Hi,

The following version from Finland gives a motive. It's from E. Lonnrot Kanteletar elikka suomen kasan aanhoja lauluja ja virsia ("Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seuran toimituksia" III. [Helsinki 1906]) x-xi No. 4. I give only the opening stanza in Finnish with the refrains. The translation modified from Archer Taylor follows (20 stanzas):

"Velisurmaaja."

1. Mistis tulet, kustas tulet,
Poikani iloinen?
Meren rannalta, meren rannalta,
Aitini kultainen.

* * * *

"From where do you come, my merry son?"
From the seashore, my dear mother [var. maiden].

"What have you done there?"
"I have watered my horse."

Why is your back spotted with clay?
The horse brushed me with its tail.

Why is your foot bloody?
The korse kicked me with its iron [shoes].

Why is your sword bloody?
I stabbed my brother.

Why did you stab your brother?
Because he put my wife to shame.

What will you do now?
Hide myself and flee.

Where do you leave you, father
[var. refrain; Oh, where indeed]- He may knit nets [var. go begging].

Where do you leave your mother?
She may spin at the spinning wheel [var. go begging].

Where do you leave your young wife?
She may look for men [var. bewail me].

Where do you-leave your young son?
He may suffer in school [var. suffer the rod and visit the school].

Where do you leave your young daughter?
She may watch the cattle.

When will you come home?
[Var. refrain "Oh, when indeed?] When the raven becomes white.

When will the raven become white?
When the goose becomes black.

When will the goose become black?
When the stone rolls on the water.

when will the stone roll on the water?
when the feather sinks to the bottom.

When will the feather sink to the bottom?
When the sun shines at midnight.

When will the sun shine at midnight?
When the moon burns with burning heat.

when will the moon buin with burning heat?
when the stars dance in heaven.

"When will the stars dance in heaven?"
"When all come to judgment."

* * * *

Richie