DESCRIPTION:
"Kalevala Melody," sung in old Finnish and English. Lyrics are the words from the opening of the Finnish Kalevala saga, collected by Elias Lönnrot, 1835/1849. Voice and accordion by Tania Smith, c.1990s, made from a home recording by my father, Vikke Harvonen.

Mieleni minun tekevi,
aivoni ajattelevi
lähteäni laulamahan,
saa'ani sanelemahan,
sukuvirttä suoltamahan,
lajivirttä laulamahan.
Sanat suussani sulavat,
puhe'et putoelevat,
kielelleni kerkiävät,
hampahilleni hajoovat.

It is now my wish, my longing
To commence a wondrous singing
Of the legends of our people
And the ballads of our kindred.
For all those who here are gathered,
I would give a new reciting.
In my mouth the words are melting,
On my tongue they're tripping lightly.
Through my lips they're nimbly skipping.
From my mouth they now come pouring.

Image: "Kullervo Sets off for Battle" Suomi: "Kullervon sotaanlähtö" by Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865–1931), 1901, public domain, uploaded by Risukarhi on Wikimedia Commons at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kullervon_sotaanl%C3%A4ht%C3%B6.jpg

More info on the Kalevala: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalevala#Finnish_language

Finnish version of the Kalevala
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/7000/7000-h/7000-h.htm

English translation of the Kalevala
https://archive.org/stream/kalevalaepicpoem01craw/kalevalaepicpoem01craw_djvu.txt