Ihalempi

 A translation of Ihalempi

There was a girl in Päivölä,
Ihalempi, mother’s maiden,
a strawberry of blessed lands,
a fruit of Lord’s groves;
she went to herd cattle in the summer,
never came back.

Her brother set out. –
Devils lit will-o’-the-wisps. –
“Where have you fallen, wretched sister?” –
The boy was laid as a duckboard in the swamp.

Her father went to find her. –
Devils lit will-o’-the-wisps. –
“Where did you go, stupid girl?” –
The father was taken to the houses of Death.

Her mother went to seek her. –
Devils lit will-o’-the-wisps. –
“Where is my dearest?” –
The mother was taken to the houses of heaven.

She brought the news to Ukko:
“The poor girl was lost on the road.”

God went to find her. –
Devils lit will-o’-the-wisps. –
“Where are you walking, Lord’s dearest?” –
All the will-o’-the-wisps went out.

The maiden, mother’s berry, sat
on a shaking quagmire;
the known God asked her:
“Why are you blushing?”

She, the finest of deep woods, replied:
“A cloud was drifting in the sky,
the sun painted it red;
that made me blush.”

The heavenly Father said:
“Why are you teary-eyed?”

She, the gentle one abducted by the forest, spoke:
“Dew fell on the meadow,
glow-worms were shining,
that brought tears in my eyes.”

The Judge of hearts examined her:
“What is the burning in your chest?”

She, the timid one of the wilderness, spoke thus:
“A golden star fell
in a spring and water splashed;
that made my heart tremble.”

The good God now declared:
“If a cloud was drifting,
then you are a maiden of clouds,
if dew has fallen,
then you are a blessed maiden,
if a star has fallen,
then you shall give birth to a star,
a warlike hero,
a great man, sword-loving.”

So He spoke, and raised the one He rescued
to the highest place,
on the highest cloud.

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