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He rules over all fish and animals of the deep; he has the finest cows and the swiftest horses that ever chewed grass at the bottom of the ocean. He who stands well with Ahti is soon a rich man, but one must beware in dealing with him, for he is very changeful and touchy.
'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 onto 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.
We had stormy weather during the night, and when it was past I did not wish to waken you, so rowed out alone to rescue the net. 'But I've seen Ahti, rejoined Maie. 'You've been lying in bed, dreaming foolish fancies, mother, and then in your sleep you walked into the water. 'But there is the fiddle, said Maie. 'A fine fiddle! It is only an old stick.
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.
He began to follow it eagerly, over hill and valley until he reached the gloomy forest. There it led him to a hidden glade, right in the middle of the island, and there he found a humble cabin, and his gray-haired mother weeping in it. Ahti cried aloud for joy at the sight of her, and then he told her how he had mourned her as dead.
Lemminkainen again allowed the host to begin, and the latter struck three mighty blows, but still could not harm Ahti. Then the battle began in real earnest, and the sparks flew from their swords until it seemed as if there were a sheet of flame flowing from Lemminkainen's sword and down upon the head and shoulders of his opponent.
Long, long ago a son was born to Lempo, and he was named Lemminkainen, but some call him Ahti. He grew up amongst the islands and fed upon the salmon until he became a mighty man, handsome to look at and skilled in magic. But he was not as good as he was handsome he had a wicked heart, and was more famous for his dancing than for great deeds.
Then they offered him a place as a shepherd on the mountains. So Ahti became a shepherd, and spent all the days on the hills, but in the evenings he went to their dances, and when he had shown them what a skilful dancer he was, he soon became a great favourite with all the women, and they began to praise him instead of laughing at him.
'Whence comes this gust of wind? said Maie; and as she spoke the sea opened and swallowed up the steamer. Maie sank to the bottom like a stone, but, stretching out her arms and legs, she rose to the surface, where she found the fiddler's fiddle, and used it as a float. At the same moment she saw close beside her the terrible head of Ahti, and he had only half a beard!
But Kyllikki wept and begged Lemminkainen to give her back her freedom, saying, 'Oh, give me back my freedom, cruel Lemminkainen; let me return on foot to my grieving father and mother. If thou wilt not let me go, O Ahti, I will curse thee and will call upon my seven valiant brothers to pursue and kill thee.
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