Note 21 — SELECTIONS FROM FINNISH LITERATURE
Reading edition
This passage seems a little confused. Wäinämöinen was building a boat by means of magic spells, of whose efficacy so much is said in the Kalevala. During this process he lost (apparently forgot) three words which were necessary. The language in 350 ff. is metaphorical: the sledge of his song was broken, i.e. the spells did not run smoothly.