Kullervo, Kalervon poika,
otti koiransa keralle,
läksi tietä telkkimähän,
korpehen kohoamahan.
Kävi matkoa vähäisen,
astui tietä pikkaraisen;
tuli tuolle saarekselle,
tuolle paikalle tapahtui,
kuss' oli piian pillannunna,
turmellut emonsa tuoman.

Siin' itki ihana nurmi,
aho armahin valitti,
nuoret heinät hellitteli,
kuikutti kukat kanervan
tuota piian pillamusta,
emon tuoman turmelusta:
eikä nousnut nuori heinä,
kasvanut kanervan kukka,
ylennyt sijalla sillä,
tuolla paikalla pahalla,
kuss' oli piian pillannunna,
emon tuoman turmellunna.

Kullervo, Kalervon poika,
tempasi terävän miekan;
katselevi, kääntelevi,
kyselevi, tietelevi.
Kysyi mieltä miekaltansa,
tokko tuon tekisi mieli
syöä syyllistä lihoa,
viallista verta juoa.

Miekka mietti miehen mielen,
arvasi uron pakinan.
Vastasi sanalla tuolla:
"Miks' en söisi mielelläni,
söisi syyllistä lihoa,
viallista verta joisi?
Syön lihoa syyttömänki,
juon verta viattomanki."

Kullervo, Kalervon poika,
sinisukka äijön lapsi,
pään on peltohon sysäsi,
perän painoi kankahasen,
kären käänti rintahansa,
itse iskihe kärelle.
Siihen surmansa sukesi,
kuolemansa kohtaeli.

Se oli surma nuoren miehen,
kuolo Kullervo urohon,
loppu ainakin urosta,
kuolema kovaosaista.

Silloin vanha Väinämöinen,
kunpa kuuli kuolleheksi,
Kullervon kaonneheksi,
sanan virkkoi, noin nimesi:
"Elkötte, etinen kansa,
lasta kaltoin kasvatelko
luona tuhman tuuittajan,
vierahan väsyttelijän!
Lapsi kaltoin kasvattama,
poika tuhmin tuuittama
ei tule älyämähän,
miehen mieltä ottamahan,
vaikka vanhaksi eläisi,
varreltansa vahvistuisi."

Kullervo, Kalervo's son
took his dog with him
trudged off up the road
up into the wilds
and he went a little way
stepped a tiny bit of road
and he came to that islet
he happened unto the place
where he had ravished the wench
and spoilt her his mother bore.

There the fair turf was weeping
the dearest glade complaining
the young grasses were grieving
the heather flowers crying for
that ravishing of the wench
spoiling of the mother-borne
and no young grass sprang
no heather flower grew
came up in the place
of that evil spot
where he had ravished the wench
and spoilt her his mother bore.

Kullervo, Kalervo's son
snatched up the sharp sword
looks at it, turns it over
asks it, questions it;
he asked his sword what it liked:
did he have a mind
to eat guilty flesh
to drink blood that was to blame?

The sword followed the man's drift,
it guessed the fellow's chatter
and answered with this word: "Why
should I not eat what I like
not eat guilty flesh
not drink blood that is to blame?
I'll eat even guiltless flesh
I'll drink even blameless blood."

Kullervo, Kalervo's son
the blue-stockinged gaffer child
pushed the hilt into the field
pressed the butt into the heath
turned the point toward his breast
rammed himself upon the point
and on it he brought about
his doom, met his death.

And that was the young man's doom
the Kullervo fellow's death
the end for the fellow, death
for the ill-fated.

Then the old Väinämöinen
when he heard that he was dead
Kullervo was lost
uttered a word and spoke thus:
"Do not, folk of the future
bring up a child crookedly
with someone stupind lulling
a stranger sending to sleep!
A child brought up crookedly
or a son lulled stupidly
won't come to grasp things
have a man's understanding
though he should live to be old
or should grow strong in body."