Original | Traduzione inglese / English translation / Traduction anglaise... |
SAVONPOJAN AMERIKKAAN TULO | ARRIVAL OF A SAVO [1] BOY IN AMERICA |
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Myö tänne moahan kottoo ku lähettii | When we left home for this country |
ja äijille hyvästi jätettii, | And took farewell from our Mothers, |
nii vettä sitä tulj sillo silemistä | Tears were falling from our eyes |
melekeen ku ukkosen pilevistä. | Like water from thunder clouds. |
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Huomenuamulla oltii Hangon niemellä. | On the following morning we were in Hanko [2]. |
Huastettiin myö Savon kielellä. | We were speaking the Savo language [3]. |
Vaikka enkeliskoo olisi jo osannut, | We could also have done it in English, |
nii eipä tuohon kukkaan vuan vastannut. | but there was no one around to reply. |
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Itämer ku se ylöpeesti laenehti | The Baltic Sea was proudly waving |
ja Artturus meitä jo tuuitti, | And Arcturus [4] us gently cradling. |
koht rantoo myös laevassa katottii, | Looking towards the shore |
ku majakasta valakeeta näytettii. | We saw the beam of the lighthouse flashing. |
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Merkippeetä alako jo olemua, | Seasickness was already kicking in |
ja minnää ku ruppeen jo tulemua, | And when I felt it coming |
eväsputelista otin vuan tuikkuja | I ate some cured vendace [5] |
ja piälle söen suolasia muikkuja. | And flushed it down with a sip from my bottle. |
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Sitte ku oltii myö Hullissa | After having arrived in Hull |
ja lävite piästiin myö tullista, | And passed the customs control [6] |
niin masinalla muan ylj myö ajettii | We took the train through the country |
ja Liiverpollii myö suavuttii. | And came to Liverpool. |
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Tuas laevoo ku mäntii myö kahtomua, | Then we went to see our next liner, |
entistä pitempöö ja äikeempöö, | far longer and more severe than the one before. |
niin oekeen se sillo hirvitti, | Onboard, it felt downright creepy |
ku viimosen kerran se huuahti. | When the foghorn sounded its farewell. |
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Tähet ku ne tuikki taivualla, | Stars were twinkling on the sky |
oltiin tuas Atlannin uavalla | When we were on open Atlantic waters again |
Allanlinjan laevalla. | Onboard an Allan Line ship |
Myrsky se käy, ja muata ei näy. | In a raging storm with no land in sight. |
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Mut ku Neuvvorkin ranta alko lähetä, | Approaching the New York shore |
kotjeväs minun pussissani vähetä, | And my food supplies running out, |
olj ihan niinku uuvesti syntynä ois, | I felt like I was reborn |
ku piäs sieltä Atlannin myrskyistä pois. | To get out of the Atlantic storms. |
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Ameriikkoi meitä tänne tuotiihii, | We were brought to the Americas |
ja mainissa multoo myö luatihii. | And in a mine we shoveled dirt. |
Piällysmiestä sielä ei tarvittu, | There was no need for a foreman |
mua enne oli toisia jo otettu. | Since others had arrived before us. |
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Mutta sitte ku mäntiin mehtäkämpille, | But when we came to the logging camp |
Savon kielikin kuulusti jo jänkille, | The Savo language already sounded like English |
kun porilaenen alko siellä soveltaa | When the guys from Pori [7] started adapting |
ja savolaenen piältä vuan komentaa. | And those from Savo bossing around [8]. |
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[1] A historical province in the east of Finland
[2] The southernmost city in Finland and an important port town
[3] Savo dialect, or in Hiski Salomaa's case, Southern Savo dialect
[4] Built in Scotland in 1898, SS Arcturus was a passenger ship of the Finland Steamship Company operating primarily on the route between Hanko, Finland and Hull, England. Arcturus remained in service until 1956.
[5] Coregonus albula, known as the vendace or as the European cisco, is a species of freshwater whitefish in the family Salmonidae. It is found in lakes in northern Europe.
[6] It's told that Salomaa, who travelled without any relatives as he was orphan back then, had difficulties passing the customs control, because he was very young and stunted for his age and, therefore, potentially not fit to immigrate into the USA.
[7] A city on the west coast of Finland
[8] People from Savo are said to be inclined to take the lead or boss around or act as self-proclaimed initiators and supervisors.