Lemminkäinen is a Finnish, Estonian & Uralic Myth. He has made appearances in comics and literature for years. His adventures became more widely known when the National Epic “Kalevala” was published.
Lemminkäinen is an overly handsome character who probably chases women more than he chases adventure but fighting was important to him as well. Who his mother was the goddess Ilmater, his father was Lempi. They often list Väinämöinen as his brother. Ilmarinen was most likely his brother, perhaps sharing the same father. These three heroes all knew and shared grand adventures in Mythology.
HIS WIFE
He wanted the “Flower of Saari” Kylliikki and he went to court her. When there she mocked him, calling him a low class trouble maker. He wasn’t one for being rejected so he took work near gain the attention of other maidens in the village but continues to approach Kyllikki but she mocks his and refuses. Eventually he was at some sort of Celebration with her and other maidens and made his move. He tossed her over his shoulder jumped on his sled and took her away from her Island to his home threatening any who follow with death, she eventually gave in and even wanted to Marry him. Her only demand was that he had to stop going off to war. He agreed as long as she didn’t play around with other men as it seems she too may be a little risqué.
They live happily until one day Lemminkäinen return home late from fishing. Kyllikki grows bored and visits the local village and frolics with other men. Lemminkäinen returns and his sister Annikki tells him of Kyllikki’s extracurricular activities and he is furious. He immediately packs his things and declared he is going to war and will steal the Maiden of the North’s Heart. His mother and Kyllikki both begged him not to go and to think of all the happiness he has at home. Angrily he leaves headed for the land Pohjola.
THE MAIDEN OF THE NORTH
After days of travel he reaches Pohjola, has casts a spell on his sled to enter silently. He then enchanted all of the men of Pohjola to leave there homes, or perhaps told them lies to convince them all to leave, all but one which he insults but pays little mind to the ugly herdsman. All the while sowing his oats along the way.
Confidently he approaches the mistress of Pohjola, Louhi and demands her daughter. Louhi tells him that in order for him to be allowed to court her daughter he must do three impossible tasks.
He must hunt the Elk of Hissi on skis. He has much trouble hunting it. He prays to Ukko the Supreme God of The Air and Tapio the Ruler of the Forests for guidance and captures it and returns it.
Louhi tasks him with capturing and bridling the Hiisi gelding(Hiisi either means Goblin or Magic). He pulls out his magical golden bridle and his magical silver halter(most likely made by his brother Ilmarinen) and searches for three days for it and finds it on the last day. It has fiery mane and smoking nostrils, he prays to Ukko and hail falls from the sky and pins the horse so that he can bridle and mount it and return it to Louhi.
His final task it to shoot the black swan of Tuonela. The Tuonela river is much like the river of Styx in Greek mythology. It is the path to the land of the Dead and nothing living is in it. He grabs his magical crossbow and set off to the river. Unfortunately the ugly herdsman Märkähattu has come for revenge, for sleeping with his little sister. He either summons a great serpent or shoots and arrow made from a serpent into Lemminkäinen filled with poison. After he falls Märkähattu(or Wet-Hat) pushes his body into the river where Tuoen Poiko, the son of Tuoni(God of Death) chopped up his remains and scattered them.
HIS RESSURECTION
At home Kyllikki or his mother notices that Lemminkäinen’s hair brush is bleeding. Ilmater(his mother) sets off for Pohjola. She confronts Louhi about her son. Louhi proceeds to tell her several lies and misleads her this way and that until she finally tells her what she sent him to do.
Ilmater begins to ask all things around her what they know. She speaks with the trees, plants and the moon. Eventually she asks the Sun itself. Pæivæ the Sun god tell her what has happened without question. Most gods owe her favors and will do anything they can to help her. she rushes to Ilmarinen to have him make a magical copper rake that she can use to retrieve his body. She rakes the river and recovers his remains. She reassembles him(she is a goddess with powerful magic) but is unable to bring his soul back. Ilmater goes to Ukko, father to Väinämöinen one of her other sons, and asks him for help. He has a tiny bee bring her honey from heaven itself which she uses to bring soul back.
