--- title: The Fate of the Sampo — The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North · full text with trees description: The Fate of the Sampo, «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: Like a cruel eagle in pursuit of a young falcon the mighty warship of Pohyola sped onward, relentless, pitiless, triumphant. --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/) [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 Fate of the Sampo # The Fate of the Sampo The Fate of the Sampo of «The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North» by James Baldwin: the whole text, 163 sentences and 3398 words. The small number after every sentence leads to its own page with its syntax tree and pragmatics, parsed by Mova itself. **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/page/2/) Like a cruel eagle in pursuit of a young falcon the mighty warship of Pohyola sped onward, relentless, pitiless, triumphant.[1](1/ "tree and pragmatics") At every sweep of the hundred oars she seemed to leap from the waves, to spring forward like a wild beast pouncing upon its prey.[2](2/ "tree and pragmatics") The swordsmen shouted, the spearsmen poised their weapons, they waited only for Dame Louhi’s command.[3](3/ "tree and pragmatics") “In another moment!” she shouted; “but have a care not to harm the Sampo.”[4](4/ "tree and pragmatics") Then suddenly a wonderful thing took place.[5](5/ "tree and pragmatics") Right in the ship’s pathway a huge iceberg rose dripping from the sea, a mighty, impassable barrier blocking the way like a massive wall of iron.[6](6/ "tree and pragmatics") High above the masthead of the speeding vessel, the white cliff towered—it towered even to the clouds and the blue sky beyond.[7](7/ "tree and pragmatics") The magic spell of the Minstrel’s small bit of tinder had done its work.[8](8/ "tree and pragmatics") In an instant there was a dreadful crash, a sound of breaking timbers, of grinding ice, of shouts and groans and despairing cries.[9](9/ "tree and pragmatics") The warship was wedged firmly in a rift of the great ice cliff.[10](10/ "tree and pragmatics") The mast was broken short off and fell splashing into the sea.[11](11/ "tree and pragmatics") Every rib of the strong vessel was shattered, the rowlocks were broken, the oars were lost in the turbulent waves, the deck boards were loosened and carried away.[12](12/ "tree and pragmatics") Then it was that the Mistress, the mighty Wise Woman of the North, showed her great power.[13](13/ "tree and pragmatics") With one foot in the sea and the other firmly placed in the rift of the icy barrier, she quickly changed her form into that of a monstrous gyrfalcon, the fiercest, the most untiring of birds of prey.[14](14/ "tree and pragmatics") Of the sides of the ship she formed herself wings, wide-spreading and powerful.[15](15/ "tree and pragmatics") Of the long rudder she fashioned a tail, flat and broad, with quill-like feathers overlapping each other as do the boards on the roof of a house.[16](16/ "tree and pragmatics") Of the ship’s dragon-headed prow she made herself a beak of copper, sharp, relentless, cruel.[17](17/ "tree and pragmatics") Of the two massive war shields that hung at the ship’s bows she made herself a pair of round eyes, keen as the eyes of a panther, restless, untiring.[18](18/ "tree and pragmatics") And lastly, of ten sharp scythes in the ship’s hold she formed talons for herself, fierce, curved fingers, ending in needle-like claws, with which to fight her battles.[19](19/ "tree and pragmatics") With a voice like that of a tempest she screamed to her warriors who were clinging to the remains of the wreck: “Make yourselves very small\![20](20/ "tree and pragmatics") Make yourselves very small and do as I bid you!”[21](21/ "tree and pragmatics") They obeyed her, and beneath her wings she hid her hundred swordsmen, while upon her tail she placed her thousand spearsmen.[22](22/ "tree and pragmatics") With a screech that thrilled the sea to its very bottom and made the great iceberg tremble and totter, the mighty bird extended her wings and soared aloft.[23](23/ "tree and pragmatics") Up, up, she flew, surmounting the icy barrier that had risen in her path, undismayed, triumphant.[24](24/ "tree and pragmatics") Like a dark stormcloud in the depth of winter, obscuring the sky and overshadowing the earth, she hovered midway between the blue heavens and the boundless sea, eagerly looking for the prey which had wellnigh escaped her.