' oh , only the words of an old rhyme that keeps running in my head , ' answered the old woman ; and she raised her voice and went on : oh , ahti , with the long , long beard , who dwellest in the deep blue sea , a thousand cows are in thy herd , i pray thee give one onto me . ' that 's a stupid sort of song , ' said matte . ' what else should one beg of the sea - king but fish ? but such songs are not for sunday . ' his wife pretended not to hear him , and sang and sang the same tune all the time they were on the water . matte heard nothing more as he sat and rowed the heavy boat , while thinking of his cracked pipe and the fine tobacco . then they returned to the island , and soon after went to bed . but neither matte nor maie could sleep a wink ; the one thought of how he had profaned sunday , and the other of ahti 's cow .
why did matte believe maie sang a stupid song ?
she asked for cows .
he heard maie ask for cows and not fish .