--- title: The Fate of the Sampo — The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old North · full text with trees · page 2 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/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 Fate of the Sampo # The Fate of the Sampo · page 2 [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/) **2** Like one awaking from a swoon, the Minstrel looked around him.[91](../../91/ "tree and pragmatics") Where were the heroes who had survived the great struggle?[92](../../92/ "tree and pragmatics") Where were the frightened maidens?[93](../../93/ "tree and pragmatics") Where were the Pohyolan warriors whom the sea had not claimed?[94](../../94/ "tree and pragmatics") Not one remained; all had leaped ashore and fled.[95](../../95/ "tree and pragmatics") The Minstrel stood alone on the red, disordered deck.[96](../../96/ "tree and pragmatics") The fragments of the Sampo had been scattered in many places.[97](../../97/ "tree and pragmatics") Some of the wheels had rolled into the sea; they had sunk to the bottom, there to be covered with tangled weeds and the slimy ooze of the unseen depths.[98](../../98/ "tree and pragmatics") The levers and the lighter parts of the framework were still floating upon the water, tossed hither and thither by the waves and the wind.[99](../../99/ "tree and pragmatics") The fragments of the pictured cover had already been carried far away, were sailing like little ships across the vast expanse of the sea.[100](../../100/ "tree and pragmatics") “Alas, alas! that the grandest treasure in the world should thus be scattered and lost!” cried the Minstrel.[101](../../101/ "tree and pragmatics") He leaped quickly overboard into the shallow water and with anxious haste began to gather up the few remaining pieces that were still floating around the vessel.[102](../../102/ "tree and pragmatics") With much labor and care he picked them up, laying them one by one for safe keeping in the folds of his long cloak.[103](../../103/ "tree and pragmatics") But alas! all these pieces were small, and he searched in vain for any trace of the precious pictured cover.[104](../../104/ "tree and pragmatics") At length, when not another vestige could be found, the Minstrel with tired limbs went up to the misty summit of the headland, carrying the fragments with him.[105](../../105/ "tree and pragmatics") Very old and feeble he was, but steadfast and brave as in former days.[106](../../106/ "tree and pragmatics") He stood alone upon the lofty shore, gazing far out over the illimitable sea.[107](../../107/ "tree and pragmatics") He stood there alone, his head erect, his white beard streaming in the wind, and his hands uplifted toward the heavens.[108](../../108/ "tree and pragmatics") “O Jumala!” he prayed, “O Jumala, thou giver of blessings, grant that these small fragments of the mill of fortune may take root and flourish and in time bring great joy and many comforts to the dear people of this pleasant land.”[109](../../109/ "tree and pragmatics") Then taking the pieces reverently in his hands, he planted them one by one in the ground, covering them deep in the rich soil of Wainola’s headland.[110](../../110/ "tree and pragmatics") And even while he stood there and watched, his prayer was answered.[111](../../111/ "tree and pragmatics") For the small broken fragments of the Sampo took root and grew up quickly, producing great crops of rye and barley, and luscious fruits of all kinds, and other foods in great abundance.[112](../../112/ "tree and pragmatics") Thus were the famishing people fed and made glad, prosperity smiled upon all, and the Land of Heroes again became the land of plenty and of peace.[113](../../113/ "tree and pragmatics") As the Minstrel still stood on the lofty headland and looked into the far distance, his eyes became very bright and his vision wonderfully clear.[114](../../114/ "tree and pragmatics") He saw all the other fragments of the Sampo and its pictured cover, and he watched each one as it was carried east, west, or south and left upon some strange, unheard-of shore.[115](../../115/ "tree and pragmatics") Some of the pieces floated far, far to the summer islands where the sun shines hot every day in the year.[116](../../116/ "tree and pragmatics") And on the shores where they were drifted, wonderful trees sprang up, bearing delicious fruits and gorgeous flowers, such as the people of northern climes had never seen nor dreamed about.[117](../../117/ "tree and pragmatics") The fragments that were carried to the eastern seas spread their influence and took root in many lands.[118](../../118/ "tree and pragmatics") Like the Sampo itself, they poured out wealth in many forms and in endless profusion.[119](../../119/ "tree and pragmatics") And from them sprang numberless beautiful and priceless objects—pearls and precious stones, gold and silver, fine silks, strong castles, and kingly palaces.[120](../../120/ "tree and pragmatics") As for the pictured cover, it was borne far, very far, to the utmost bounds of the western sea.[121](../../121/ "tree and pragmatics") Broken though it was, and battered and torn into strips and fragments, it, too, performed most marvellous things.[122](../../122/ "tree and pragmatics") For in the places wherein it rested and took root, noble men and women sprang up, scholars and statesmen and skilful workers in all kinds of metals, and these were destined to rule the world.[123](../../123/ "tree and pragmatics") The heavier fragments which had sunk beneath the waves and were buried, invisible, in the black ooze and among the tangled seaweed, they also took root and spread out many branches toward every corner of the earth.[124](../../124/ "tree and pragmatics") And from them sprang the wealth of the seas, the joy of all fishermen, the triumph of sailors, white-sailed merchant-ships and mighty vessels of war.[125](../../125/ "tree and pragmatics") And the tiny, rough-cornered piece, which with her last strength the baffled Mistress had carried with her only finger back to her home land—what became of that?[126](../../126/ "tree and pragmatics") Small and without beauty it was, and there was little that it could do; but from it sprang such scant comforts and pleasures as the people of the Frozen Land have enjoyed until this day—warm underground huts, fishes for food, soft furs for clothing, and the reindeer for all kinds of uses.