Ancestral spirits/souls

My mother hastened to depart,
to the ground before the rest.
She left me behind, a poor girl,
miserable before my time.
    My mother was carried out of the house,
her grace crossed over the threshold.
Mother was taken out of the gate,
her grace stepped over the fence.
Mother was taken along the road,
her grace went along the roadside.
Mother was taken to the funeral,
her grace stepped over the fence.
Mother's grave was being dug,
her grace ran over to her.
Mother was laid in the grave,
her grace fell down into the earth.

    "Get up, dear mother,
jump up, my breeder,
come to show us the way,
help us build the path."
    "I cannot get up, dear little girl,
nor jump up, dear little hen.
The cross is heavy on my chest,
the barrow is heavy on my hands.
Lilacs sting my eyes,
the chilly leaves pinch my feet."
    "If I had known Tooni's house,
known the threshold of Tooni's door,
I'd have brought out my mother,
carried out my breeder.
I'd have made lye in the retting pond,
and black soap in the puddle,
I'd have washed  away the stench of the earth,
the stench of death from your mouth,
the stench of the barrow from your hands,
and the stench of the cross from your chest.
I'd have set  you to stand by the pole,
stand against the wall."
    "Then I'd be called darling,
and named a silver one.
Now I'm called the Devil,
and nicknamed a ground beetle."

¹ Tooni – God of Death