The national epic of Finland



Elias Lönnrot, the creator of the Finnish epic


The Finnish epic is called the Kalevala, written by a highly significant writer Elias Lönnrot.
Lönnrot worked as a doctor of medicine and wanted to increase the Finns´ awareness of their
identity as a nation collecting epic tales, lyrics, spells, laments and proverbs around the
country to compile them as an entity.
The day of Kalevala is celebrated on 28th of February.


The tale with both historical and fictitious elements


The Kalevala consists of interesting portraits of mythical figures.
The events take place in the North.
You can imagine some similarities connecting the epic to Greek
myths; the kin has a very strong emphasis.


In the picture Väinämöinen spells Joukahainen into a swamp.

The great monumental work consists of thousands of fragments which lead you schemingly as
a continous narrative to an imaginary setting. There are wilds, wars, battles, shaman spells
and rival proposals as well as wisdoms of life involving historical tales to Finnish ethnics.


Also the influence of the Christianity is reflected more and more on the pagans in the 1800´s.
At the beginning of the Kalevala there is a description of the creation of nature, where
"the virgin of the air" descends into the sea, becomes impregnated by the wind and the water
shamming to be the water mother. A seabird "sotka" makes his nest and lays eggs on the
kneecap of the water mother. The eggs roll down from the nest and shatter. The fragments
take the shapes of the earth, the sky, the sun, the moon and the clouds.

Lönnrot´s first edition was completed in 1835 and the second, definitive edition in 1849.


The characters of the Finnish myth



The most vividly portrayed character is Lemminkäinen, who is a bit defiant and easygoing
by nature.
Here´s an example of one of the fragments, in which the footloose Lemminkäinen
snatches the maid Kyllikki.


On a day among others
an evening among many
the maids are sporting
the beauties are capering
on the backwoods´mainland side
upon the fair heath;
Kyllikki above the rest
the Island´s flower the most famed.

And the full-blooded rogue came
wanton Lemminkäinen drove
with his stallion
with his chosen foal
into the midst of their sport
of the beauties´capers; snatched
Kyllikki into his sledge
grabbed the maid into his sleigh
dumped her on his hide
laid her on his planks.

And he whipped his horse
thrashed it with his thong
then he glided off.
As he goes he says:
"Girls, do not ever
blow the gaff on me---
that I have been here
took a maid from here!"

"If you don´t heed what I say
it will be the worse for you:
I´ll sing your bridegrooms to war
your young men beneath the sword
so they ´ll be heard nevermore.
nor seen ever in this world
walking in the lanes
driving in the glades."