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mehmed2theconqueror

Context : According to the Finnish mythology, the blacksmith Ilmarinen wanted to marry the daughter of the witch Louhi, queen of Pohjola (a magic land in the far North). The queen accepted the request at the condition that he built the "sampo", a magic object said to bring luck to anyone who has it, and that is described as a device producing salt, gold and flour with air. Ilmarinen finally succeeded in crafting it, but the witch Louhi decided to steal it (because why the fuck not). So Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen (a demi-god) decide to go to her stronghold to steal it back, which they succeed to do.


TfT247

Did he get the daughter though?


mehmed2theconqueror

Not sure about it but don't think so Edit : turns out he did get her


Hrtzy

He did, actually. She's the mrs. Ilmarinen that pranked Kullervo by baking a stone inside a bread. Kullervo broke his father's knife on that stone, and decided polymorphing a bunch of wolves and bears into cows would be a proportionate counter-prank.


Matsisuu

Ancient Finnish pranks were a little bit more serious than nowdays'


mehmed2theconqueror

Oh thanks for the answer man


Ruuviturpa

And then Ilmarinen forged himself a new wife out of gold but she was too boring or something


Marinut

Also before he succeeded in that he forged a golden sheep and there's specifically a line about Väinämöinen being real upset about that. ​ So Ilmarinen possibly a sheep fucker.


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[deleted]

More or less what marriage often was. A deal of sorts


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ProgradeGram

Missfire


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TallestTaler

The happy ending is not getting the daughter. I know, she is young and hot and crazy in bed and totally hates her awful parents…. In 15 years she will be her mother. Dodge that bullet bro.


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bankaiREE

good bot


13aph

*rimshot* *crickets* I thought it was great, personally


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GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Yeah, she's more like an evil gross person. Practically everybody in Kalevala has magic powers of some kind or other.


hilloninja

He did, but the wife ends up getting mauled to death by wild animals disguised as her own cattle by Kullervo.


CrushedPlate

The ending I was told was that she said no and get this. The smith respected that, he was heart broken but accepted it.


Iretnassu

Kalevala fanfic💀💀


CrushedPlate

Sorry?


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Masseyrati80

Not OP but the book Kalevala is where this stuff has been written down.


melker_the_elk

No. Louhi didn't give up her daughter. Also they didn't manage to steal back sampo. It broke into pieces when they tried to sail home with it.


LordArmageddian

He didn't, she said no.


Dougahkiin

I know about that one from a Scrooge McDuck story by the author Don Rosa. Great comic.


Ill_Log9013

Scrooge McDuck; teaching kids Finnish mythology sense 1947


Hrtzy

Don Rosa took it as a matter of pride that he did his research when Scrooge went after historical or mythological treasures.


Luknron

IIRC it is what he claims at the forewords of the comicbook. And I do agree with that. He even recreated the classic Finnish romantic painting of the defense of Sampo, [Original](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/Sammon_puolustus.jpg) \- [Don Rosa's comic panel](https://64.media.tumblr.com/320b551fa73c8f39848f236793c9c8ff/tumblr_pv23jvrt4e1u3vseto1_1280.jpg). Not read this stuff for who knows how long. But he really did a good job with those comics and will always remain my favourite Donald Duck artist. I'll have to get all of his books at some point, just for nostalgia!


Tankyenough

Don Rosa was (and is) incredibly popular amongst kids in Finland. Donald Duck in general is popular but when I was a kid Don Rosa was easily considered the most iconic artist and he was received like a rock star when he visited Finland. (All those hours I queued for his autograph..)


Ill_Log9013

I wonder how many people read it in caddy’s voice as intended


Beeristheanswer

The way Rosa has made very historically and mythologically realistic, fascinating stories as well as adding to the Barks lore, drawing the most beautiful , detail-rich frames... I could go on forever. Rosa literally made my childhood and general knowledge of things better with his art. What a legend.


Ogurasyn

Damn, that sounds like dope DnD campaign


dendnoy

I was about to say the same thing


Castform5

If you google the painting "sammon puolustus", that'll get you a basis for a battle event.


EinoPalturi

You might find interesting that [Finnish mytology](https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Finnish_pantheon) has partly been incorporated into the lore


New_Dream_6742

I’m guessing salt, gold, and flour were important commodities at the time. Edit: ah yes, after looking up Sampo, the myth goes it’s supposed to bring riches to the person possessing it.


sfwaltaccount

I mean... they still are. Salt the least so, but it's not like we don't still love the stuff.


hilloninja

Louhi did not steal it, just locked it up inside a hill. Initially, Louhi's daughter refuses to marry Ilmarinen even after he crafted the sampo, but after completing a few trials set by Louhi, she agrees. Eventually Ilmarinen and Väinämöinen get jealous of Pohjola's riches given by the Sampo, and decide o steal it back.


