--- title: The Launching — The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North · full text with trees description: The Launching, «The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North» by James Baldwin: the whole chapter, every sentence with its dependency tree and pragmatics. It begins: All night long the Minstrel lay open-eyed upon his bed, sleepless and alert. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/18/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [tales](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/) / [The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old No…](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/) / The Launching # The Launching The Launching of «The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North» by James Baldwin: the whole text, 51 sentences and 1079 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. All night long the Minstrel lay open-eyed upon his bed, sleepless and alert.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") He called to mind all the wisdom words that he had learned from great Wipunen; he repeated them softly, one by one, and his heart swelled with pride when he thought of the power he had gained by listening to the song of wisdom.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") Then he thought of his neglected boat, lying high upon the shore and waiting for the finishing touches which he was now prepared to give.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") And when he remembered his object in building it he chuckled to himself, feeling that finally there was nothing to prevent the carrying out of the plans which he had cherished so long and so earnestly.[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Yes! he would finish the magic vessel, and he would sail forthwith to the Frozen Land and win the Maid of Beauty for his queen\![5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Very early in the morning he arose.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") The swallows under the eaves had not yet begun to twitter at the approach of day.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The cuckoo was silent in her nest, and the cattle were slumbering in their paddock.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") Scarcely was there a tinge of yellow in the eastern sky—the day was so young.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The Minstrel rose quietly and stole out of the house very cautiously—so cautiously that the dogs who were sleeping by the doorway were not aroused.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") Hastily he made his way to the seashore, the day growing brighter with every step.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Impatiently he ran to the secret spot where his magic boat was lying.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") “O little ship, so stanch, so strong!” he cried.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") “You shall no longer lie there unfinished and useless.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon you shall float on the waves, the South Wind will caress you, the deep sea will welcome you.”[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") He walked slowly around the little vessel, looking at it lovingly from every side.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Three times he walked around it, three times he drew a magic circle about it.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, slowly and in commanding tones, he uttered the three words of power which he had learned at so great cost of time and trouble.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") Three times he pronounced them, and immediately the three holes were bored, the three bolts were fitted therein, and the three last planks were fastened in their proper places: the hull was finished, the boat was water-tight and seaworthy.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") The Minstrel looked at his finished work and was pleased—but he was not yet satisfied.[20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") The hull was bare and unadorned, the copper prow was rough and unshapely, the deck was uneven and uninviting.[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") The boat as a whole was not beautiful.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") “O little ship,” he said, “wherefore are you so crude, so rough, so ill-finished?[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Do you think that I know only three words of magic?[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") I know a hundred—yes, I have a thousand which I caught as they fell from the tongue of Wipunen, the mighty master.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") You shall hear some of them and profit by them.”[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") Thereupon he began to sing one of the strange, weird, wonderful songs that he had learned from the Wisdom Keeper; and as he sang, strange changes came over the magic vessel.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") First, the prow was overlaid with sunbright gold and its forward part was beautifully carved and shaped into the form of a swan with outspread wings.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Then the deck was covered with plates of shining silver ornamented with figures of birds and beasts and little fishes.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") Finally, the broad, well-shaped hull and the gunwales, fore and aft, were painted in bright colors—blue and yellow and scarlet—and the slender mast was coated with snow-white enamel.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") And now, like a queen clad in her gorgeous robes, the little vessel sat upon the sandy beach and smiled at the morning sun and the rippling waves of the sea.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") She looked so beautiful, so grand, that the Minstrel clapped his hands and shouted for excess of joy, and the songs and words of the mighty Wipunen fell faster and louder from his lips.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") Very earnestly did the Minstrel sing, and gradually his tones became sweeter and lower and more persuasive, like the murmuring of the waters on a peaceful summer morning.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") The song was of the sea, it seemed to come from the sea.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") It was as if the waves were calling gently, ever so gently, to the little vessel waiting on the shore:[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") “Come, come, O magic boat, Come, and on the billows float\![36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Come to the wrinkled sea and glide With swiftness o’er its rolling tide.”[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Soon there was a sound of creaking, rumbling, scraping—a sound not loud, but distinct and growing stronger.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, gracefully and with dignity, like a princess on her wedding day, the little ship glided across the shelving beach and in another moment was floating lightly, smoothly, nobly upon the water.[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") The Minstrel, still singing and still reciting his magic spells, had already climbed upon the deck.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") He now lifted the mast in its place; he hoisted the sails—one red and one blue—and spread them to the winds.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") Gracefully and proudly, like a great swan on some quiet lake, the little vessel glided away from the shore and was soon moving swiftly along the borders of the boundless sea.[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") Wainamoinen sat down at the stern, and with his long oar guided her northward, never losing sight of the land, never going far from the shore.[43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") As the magic boat speeded onward, cutting the waves with its gilded prow and dashing the white spray to left and right, the Minstrel’s heart glowed with joy and pride.[44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") He lifted up his voice and sang a prayerful song to the mighty powers into whose keeping he had ventured to intrust himself.[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") “O great Jumala let thy arm Protect this little ship from harm; Make its weak captain brave and strong, And listen to his humble song.[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") “Sweet South Wind, whispering soft and low, Come fill these sails and gently blow— Breathe mildly while the storm winds sleep, And waft us swiftly o’er the deep.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") “O restless Waves, be kind, I pray To this small craft while on its way; Drive it along with gentle force, Let nothing swerve it from its course.”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus did the Minstrel sing as he sat at the boat’s stern and guided it along its watery path.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") The sea was calm; the waves were sleeping; the winds breathed very softly on the sails of red and blue.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") The fairy vessel glided onward, steadily, proudly, towards its goal in the distant North.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") - ← previous: [The Wisdom Keeper](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/17/) - next →: [The Maid of the Morning](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/19/) - ↑ back to [The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/)