“ The work is ended which is begun; there is time loft to fa.y,
“ what lhall I do ?”
“ The tool o f the induftrious man is fharp; but the plough-
“ fliare o f the fool wanteth grinding.”
T he following comical tale is a fpecimen o f Finniih improvi-
fation, by a young poet o f the name o f Vanonen, living between
Wafa and Uleaborg. For this piece I am indebted, as I mentioned
before, to the governor o f Wafa, who was perlbnally acquainted
with the poet, by whom, at the governor’s defire, it was diftated
to one who wrote it out. T he governor fet a great value on the
original, and preferved it as a. moil precious relic. I therefore
think myfelf much obliged by the communication. T he poet, he
told me, was poor, becaufe he preferred the pleafures o f imagination
to the duties o f a peafant and the labour o f rural occupations.
This young man, who can neither read nor write, has a native
vein o f humour, and is in his way very droll. He is o f courfe
heartily welcome in the houfes o f the peafants, whom he amufes
with his mirth and pleafantry.
T he P a l d a m o confifts o f about two hundred and forty-eight
lines. T he fubject is a ridiculous retaliation, by a trick played
upon a cuftom-houfe officer, by a Finniih peafant. I have heard
people intimately acquainted with the pure import and genius of
the Finniih language, in reading this poem, break forth with en-
thufiafm in its praife, and burft into laughter aim oil at every line.
T he tranflation, though literal, and rendered word for word, retains
but little o f thofe beauties and that humour, which coniift
in the brevity, preciiion and energy of the original language.
T H E P A L D A M O -P A S T Y :
A Finntpi Tale, ly 'the Peafant Vononen.
“ M y tale is now fet out in proper phrafe. I fmg the treat
“ which an inhabitant o f Paldamo prepared for a commiflary o f ■
“ the cuftoms; neither more nor lefs than a cat with the ikin
§ and fur, which was baked and prefented to him for his fupper.
“ It was on a Sunday evening that the peafants o f the good
“ town o f Paldamo were aflembled together, and fell into dif-
“ courfe about the inhabitants o f the city o f Uleaborg, whom
“ they all pronounced to be a pack o f knaves, and more efpecially
I the cuftom-houfe officers, for they were paid for eating, and
“ fcrupled to pay for what they eat, for they plundered the fledges
“ and robbed the travellers o f their provifions.
" Upon this (fays a jolly old fellow o f the party) I ffiould like
“ to take a little journey, i f I could light upon agreeable compa-
“ nions: I ffiould wiffi once more to fee our great city. I have
“ fome tallow to fell, and butter to difpofe of, notwithftandmg
“ the feafon has proved fo unfavourable.” The peafants all an-
“ fwered with one voice, “ W e have all a defire to take a trip to
“ Uleaborg; we will accompany you immediately into the low
“ grounds.’
1 Thus then fpoke another boon companion, famous for his
“ droll ftories: “ T o be fure, fays he, at Chriftmas-time there is
R r 2 “ no