[127](../../127/ "tree and pragmatics") With great wonder and thankfulness Wainamoinen saw these marvellous transformations—these changes by which the Sampo enriched and blessed not only his own land, but many an undiscovered and far-distant shore.[128](../../128/ "tree and pragmatics") His heart throbbed with joy immeasurable, and his fingers began to play on the strings of his kantele.[129](../../129/ "tree and pragmatics") Sweet was the music that he called forth, sweeter than any that mortal man has ever heard since that day; and as he played he sang again the old, old songs of the world’s beginning, the old, old songs with which he had already charmed not only men and women, but all living things.[130](../../130/ "tree and pragmatics") And when he had ceased singing and the sound of the kantele was heard no more, he again raised his hands and called earnestly to the mighty, the invisible Jumala:[131](../../131/ "tree and pragmatics") “O thou great and good Creator, look down and hear our last petition.[132](../../132/ "tree and pragmatics") Grant that we may live in joy and comfort, and when our span of life is ended, let us die in peace and hope, loved by all who know us, and worthy to be honored through the ages.”[133](../../133/ "tree and pragmatics") So, also, prays the weaver of tales, whose story is now ended.[134](../../134/ "tree and pragmatics") NOTES[135](../../135/ "tree and pragmatics") Note A.—A very long time ago, among the ancestors of the people known as Finns, there were professional minstrels called runolainen, whose business it was to preserve the memory of the national songs, folk-lore tales, and old sagas of the race.[136](../../136/ "tree and pragmatics") They went from place to place, among the lowly as well as the great, singing their songs and playing the kantele, a primitive sort of harp from which they drew entrancing music.[137](../../137/ "tree and pragmatics") Through them a vast store of legends, wonder tales, songs, proverbs, tales of magic, etc., survived from generation to generation solely in the memories of the people.[138](../../138/ "tree and pragmatics") It was not until about a century ago that any systematic effort was made to give this legendary lore a permanent form by putting it into writing.[139](../../139/ "tree and pragmatics") The first person to attempt this was the Finnish poet, Zakris Topelius, who put together and published a small volume of traditions and folk tales.[140](../../140/ "tree and pragmatics") An interest in the subject being awakened, Dr. Elias Lönnrot undertook the task of collecting and putting into permanent form all that was best in the legendary literature of his countrymen.[141](../../141/ "tree and pragmatics") Many years were occupied in this work.[142](../../142/ "tree and pragmatics") He travelled to every part of Finland, lived with people of every condition, and listened to their recitals of stories and songs which they had learned from the lips of their ancestors.[143](../../143/ "tree and pragmatics") These he committed to writing, and from them he constructed a single poem which he called “Kalevala.”[144](../../144/ "tree and pragmatics") This poem is remarkable for its great length and its tiresome, monotonous metre—qualities which discourage English readers from attempting its acquaintance.[145](../../145/ "tree and pragmatics") From the folk-lore tales of the runolainen and from portions of this long poem, the present weaver of tales has constructed the story of “The Sampo,” with such variations and connecting links as seemed most necessary to fit it to the tastes and requirements of modern readers.[146](../../146/ "tree and pragmatics") Note B, page 2.—The Frozen Land may have been identical with modern Lapland.[147](../../147/ "tree and pragmatics") In any case, it was situated in the far-distant North and was known in the original tale as Pohyola, or Sariola.[148](../../148/ "tree and pragmatics") Hero Land, or the Land of Heroes (page 6), was the ancient home of the Finns.[149](../../149/ "tree and pragmatics") It was known sometimes as Kalevala, sometimes as Wainola, but of its exact location there is no certain knowledge.[150](../../150/ "tree and pragmatics") Note C, page 10.—“Sampo”—compare this with Aladdin’s lamp, with the philosopher’s stone of the mediæval alchemists, with Solomon’s carpet, etc.[151](../../151/ "tree and pragmatics") Note D, page 32.—This story of the origin of iron is derived from the ninth rune of the poem “Kalevala.”[152](../../152/ "tree and pragmatics") It is here related with numerous variations.[153](../../153/ "tree and pragmatics") Note E, page 126.—The Minstrel’s journey to Tuonela is briefly related in the sixteenth rune of the “Kalevala.”[154](../../154/ "tree and pragmatics") The story-teller has not attempted to follow the poetical account closely.[155](../../155/ "tree and pragmatics") Compare the visit of Odysseus to the Land of Shades (“Odyssey,” bk.[156](../../156/ "tree and pragmatics") XI); also see Virgil’s “Æneid,” bk.[157](../../157/ "tree and pragmatics") VI, and the “Elder Edda” for similar narratives.[158](../../158/ "tree and pragmatics") Note F, page 216.—The story of the tests of courage to which Ilmarinen was required to submit is related in the nineteenth rune of “Kalevala.”[159](../../159/ "tree and pragmatics") Some points of similarity are found in the story of Jason and Medea.[160](../../160/ "tree and pragmatics") Note G, page 321.—Old Persian books tell us that at an early period the climate of some distant northern countries was so mild that they enjoyed nine months of summer with only three months of winter.[161](../../161/ "tree and pragmatics") Finally, sudden changes occurred which completely reversed this order of the seasons.[162](../../162/ "tree and pragmatics") Can we believe that in the present story we have a faint reminiscence of that very ancient time?[163](../../163/ "tree and pragmatics") [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/) **2** - ← previous: [page 1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/tales/pg66819/38/) - ↑ back to [The Sampo: A Wonder Tale of the Old 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