Karhunkaatolaulu Lyrics

Karkahautti karhiainen
Mylleröitti messän herra
Kaatu maahan kuninkaana
Lävistyipi leppäsille

Kuusikoilla kankahilla
Keväsellä mehtilöillä
Kontioista kaaetahan
Kouvalaista pyyetähän

Kotoansa kassotahan
Sijoansa syynätähän
Seiväsvartta viillellähän
Keihäasvartta kokkeillahan

Karkahautti karhiainen
Mylleröitti messän herra
Kaatu maahan kuninkaana
Lävistyipi leppäsille

Pejihaiset pijetähän
Messäläistä muistetahan
Ukolleki uhratahan
Poikoansa palvotahan

Karkahautti karhiainen
Mylleröitti messän herra
Kaatu maahan kuninkaana
Lävistyipi leppäsille

[English translation:]

Bear Hunt Song

Among the spruce trees
In the springtime
We're hunting a bear
We're chasing a big one

We're waiting around it's nest
We're lurking at it's front door
We're sharpening our spears
We're testing our weapons

The savage one tried to escape
The king of the forest raged out
The bear went down as a king
Impaled by alder stakes

Now we're having the feast
Remembering the forest's king
We make sacrifice to Ukko
And we worship his son

[Korpiklaani note:
The bear has always played an important role in the Finnish and Finno-Ugric mythology. Finns always used euphemisms when speaking of a bear, as it was believed to cause bad luck if the true name of bear was actually spoken. The word for bear in modern Finnish, karhu, is actually one of those euphemisms. Bear hunt was a sacred rite which was celebrated with a several days long feast which was called "karhunpeijaiset", in which the spirit of the bear was sent back to heaven, to its father: the supreme god.]