[25](25/ "tree and pragmatics") Meanwhile the heroes, rejoicing because of their deliverance, were rapidly nearing their wished-for haven of safety.[26](26/ "tree and pragmatics") The headland of Wainola and the long, white shore so dear to them rose plain and clear above the horizon; soon their perilous voyage would be ended.[27](27/ "tree and pragmatics") Joy beamed in every countenance and hope cheered every heart.[28](28/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly the sun was obscured and an ink-black shadow fell upon the deck of the red ship—it fell upon the Sampo where it was bound with ropes to the bow beams.[29](29/ "tree and pragmatics") The rowers paused in their rowing and looked up, amazed, confounded.[30](30/ "tree and pragmatics") Even Wainamoinen, so brave, so steadfast, turned pale as he gazed aloft and saw the peril that menaced them.[31](31/ "tree and pragmatics") The next moment the fierce gyrfalcon, the transformed Louhi, swooped down and perched herself upon the splintered mast.[32](32/ "tree and pragmatics") With one horrid foot she grasped the sail-yard, while with the other she reached down and sought to seize the Sampo.[33](33/ "tree and pragmatics") Surely then did the hero Minstrel feel that his doom was at hand.[34](34/ "tree and pragmatics") He let go of the long oar, the rudder with which he had steered the vessel, and as it fell splashing into the sea, he lifted his eyes and prayed:[35](35/ "tree and pragmatics") “O Jumala, good and kind, help me in this my time of peril.[36](36/ "tree and pragmatics") Cast a robe of fire round me.[37](37/ "tree and pragmatics") Shield my head, my arms, my body, and let no stroke of weapon harm me.[38](38/ "tree and pragmatics") Help us all with strength and wisdom.”[39](39/ "tree and pragmatics") With a hasty effort he drew his enchanted sword, the sword, Faultless, the last piece of workmanship wrought in Ilmarinen’s smithy.[40](40/ "tree and pragmatics") He raised it to strike the mighty bird upon the sail-yard.[41](41/ "tree and pragmatics") But first he spoke to her, humbly, pleadingly, as an earnest peace-maker:[42](42/ "tree and pragmatics") “Hail! hail\![43](43/ "tree and pragmatics") O Mistress of Pohyola\![44](44/ "tree and pragmatics") Will you not now divide the Sampo with me, each taking half of the precious treasure?[45](45/ "tree and pragmatics") Much better it will be for us to share it like friends than to fight for it and then lose it.”[46](46/ "tree and pragmatics") Fearfully screamed the fierce gyrfalcon, the transformed Wise Woman, as she answered, “No, I will not divide the Sampo with you.[47](47/ "tree and pragmatics") The mill of plenty is mine, and no part of it will I share with strangers and robbers.”[48](48/ "tree and pragmatics") Having said this she gaped horribly with her beak of copper, and again reached far out with her sharpened talons, trying to grasp the coveted Sampo.[49](49/ "tree and pragmatics") Failing in this, she screamed a second time, and from her wings the swordsmen leaped down.[50](50/ "tree and pragmatics") She screamed again and a host of spearsmen dropped upon the red ship’s deck.[51](51/ "tree and pragmatics") Dreadful was the confusion that followed, and sad would have been the fate of the heroes had not Wainamoinen, with unheard-of swiftness, let fall his sword of magic.[52](52/ "tree and pragmatics") He struck with all his might the extended talons, the crooked fingers, the horrid feet of the relentless gyrfalcon.[53](53/ "tree and pragmatics") The sharp edge of the weapon fell squarely upon the scythe-like, grasping claws; it sheared them off close by the ankle joints; it shattered them every one, save only the smallest, the crookedest, the indescribable little finger of Dame Louhi.[54](54/ "tree and pragmatics") Loudly, most horribly did she shriek, not more from pain than from intensest anger and despair.[55](55/ "tree and pragmatics") And now on the fated red ship of the heroes an awful struggle began—a struggle the bloodiest and the woefullest that sea or sky ever looked upon or minstrel’s song ever painted in words.[56](56/ "tree and pragmatics") Swords flashed, spears crashed, men shouted.[57](57/ "tree and pragmatics") The screams of frightened maidens, the moans of the wounded and the dying, the victorious cries of the warriors, and the despairing lamentations of the heroes—all these sounds were mingled in one awful chorus.[58](58/ "tree and pragmatics") But above every other sound the hoarse cries of the dauntless Mistress were heard, making the earth shudder and causing the deep sea to quake.