mättähissä.With three forts on knolls
9Yx ol linna nuoren neion,One was maiden's fort
10Toin oli nuoren morsiamen,Second, young bride's
113:ns linna leskivaimon.Third, widow woman's
12Mikä linna neion linna,Which fort? Maiden's fort
13Sepä kullin kuumotteli;It glowed with gold
14Mikä nuoren morsiamen,Which young bride's
15Sepä huohteli hopehin;It gleamed silver
16Mikä linna leskivaimon,Which widow's fort
17Se ol vaskesta valettu,*It was cast from copper*
18(Se on kaaroilla katettu).(Thatched with birch-bark)
19Liiku leski linnoissaisi,Move, widow, in your forts
20Astu leski aitoissasi:Step, widow, in your yards
21Sota päällesi tulee,War comes upon you
22Laellesi lankiaa,On your hearth, a trampler
23Katollesi karkajaa.On your roof, a fugitive
24Leskivaimo vastaeli:The widow answered:
25"En oo leski enkä leino,"I'm no widow nor mourner
26Enkä oo varatoin vaimoNor resourceless woman
27Enkä turvaton tutilas,Nor defenseless wretch
28On miulla pojutta 3:I have sons
29Yx on Ruotsissa rovasti,One's priest in Sweden
30Toin on piispa pappilassa,Second bishop at rectory
313:ns herra näillä mailla."Third lord on these lands"
32Surma kuunteli kujassa,Demise listened in lane
33Katseli katoksen alla,Watched under eaves
34Kuuli surma tuon sanaisen,Heard that speech
35Tappo Ruotsista rovastin,Killed priest from Sweden
36Tappo piispan pappilasta,Killed bishop from rectory
37Tappo herran näiltä mailta.Killed lord from these lands
38"Jo oot leski, jo oot leino","Now you're widow, now mourner"
- - -
40Leski vaimo vastaeli:Widow woman answered:
41"En oo leski, en oo leino,"I'm no widow, no mourner
- - -
43On miull kirstu killinkiä,I have chest of coins
44Vakka vanhoja rahoja."Bushels of old money"
45Varas kuunteli kujassa,Thief listened in lane
46Seiso seinän vieruksilla,Stood by wall's edge
47Katseli katoksen alla.Watched under eaves
48Vei hän kirstun killinkiä,Took chest of coins
49Vakan vanhoja rahoja.Bushels of old money
- - -
51"Jo oon leski, jo oon leino,"Now I'm widow, now mourner
52Jo olen varatoin vaimo,Now resourceless woman
53Sota päälleni tulee,War comes upon me
54Laelleni lankiaa."On my hearth, a trampler"
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.
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-012150 · Read at SKS ↗
Added by RunoVerse: the English translations, the song types, the verse numbers and the links.