--- title: The Flight — The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North · full text with trees · page 2 description: The Flight, «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: Quietly, very quietly, the Minstrel rose and looked around upon the sleepers. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/36/page/2/) [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 Flight # The Flight · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/36/) **2** “Well, then,” answered the long-armed, thoughtless one, “I, at least, feel like rejoicing this very hour.[79](../../79/ "tree and pragmatics") If no one else will sing, I will.[80](../../80/ "tree and pragmatics") I will give you a song of my own composing.”[81](../../81/ "tree and pragmatics") He stood in the stern beside the Minstrel.[82](../../82/ "tree and pragmatics") He turned his face toward the prow and pursed up his mouth to sing.[83](../../83/ "tree and pragmatics") His voice was hoarse, his tones were discordant, there was no music in his song.[84](../../84/ "tree and pragmatics") He opened his mouth till his beard wagged and his long chin trembled.[85](../../85/ "tree and pragmatics") He waved his arms and shouted—he shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far across the water.[86](../../86/ "tree and pragmatics") In many villages it was heard, alarming all the people and filling their hearts with terror.[87](../../87/ "tree and pragmatics") By the long white shore a blue crane was wading, looking down to count his toes in the clear sea-water.[88](../../88/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly he heard the noise of Ahti’s singing—a noise most strange, most unlike any other that had ever broken the silence of the sea.[89](../../89/ "tree and pragmatics") The crane, alarmed, spread his wings and leaped upward.[90](../../90/ "tree and pragmatics") He screamed in terror and flew rapidly up, up to the sheltering sky.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") He flew rapidly and paused not till he had reached the distant shores of Pohyola.[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") There below him he saw the fields and the meadows and the old familiar places where he and his mate had oftentimes nested and reared their young.[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Then, to his great wonder, he saw all the people lying asleep on the ground and the mighty Mistress slumbering in their midst, her eyelids pinned together with magic needles.[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") This sight gave new alarm to the blue crane.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") His terror was too great to be described.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") He screamed, not once only, but ten times, loudly, harshly, terrifically.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") The noise awoke Dame Louhi the Mistress; it awoke all her slumbering people.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") They shook the sleep-needles from their eyes and looked around, dazed, bewildered, wondering what had happened to them.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") The armed men formed themselves in battle array, waiting for commands; the old men and the married women hastened to their homes, ashamed of their weakness; the children, too, sought their own firesides, for night was approaching.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") Up rose Dame Louhi, angry and apprehensive.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") She saw that the Minstrel and his heroes had disappeared, and anxious forebodings filled her heart.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") She ran to her treasure-room; her chests of gold and silver had not been disturbed.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") She hastened to the barnyard; all her favorite cattle were there, not one was missing.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") She looked into the barns; they had not been plundered, not an ear of corn had been taken.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") “But the Sampo, the Sampo!” she cried.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") “It was the Sampo that the robbers demanded.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") Have they carried it away?”[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") Then came an old serving-man with trembling limbs and with tears in his eyes, who knelt in the dust before her and begged her mercy.[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") “Yes,” he said, “they have carried away the Sampo and its pictured lid.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") While we were all drowned in slumber they broke into the cavern beneath the copper mountain, they drew back the bolts and opened the mighty doors.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") Then they lifted the Sampo from its place and bore it away, but whither I cannot tell.”[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") “They must have carried it to their red-prowed ship,” said another old man, “for the haven where it was moored is empty and no crimson sail is anywhere in sight.”[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") Dame Louhi, grim and old and haggard, fell into the greatest fury.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") She stormed, she screamed, she wept, she prayed.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") “O Maiden of the Air,” she cried, “O queen and ruler of the mists and stormclouds\![116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") Send me help I pray thee.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") Cover the sea with dense fogs and clouds of vapor.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") Send down the winds and let the tempest rage round those wicked robbers.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") O Maiden, sink them all beneath the billows, but save the Sampo.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") Let it not fall into the raging sea, but hold it in thy large hands and bring it safe back to Pohyola’s lovely shore.”[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") The Maiden of the Air heard her and was pleased with her prayer.[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") She called to her servants, the mists, the clouds, and the winds, to wreak vengeance upon the heroes, to drive their ship far out of its course and sink it in the bottomless sea.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") Forthwith thick clouds obscured the sky and dense fogs covered the waters like a cloak of darkness.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") The winds rose in fury and a mighty storm swept down from above.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") All the winds, save the North Wind alone, assailed the heroes’ gallant vessel.[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") The mast was splintered just above the sail-yard, the red sail itself was blown away, the rudder was unmanageable, all the oars were made useless, so terrible were the winds and the tossing waves.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") Like a withered leaf of autumn the ship was driven hither and thither through the mists and fearful darkness.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") The young men hid their faces, and the golden-haired maidens cowered beneath the benches.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") The nimble Ahti, cause of all this trouble, lay prone upon the deck speechless with fright.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") Even the hero Ilmarinen crouched himself down in the narrow hold and bewailed their great misfortune.[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") “Never before have I seen such a storm as this,” he moaned.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") “My hair is soaked with salt-water and my beard trembles with the shaking of the ship.[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") My very heart thumps wildly as I hear the noise of the mighty tempest.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") O winds, have pity\![135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") O waves, deal gently with us all!”[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") The Minstrel, alone of all on board, stood up fearless and calm and steadfast as though no danger threatened.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") “This is no place for weeping,” he said.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") “You cannot save yourselves by howling.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") Groaning will not preserve you from evil, nor will grunting dispel misfortune.”[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") He raised his hands high above his head and called upon all the powers of air and sky and sea to befriend the heroes in their dire distress.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") “O sea, so vast, so grand, remember that we are small and weak, and deal gently with us\![142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") O waves, do not play too roughly with us, do not fill our ship with water, do not break her ribs or hull beams.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") O winds, rise up higher and play with the clouds in heaven.[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") Drive away the mists that blind us, but blow gently upon our crimson vessel, and waft, oh! waft it safely southward to the shores of Hero Land.”[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") And the lively Ahti, still sprawling prone upon the high deck, lifted up his voice also and prayed to his god, the great bird of the mountains:[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") “O thou mighty eagle, come down from thy eyry on the heaven-high cliffs, and help us.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") Bring with thee a magic feather—yes, two or three—that they may put a charm upon this ship and protect it from disaster.”[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") But still the storm raged; the waves dashed furiously against the vessel; the winds howled and fought and gave no heed to Wainamoinen’s prayer; the fog still hung darkly upon the waters or drifted in mist-like clouds before the wind; the eagle of Ahti screamed in vain.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus all day the red ship drifted helpless upon the raging sea; for two long days the tempest prevailed and the heroes were in despair.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") But on the third day the Minstrel’s prayer was answered.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") The storm ceased, the fog was lifted, and the sun shone out, bright and clear in the midst of the sky.[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") The heroes sprang up and shouted for joy; they had forgotten their fears.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") “To your oars, my brave men, to your oars!” shouted Ilmarinen, and every man bent willingly to his task.[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") The maidens also regained their courage.[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") The color returned to their cheeks; their eyes, so long tear-wet, now sparkled with joy; with songs of gladness they woke the echoes of the sea, and cheered the laboring oarsmen.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") “It is well to rejoice and be merry,” said the steadfast Minstrel, “but we are still upon the uncertain sea, we are still far away from our own safe home land.”[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/36/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/36/) - next →: [The Pursuit](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/37/) - ↑ back to [The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/)