[59](59/ "tree and pragmatics") One by one the heroes fell; and by fives and tens the low-browed warriors of Pohyola were thrust overboard to perish in the waves.[60](60/ "tree and pragmatics") Towering above both friends and foes, mighty in strength and endurance, the master Smith moved to and fro performing many deeds of courage.[61](61/ "tree and pragmatics") But the weavers of his fate had decided against him; it was not for him to prevail.[62](62/ "tree and pragmatics") Covered with wounds, the blood flowing from his arms, his head, his heart, he felt his end approaching.[63](63/ "tree and pragmatics") “O thou who wert once the Maid of Beauty!” he cried, looking upward.[64](64/ "tree and pragmatics") “O thou matchless one among women\![65](65/ "tree and pragmatics") I see thee in the mist-filled air, I hear thy voice calling from the rainbow arch.[66](66/ "tree and pragmatics") I come\![67](67/ "tree and pragmatics") I come\![68](68/ "tree and pragmatics") I come to meet thee!”[69](69/ "tree and pragmatics") Overwhelmed in the fight, his arms unnerved, his strength departed, he fell toppling into the sea.[70](70/ "tree and pragmatics") As a giant pine, when rent by the storm, falls crashing from the mountain top and is swallowed in the bottomless gorge below, so fell the hero.[71](71/ "tree and pragmatics") The pitying waves closed over him; he was with his loved ones in the halls of rest.[72](72/ "tree and pragmatics") Bravely, too, did the ever-ready Ahti struggle to defend the Sampo, wielding his long arms valorously, until his strength failing he also was hurled into the hungry deep.[73](73/ "tree and pragmatics") And Wainamoinen, immovable as the lofty headland of his own sweet country, stood steadfast at his post, directing and cheering his comrades and overwhelming with terror the foes who dared approach him.[74](74/ "tree and pragmatics") Suddenly, in the midst of the mêlée, the mighty bird of prey, even the transformed Mistress of Pohyola, leaped down from her lofty perch, and sweeping across the vessel’s bows sought to carry away the Sampo.[75](75/ "tree and pragmatics") With her maimed and useless feet she struck it, and with her one crooked, indescribable finger she grasped it.[76](76/ "tree and pragmatics") But the ropes with which the heroes had bound it confused her—she could not break them.[77](77/ "tree and pragmatics") She therefore seized the pictured cover with her monstrous beak, she pulled it from its place, and, twisting it until it broke into three jagged pieces, she cast it into the sea.[78](78/ "tree and pragmatics") Angry and despairing, she flapped her rude wings against the sides of the mill, smashing the wheels and levers and breaking the wonderful framework into a thousand pieces.[79](79/ "tree and pragmatics") Dismayed by the ruin she had caused, the fierce gyrfalcon, the determined Wise One, ceased her destroying work and looked around her.[80](80/ "tree and pragmatics") Slowly, as in pain, she spread her wings and rose from the crimson deck all strewn with fragments; but, as she leaped high into the air, she seized with her one indescribable finger a single small, three-cornered piece of the precious Sampo; with the strength of despair she clutched it within her crooked claw.[81](81/ "tree and pragmatics") “Alas! this is all that I can recover for my poor country, my ruined people!” she screamed.[82](82/ "tree and pragmatics") “O my Pohyola\![83](83/ "tree and pragmatics") O my dear land, once so prosperous\![84](84/ "tree and pragmatics") May Jumala give me strength to carry this small, precious gift to you!”[85](85/ "tree and pragmatics") Feebly, she soared upward, she turned her flaming eyes toward Pohyola, and with laboring wings made her way slowly across the sea.[86](86/ "tree and pragmatics") By now the red ship had floated far, and the few remaining heroes shouted as, looking upward, they saw the friendly headland looming right above them.[87](87/ "tree and pragmatics") The next moment the vessel’s keel was grating upon the sand; its long prow was jutting quite over the safe, inviting beach.[88](88/ "tree and pragmatics") The fighting had ceased with the breaking of the Sampo.[89](89/ "tree and pragmatics") With the flight of the baffled Mistress all animosity was ended.[90](90/ "tree and pragmatics") **1** [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/page/2/) - ← previous: [The Pursuit](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/37/) - next →: [page 2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/page/2/) - ↑ back to [The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/)