# Jopa virkki puu visainen / kielin kantelo kajasi / tuota soittoa suloista



## boheeminenkimma

I'm not entirely clear about the following expression:  "jopa virkki puu visainen kielin kantelon kajasi tuota soittoa suloista."

I recognize that the first part...jopa virkki puu visainen...is from the Kalevala.  But, I can't find the whole expression in the Kalevala.  So, is this line some kind of little proverb or saying?

What does "kajasi" mean?  I know it is a past tense form, but I can't seem to figure out the infinitive form...something ending in -ta, though.

And kielin...doesn't that mean, with language, with languages, with tongue(s)?  And what case is kantelon is?  Is it a genitive or accusative form?

I think this expression says:  "Even the curly birch tree [is] wise: with its tongue, language, it [told how, that] the kantele [had] (played, sounded?) that sweet music...had sounded so sweet."  Thank you for your help once again!


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## Hakro

Hi Boheeminenkimma,

Your expression seems to be a bit different and shortened version of some verses from the 44th rune of Kalevala. You had cleared this difficult text admirably well!

- "virkki" -> infinitive "virkkoa, virkkaa" = "sanoa, lausua" = to say, to utter
- "kajasi" -> infinitive "kajata" = poetic form of "kajahtaa, kaikua" = to sound, to echo
- "kielin" = instructive case of "kieli" which here doesn't mean with languages but with strings (of the "kantele")
- "kantelon" is genitive form of "kantelo" which is a poetic form of "kantele" (harp)

I would translate these verses for example:

(As old Väinämöinen started to play) _so the curly birch started to utter, it echoed the sound of the strings of kantele, the sound of that sweet music_

The "official" poetic translation is somewhat different...


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## boheeminenkimma

Thank you so much, Hakro!  What a pleasure to hear from such a learned person!  No mystery seems to be too challenging for you!


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## newhopepa

Thank you both so much for this thread. I have a small harp that i received from the family of a friend that passed away. It has this exact quote on the body, but after a year of trying to figure it out, i stumbled upon this forum. Mystery solved!  



boheeminenkimma said:


> Thank you so much, Hakro!  What a pleasure to hear from such a learned person!  No mystery seems to be too challenging for you!


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