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| Traduzione inglese / English translation / Traduction anglaise... |
| SAVONPOJAN AMERIKKAAN TULO | ARRIVAL OF A SAVO [1] BOY IN AMERICA |
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| Me tähän maahan kotoa kun lähdettiin | When we left home for this country |
| ja äidille hyvästit jätettiin, | And took farewell from our Mothers, |
| niin vettä tuli silloin silmistä | Tears were falling from our eyes |
| melkein kuin ukkosen pilvistä. | Like water from thunder clouds. |
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| Huomenaamulla oltiin Hangon niemellä. | On the following morning we were in Hanko [2]. |
| Puhuttiin me Savon kielellä. | We were speaking the Savo language [3]. |
| Vaikka englantia olisi jo osannut, | We could also have done it in English, |
| niin eipä tuohon kukaan vain vastannut. | but there was no one around to reply. |
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| Itämeri kun se ylpeästi lainehti | The Baltic Sea was proudly waving |
| ja Arcturus meitä jo tuuditti, | And Arcturus [4] us gently cradling. |
| kohti rantaa myös laivassa katsottiin, | Looking towards the shore |
| kun majakasta valkeata näytettiin. | We saw the beam of the lighthouse flashing. |
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| Merisairaita alkoi jo olemaan, | Seasickness was already kicking in |
| ja minäkin kun rupesin jo tulemaan, | And when I felt it coming |
| eväspullosta otin vain tuikkuja | I ate some cured vendace [5] |
| ja päälle söin suolaisia muikkuja. | And flushed it down with a sip from my bottle. |
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| Sitten kun oltiin me Hullissa | After having arrived in Hull |
| ja läpi päästiin me tullista, | And passed the customs control [6] |
| niin junalla halki maan me ajettiin | We took the train through the country |
| ja Liverpooliin me saavuttiin. | And came to Liverpool. |
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| Taas laivaa kun mentiin me katsomaan, | Then we went to see our next liner, |
| entistä pidempää ja tuimempaa, | far longer and more severe than the one before. |
| niin oikein se silloin hirvitti, | Onboard, it felt downright creepy |
| kun viimeisen kerran se huudahti, | When the foghorn sounded its farewell. |
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| Tähdet kun tuikkivat taivaalla, | Stars were twinkling on the sky |
| oltiin taas Atlantin aavalla | When we were on open Atlantic waters again |
| Allan Linen laivalla. | Onboard an Allan Line ship |
| Myrsky se käy, ja maata ei näy. | In a raging storm with no land in sight. |
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| Mutta kun New Yorkin ranta alkoi lähetä, | Approaching the New York shore |
| matkaeväs minun pussissani vähetä, | And my food supplies running out, |
| oli ihan kuin uudesti syntynyt ois', | I felt like I was reborn |
| kun pääsi sieltä Atlantin myrskyistä pois. | To get out of the Atlantic storms. |
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| Amerikkoihin meitä tänne tuotiinkin, | We were brought to the Americas |
| ja kaivoksessa multaa me luotiinkin. | And in a mine we shoveled dirt. |
| Päällysmiestä siellä ei tarvittu, | There was no need for a foreman |
| mua ennen oli toisia jo otettu. | Since others had arrived before us. |
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| Mutta sitten, kun mentiin metsäkämpille, | But when we came to the logging camp |
| Savon kielikin kuulosti jo jenkille, | The Savo language already sounded like English |
| kun porilainen alkoi siellä soveltaa | When the guys from Pori [7] started adapting |
| ja savolainen oikopäätä vain 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.