Kalevala

The Kalevala is an epic poem which Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century said that he had compiled from Finnish folk sources. It is commonly called the Finnish national epic and is one of the most significant works of Finnish-language literature. The Kalevala is credited with inspiring the nationalism that ultimately led to Finnish independence from Russia in 1917. The name means "land of Kaleva". The text of the Kalevala consists of 22,795 verses, divided into 50 poems or chapters (finnish runot, singular runo, from Germanic rune).

Contents

• Birth of Väinämöinen.
• Väinämöinen's Sowing.
• Väinämöinen and Joukahainen.
• The Fate of Aino.
• Väinämöinen's Lamentation.
• Väinämöinen's Hapless Journey.
• Väinämöinen's Rescue.
• Maiden of the Rainbow.
• Origin of Iron.
• Ilmarinen Forges the Sampo.
• Lemminkäinen's Lament.
• Kyllikki's Broken Vow.
• Lemminkäinen's Second Wooing.
• Death of Lemminkäinen.
• Lemminkäinen's Restoration.
• Väinämöinen's Boat-building.
• Väinämöinen Finds the Lost-word.
• The Rival Suitors.
• Ilmarinen's Wooing.
• The Brewing of Beer.
• Ilmarinen's Wedding-feast.
• The Bride's Farewell.
• Osmotar the Bride-adviser
• The Bride's Farewell.
• Väinämöinen's Wedding-songs.
• Origin of the Serpent.
• The Unwelcome Guest.
• The Mother's Counsel
• The Isle of Refuge.
• The Frost-fiend.
• Kullervoinen Son of Evil.
• Kullervo As A Sheperd.
• Kullervo and the Cheat-cake.
• Kullervo Finds His Tribe-folk.
• Kullervo's Evil Deeds.
• Kullervoinen's Victory and Death.
• Ilmarinen's Bride of Gold.
• Ilmarinen's Fruitless Wooing.
• Väinämöinen's Sailing.
• Birth of the Kantele.
• Väinämöinen's Kantele-songs.
• Capture of the Sampo.
• The Sampo Lost In the Sea.
• Birth of the Second Harp.
• Birth of the Nine Diseases
• Otso the Honey-eater, telling of a bear hunt.
• Louhi Steals Sun, Moon, and Fire.
• Capture of the Fire-fish.
• Restoration of the Sun and Moon.
• Marjatta (Mary) — Väinämöinen's Departure.