Chapter I: Front Matter

HEROES OF THE OLDEN TIME

THE SAMPO
A WONDER TALE OF THE OLD NORTH

BY
JAMES BALDWIN
Illustrated by N. C. Wyeth

NEW YORK
CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS
1917

PROEM

This is a tale which the runolainen of the far North used to sing in hovel and hall, and which the heroes of primeval times learned by heart and taught to their children. In its original form it was related, not in plain, unvarnished prose, as you shall find it here, but in endless monotonous measures, tuned to the music of the kantele. [A] It was made up of numerous stories, songs, folk-melodies, and incantations, with which were interwoven many independent episodes that are neither interesting nor necessary to its completeness. The weaver of tales, who now relates these adventures to modern readers, has chosen to deviate widely from the methods of the ancient story-tellers. He has combined various parts, as pleased his fancy, into one complete harmonious fabric, and, while he has retained much of the original warp and woof, he has added various and many colorings and connecting threads of his own invention. In doing this he has merely exercised the time-honored right of poets and story-tellers—the right to make new cloth out of old.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I MISTRESS AND MINSTREL 1
II THE MAID OF BEAUTY 14
III THE GRAYBEARD AND HIS SON 21
IV THE WICKED HORNET 32
V THE TREE OF MAGIC 43
VI THE SMITHY 49
VII THE TEMPEST 59
VIII THE RECIPE 66
IX THE CALDRON 73
X THE FORGING OF THE SAMPO 86
XI THE HOMESICK HERO 97
XII THE UNFINISHED BOAT 109
XIII THE LAND OF TUONELA 125
XIV THE HAG OF THE ROCK 137
XV THE HERO’S RETURN 145
XVI THE WISDOM KEEPER 151
XVII THE LAUNCHING 162
XVIII THE MAID OF THE MORNING 168
XIX THE UNEXPECTED JOURNEY 178
XX THE FRIENDLY RIVALS 190
XXI THE BARKING DOGS 196
XXII THE OLD MAN’S WOOING 207
XXIII THE FIELD OF SERPENTS 214
XXIV THE GREAT PIKE 225
XXV THE BRIDEGROOM’S TRIUMPH 235
XXVI THE WEDDING FEAST 242
XXVII THE HOME COMING 253
XXVIII THE SLAVE BOY 257
XXIX A DREADFUL VENGEANCE 271
XXX THE GOLDEN MAIDEN 278
XXXI THE FAMINE 292
XXXII THE WEEPING SHIP 298
XXXIII THE KANTELE 311
XXXIV THE TRIUMPH OF MUSIC 320
XXXV THE FLIGHT 332
XXXVI THE PURSUIT 346
XXXVII THE FATE OF THE SAMPO 353

ILLUSTRATIONS

The Golden Maiden Frontispiece

The flames died suddenly away, and out of the
vessel there sprang a wonderful image—the image
of a beautiful maiden.

FACING PAGE

The Magician and the Maid of Beauty 16

High in the sky he saw a rainbow, and on it the
Maid of Beauty.

The Hag of the Rock 138

An old, old woman, gray-eyed, hook-nosed, wrinkled,
was sitting on the rock and busily spinning.

The Slave Boy 262

Then, at length, when all were peacefully feeding,
he sat down upon a grassy hummock and looked around
him, sad, lonely, vindictive.

THE SAMPO