Vainamoinen

In Crawford's Kalevala, Väinämöinen needs magic sayings and lost words for his boat. He asks Ilmarinen to make iron shoes, copper gloves and a metal staff for the journey. Ilmarinen tells him that Vipunen died long ago, but Väinämöinen goes to seek the singer. He carries a poniard with a birch handle, makes a vessel from it and rows into Vipunen's body. At first the old singer barely notices him.

When the intrusion troubles him, Vipunen calls on forest, mountain, lake and water powers to drive the visitor away. Väinämöinen remains inside and presses on. Vipunen opens his store of songs and incantations, singing of origins, witchcraft and the beginning of the earth. Väinämöinen listens and learns the words he came to find. When he is ready to leave, he asks Vipunen to open his mouth and emerges. He returns to his boat, where Ilmarinen asks whether he has found the words and wisdom needed for the work. Väinämöinen says that he has.