June 24, 2004

Elias L Information on the trips L
posted by PF 20 years ago
  • I spent four happy days here once, lying on a floor and reading Joseph Conrad.
  • I found the engravings of the Finnish countryside from the 1870s charming.
  • Wonderful post!
  • They're by Zachris Topelius, if you're curious. More images of Finland, from a book with text by Topelius, which I see googling that plep linked to long ago.
  • Fine links, PF-- thank you.
  • Lovely! My eyes feel refreshed. Thanks PF.
  • This is a favorite passage, translated by Keith Bosley: Open the best chest slam the bright lid back: inside are six golden belts and seven blue skirts all woven by Kuutar (Moon-daughter) finished off by Paivatar (Sun-daughter). 'Long since, when I was a maid and lived as a lass, I went for berries in the forest raspberries under the slope. I heard Kuutar (Moon-daughter) weaving Paivatar (Sun-daughter) spinning beside blue backwoods at the edge of a sweet grove. I went up to them I came close, approached; I began to beg of them I uttered and said: "Give, Kuutar (Moon-daughter) of your gold Paivatar (Sun-daughter) of your silver to this girl who has nothing to this child who begs!" Kuutar (Moon-daughter) gave of her gold Paivatar (Sun-daughter) of her silver; I put the gold on my brows on my head the good silver and came home a flower to my father's yards a joy. I wore them for one day, two till on the third day I stripped the gold from my brows from my head the good silver took them to the hilltop shed put them under the chest lid: there they have been ever since all this time unlooked upon.
  • Finland, Finland, Finland, The country where I want to be, Pony trekking or camping, Or just watching TV. Finland, Finland, Finland. It's the country for me. You're so near to Russia, So far from Japan, Quite a long way from Cairo, Lots of miles from Vietnam.
  • *offers to show you some of his unrivalled collection of Scandinavian credit cards*
  • Paavo Haavikko.
  • To The Reader As you read, a white bear leisurely pees, dyeing the snow saffron, and as you read, many gods lie among lianas: eyes of obsidian are watching the generations of leaves, and as you read the sea is turning its dark pages, turning its dark pages. -- Denise Levertov