In the beginning, there was an idea.

I've loved myths and folktales as long as I can remember. They were among the first material I read as a young child, and knowing them has enriched my sense of spirituality and made me feel like a part of something greater. Being a writer, I tell stories as well, but no matter what I write about, I always feel as though these stories, these ancient tales that were passed down from generation to generation, are more perfect than anything that has come from the mind of a writer in this day and age. So, recently, I began to toy with the idea of sharing these myths with readers all over the world. Only a few days before this blog was created, my mother and I were talking and she suggested I make a blog and gather together information that would otherwise remain scattered over literature and the Internet. Why not myths? Why not make a blog that tells, picks apart, and analyzes popular (and even not-so-popular) myths, stories and folktales from around the world?

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Lemminkainen's Demise

Ever heard of the Kalevala? Very few people have, which is a shame. It's the national poem of Finland, comprised of a bunch of myths collected and rewritten by Elias Lonnrot. (It was also part of J.R.R. Tolkien's inspiration for his tales of Middle Earth.)

One of the characters in the Kalevala is Lemminkainen. After kidnapping Kylikki for his bride, he returned home and lived happily for a short time. She turned out to be a bit unfaithful, so he went in search for another. Inevitably, his quest led him to the dwelling of the evil witch Louhi (whose daughter was apparently drop-dead gorgeous, judging from all the others who came to woo her.

Louhi, of course, wasn't going to give her daughter's hand to just anyone. She assigned Lemminkainen three seemingly impossible tasks. The first was to bring back the giant moose of Hisi. Having received some advice from the gods, he lassoed the moose and returned to Louhi.

The second task was to capture and bring a flaming stallion (also of Hisi). Lemminkainen knew he'd be burned to a crisp should he try to approach the horse as is, so he prayed for a little rain. His prayers were answered, and rain fell and quenched the flames. Lemminkainen lassoed the horse and brought it to Louhi, asking again for her daughter's hand in marriage.

Louhi wasn't finished, though. Oh, no. She then gave him the hardest task of all--Lemminkainen was to journey to Tuonela, the Underworld, and kill the swan that swims in the river. To make things more difficult, she gave him a bow with only one arrow, which he must use to slay the creature. Reckless, daring and unbelievably hardheaded, Lemminkainen accepted.

He reached the Underworld and spotted the swan. He readied his bow for the fatal shot. What he hadn't anticipated was Nasshut, Tuonela's protector from all things living. Though Nasshut was blind, he sensed Lemminkainen's coming, heard the creak of his bow. Nasshut sent a serpent to bite him. The venom raced to his heart, stopping it. Lifeless, the hero fell into the water.

The river carried Lemminkainen's body for a stretch, where it reached the son of Tuoni, who cut the body into five pieces, throwing each into the heart of the Underworld.

"Thus, the hero, Lemminkainen,
Thus the handsome Kaukomieli,
The untiring suitor, dieth
In the river of Tuoni,
In the death-realm of Manala."

Source:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/kvrune14.htm
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