Epic poem · 1888

The Kalevala

The Epic Poem of Finland

by Elias Lönnrot

Translated by John Martin Crawford (1888)

Fifty runes of Finnish folk song gathered into one epic: the birth of the sage Wainamoinen, the rivalry of Finns and the people of Pohjola for the Sampo, the doomed Kullervo, and the hero's departure as a new age arrives.

Contents · 52 parts

• Proemabout 120 lines
• Rune I. Birth of Wainamoinenabout 260 lines
• Rune II. Wainamoinen’s Sowingabout 410 lines
• Rune III. Wainamoinen and Youkahainenabout 660 lines
• Rune IV. The Fate of Ainoabout 590 lines
• Rune V. Wainamoinen’s Lamentationabout 260 lines
• Rune VI. Wainamoinen’s Hapless Journeyabout 250 lines
• Rune VII. Wainamoinen’s Rescueabout 390 lines
• Rune VIII. Maiden of the Rainbowabout 280 lines
• Rune IX. Origin of Ironabout 580 lines
• Rune X. Ilmarinen Forges the Sampoabout 550 lines
• Rune XI. Lemminkainen’s Lamentabout 440 lines
• Rune XII. Kyllikki’s Broken Vowabout 530 lines
• Rune XIII. Lemminkainen’s Second Wooingabout 290 lines
• Rune XIV. Death of Lemminkainenabout 490 lines
• Rune XV. Lemminkainen’s Restorationabout 710 lines
• Rune XVI. Wainamoinen’s Boat-Buildingabout 460 lines
• Rune XVII. Wainamoinen Finds the Lost-Wordabout 580 lines
• Rune XVIII. The Rival Suitorsabout 720 lines
• Rune XIX. Ilmarinen’s Wooingabout 540 lines
• Rune XX. The Brewing of Beerabout 640 lines
• Rune XXI. Ilmarinen’s Wedding-Feastabout 420 lines
• Rune XXII. The Bride’s Farewellabout 500 lines
• Rune XXIII. Osmotar the Bride-Adviserabout 840 lines
• Rune XXIV. The Bride’s Farewellabout 510 lines
• Rune XXV. Wainamoinen’s Wedding-Songsabout 650 lines
• Rune XXVI. Origin of the Serpentabout 750 lines
• Rune XXVII. The Unwelcome Guestabout 410 lines
• Rune XXVIII. The Mother’s Counselabout 300 lines
• Rune XXIX. The Isle of Refugeabout 600 lines
• Rune XXX. The Frost-Fiendabout 480 lines
• Rune XXXI. Kullerwoinen Son of Evilabout 370 lines
• Rune XXXII. Kullervo as a Shepherdabout 460 lines
• Rune XXXIII. Kullervo and the Cheat-Cakeabout 270 lines
• Rune XXXIV. Kullervo Finds His Tribe-Folkabout 240 lines
• Rune XXXV. Kullervo’s Evil Deedsabout 360 lines
• Rune XXXVI. Kullerwoinen’s Victory and Deathabout 340 lines
• Rune XXXVII. Ilmarinen’s Bride of Goldabout 230 lines
• Rune XXXVIII. Ilmarinen’s Fruitless Wooingabout 290 lines
• Rune XXXIX. Wainamoinen’s Sailingabout 400 lines
• Rune XL. Birth of the Harpabout 320 lines
• Rune XLI. Wainamoinen’s Harp-Songsabout 240 lines
• Rune XLII. Capture of the Sampoabout 510 lines
• Rune XLIII. The Sampo Lost in the Seaabout 380 lines
• Rune XLIV. Birth of the Second Harpabout 300 lines
• Rune XLV. Birth of the Nine Diseasesabout 290 lines
• Rune XLVI. Otso the Honey-Eaterabout 560 lines
• Rune XLVII. Louhi Steals Sun, Moon, and Fireabout 360 lines
• Rune XLVIII. Capture of the Fire-Fishabout 320 lines
• Rune XLIX. Restoration of the Sun and Moonabout 450 lines
• Rune L. Mariatta—Wainamoinen’s Departureabout 510 lines
• Epilogue97 lines

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