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This annoyed Maie, but nevertheless she rowed out to sea on Sunday night and sang as before: Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, A thousand cows are in thy herd, I pray thee give three unto me. The following morning, instead of one, three cows stood on the island, and they all ate seaweed and fended for themselves like the first one.
He found them still there, but as he approached he heard the rigging wailing in the wind, and saying: 'Must we lie here for ever and rot, since Ahti has sworn not to go to war for sixty long years?
Maie loaded her boat with stones and went out to sea. The fiddler was with her, and fiddled so finely that Ahti and Wellamos and all the sea's daughters rose to the surface of the water to listen to the music. 'What is that shining so brightly in the waves? asked Maie. 'That is sea foam glinting in the sunshine, answered the fiddler. 'Throw out the stones, said Maie.
This annoyed Maie, but nevertheless she rowed out to sea on Sunday night and sang as before: Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, A thousand cows are in thy herd, I pray thee give three unto me. The following morning, instead of one, three cows stood on the island, and they all ate seaweed and fended for themselves like the first one.
When they reached the deepest part of the water, she began to hum the words of the magic rhyme, altering the words to suit the longing of her heart: Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, Finest treasures have I heard, And glittering fish belong to thee.
Maie had never uttered a word, but thought the more. She had good ears, and had laid to heart the story about Ahti. 'How delightful, thought she to herself, 'to possess a fairy cow! How delicious every morning and evening to draw milk from it, and yet have no trouble about the feeding, and to keep a shelf near the window for dishes of milk and junkets! But this will never be my luck.
Then Lemminkainen said to his host: 'Although thou hast the longer sword, yet thou shalt begin the fight. After this they placed themselves in position, and the host of Pohjola began. But so powerful was Lemminkainen's magic that he only hit the walls and floor and rafters, but could not touch Ahti himself.
From this time on Ahti was treated as an honoured guest, and spent his time most delightfully. In every village on the island were seven castles, and in each castle were seven daughters, and all of these made Lemminkainen welcome as he went from one to another according to his fancy.
Then Lemminkainen sat down and began to weep; but it was not for the loss of his home and all his riches that he wept but for his beloved mother. As he sat there he caught sight of an eagle flying in the air above, and Ahti asked him if he knew what had happened to his mother. But the eagle could only tell him that his people had all perished long go.
'Oh, only the words of an old rhyme that keeps running in my head, answered the old woman; and she raised her voice and went on: Oh, Ahti, with the long, long beard, Who dwellest in the deep blue sea, A thousand cows are in thy herd, I pray thee give one unto me. 'That's a stupid sort of song, said Matte. 'What else should one beg of the sea-king but fish? But such songs are not for Sunday.
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