But these are very commonplace.

Not one of them can compare as poetry with the verses of the Finnish on the same subject.

Here are examples in evidence.

The first is a prayer said when offering food to the Spirit of the forest, that he might aid the hunter in his hunting.
"Look, O Kuntar, a fat cake, a cake with honey, that I may propitiate the forest, that I may propitiate the forest, that I may entice the thick forest for the day of my hunting, when I go in search of prey.

Accept my salt, O wood, accept my porridge, O Tapio, dear king of the wood with the hat of leaves, with the beard of moss." And here is a little prayer to the goddess of water repeated by a sick man taking water as a medicine.
"O pure water, O Lady of the Water, now do thou make me whole, lovely as before! for this beg thee dearly, and in offering I give thee blood to appease thee, salt to propitiate thee!" Or this: "Goddess of the Sea, mistress of waters, Queen of a hundred caves, arouse the scaly flocks, urge on the fishy-crowds forth from their hiding places, forth from the muddy shrine, forth from the net-hauling, to the nets of a hundred fishers! Take now thy beauteous shield, shake the golden water, with which thou frightenest the fish, and direct them toward the net beneath the dark level, above the borders black." Yet another: "O vigorous mistress of the wild beasts, sweet lady of the earth, come with me, be with me, where I go.