With little argument she convinces him to stop his foolish quest and he returns home with her to his wife.
WEDDING CRASHER
Sometime later after Väinämöinen tries the same he gives up and has Ilmarinen finish the impossible tasks and takes the Maiden of the North as his wife.
Lemminkäinen not welcome in the land of Pohjola is not invited. Furious he was not invited to his brother’s wedding prepares for battle. His mother insists that he not go but he will not hear any of it.
He arrives in Pohjola and demands service. He is told that he has come to late which makes him even more angry and demands drink. Louhi has a mug full of serpents sent over to him. Louhi’s husband and Lemminkäinen begin casting spells at one another in which the young Lemminkäinen wins. The Master of Pohjola not giving up challenges him to a duel with swords, too which he loses his head over.
Louhi loses her calm an summons an army to destroy Lemminkäinen. He simply changes into an eagle and flees. When he gets home he tells his mother what has happened and she thoroughly reprimands him and make him swear once again to never go off to war. She tells him of a place his father would go and hide in times of trouble and sends him there.
He arrives at the island the plans to live there for three years but he seduces all the young woman on the island except for one. When the men return from war with the North they group up against him. He is forced to leave and finds a new island who helps him.
He returns home since the war is over only to find his home and lands destroyed. He finds his mother hiding in a cave nearby, and describes what the soldiers of Pohjola have done. He tells her they will build a new home and that Pohjola will pay.
He gathers an old friend Tierra to help him and they set sail for Pohjola, but Louhi sends a spell that freezes the waters of the boats are in. Lemminkäinen confronts Pakkanen(Frost God) and tells his story which stops the cold form getting worse. They leave their ships frozen and return home via their magical steeds.
THE SAMPO
Not long after returning home Väinämöinen and Ilmarinen show with plans to steal the Sampo from Pohjola which Lemminkäinen is happy to be a part of. They fight a giant pike and Väinämöinen proves he is the better minstrel once again as he puts all of Pohjola to sleep with his magic from his new Harp he made from the dead Pike’s jaw.
They take to Sampo with some effort and begin their journey home. Lemminkäinen always one for celebration tells his cohorts that they should stop off and have some drink & song and maybe a woman or two. Väinämöinen warns this will delay them but he does anyhow. Lemminkäinen sounds so foul next to his brothers that his singing breaks the spell Väinämöinen has sung and Louhi awakens.
Louhi searches all around for what has happened and finally notices the Sampo missing from her vault in her Copper Mountain. She summons a great fog to slow their journey and send Iku-Turso(an evil water giant god) to devour the heroes. She also calls upon Ukko to raise a giant storm to blow the heroes off course.
Väinämöinen cleaves the fog and sea with his magical sword only to face off with Iku-Turso. He then seizes the monster and asks him why he charges them with such anger. Iku-Turso shrugs off Väinämöinen and charges again. Väinämöinen grabs him more forcefully and asks again. Iku-Turso tells him of his instructions from Louhi and promises to leave if Väinämöinen will release him.
After Iku-Turso leave Ukko summons a great wind against the heroes including his son Väinämöinen which causes him to lose his most prized musical instrument he had ever had. The one he had recently made from the pike. Väinämöinen is distraught, but recovers and asks his father to stop.
Lemminkäinen calls upon birds to help save the sinking ship and with Väinämöinen’s magic to help the ship is saved but the instrument is lost.
i loads a great warship with her army and sets off to catch the heroes. Väinämöinen summons a mountain from the seas and sinks her ship. Louhi transformers herself along with the broken ship into a giant bird with her army on her back.
She lands on the ship and Väinämöinen offers to share the Sampo and make peace, she refuses and attacks. Lemminkäinen cuts her with his sword, and Väinämöinen pulls the rudder from the ship and strikes her with it while she fights with Lemminkäinen. She begins to fall into the sea and grabs the Sampo and it drops into the sea where it sinks and breaks into many pieces.
Louhi still furious with them that she will steal the Sun and Moon from the sky and send nine diseases to his people. Väinämöinen tells her that she boasts and his father would not allow her to do so.
And the heroes return to their homes and live happily ever after…or do they?
🙂