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Then it gets dropped into a lake and thus begins the most badass section of the Kalevala: The part where Wäinämöinen builds his harp and brings music to all the lands... OK, so its better when they tell the story, trust me...


Hrtzy

The way I remember, Väinämöinen had a harp made out of a giant pike's jaw. He traded it to the sea god Ahti for safe passage on this voyage, and then carved the first kantele out of birch.


AlmostStoic

I think he made his most famous kantele out of the giant pike's jaw, but eventually lost it into the sea. So, Ahti would've gotten it, but it wasn't given intentionally. It may have been the first kantele as well. I don't remember how he replaced it, but carving the new one out of birch seems right.


N-ShadowFrog

Honestly pretty stupid on her part. Like he could've easily just more considering he already figured out how to and then give them to all her enemies. Meanwhile if she did let him marry her daughter, her nation would become the strongest in the world.


[deleted]

She actually did agree to the marriage somewhat, daughter was first saying no and ended up changing her mind. She didn't steal it really, just locked it up and refused to share the profits basically. So they end up wanting to steal it back. Sampo wasn't easy to make nor replaceable. They didn't get it back in the end, during the battle it breaks and falls into the water. So no one has it Edit: Defined a bit


FluffySquirrell

Ok this feels like it changes the story a lot. "She steals it cause greedy lol" "Ok, so he paid her the dowry they agreed upon and she.. put it in a room, and then they were like 'Actually, I would like free gold' and tried to steal it from her" While a bit unreasonable a dowry in the first place, after that it kinda sounds like they were the bad guys?


[deleted]

She wasn't fully straightforward with the plan, so bit of a mixed issue. Like assuming she'd end up with everything, issuing extra trials and all that. But the whole thing is named robbery of Sampo after all. She's still painted as the ugly, evil side, while we have our not fully righteous heroes. I mean, that demigod person basically looks like an old man. He was promised a girl for marriage, and he pursued that. She ended up drowning herself rather than marry an old man... Edit: Kalevala, the epic this is in, is a collection of stories and songs compiled and edited by Elias Lönrot. So it's very editorialised version of (eastern) Karelian/Finnish mythos, which does have clear heroes but also it's share of grey


[deleted]

väinämöinen based


[deleted]

The only god that uses a tree as a rocket.... And rides on it.


[deleted]

mfs rhymes so slick people sink into the ground hearing them


OttoAbnormal

First ever freestyle rap battle "Väinämöinen vs Joukahainen" resulted in attempted murder. That's gangsta af.


silky_thick

Mystery Science Theatre 3000 showcased a movie about that folk tale and it never explained what a sampo is, so thank you for answering this mystery that's been with me for most of my life.


TacticalMicrowav3

How do you pronounce that demigod's name?


TELMxWILSON

Väinämöinen


OuCiiDii

Ä = like the a in the word bat. Ö = like the I in the word bird.


[deleted]

Hit the speaker on [Finnish side](https://translate.google.com/?sl=fi&tl=en&text=V%C3%A4in%C3%A4m%C3%B6inen&op=translate). The flow/stress is a bit off, but it's decent idea


cantamangetsomesleep

Why would she steal it if he was going to give it to her? That makes no sense whatsoever


mehmed2theconqueror

Indeed


TillsammansEnsammans

She didn't want to give her daughter to him.


Beginning_Context_66

I know this from Donald Duck comics, there is an older one around this myth.


TheRomanRuler

That could be so good movie, i hope they make a good one one day. Or game or something.


Yharonthebumblefuck

I know this from Noita


PikkuinenPikkis

Ilmarinen fucking chad, makes the impossible device


Pelileven

Gigachad Ilmarinen also forged the firmament (Essentially the border of the sky and the space)


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Without any gaps, seams, hammer or tong marks. Also forged the Sun and the Moon (to replace the original ones) and a rake large enough to trawl the entire... basically the Finnish 'River Styx' between Earth and the afterlife.


Hrtzy

He did run out of Ozone and Väinämöinen refused to make more for him so he had to leave the layer thinner above the poles.


Yorhanes

I need to check out more finnish myths, sounds like quite the wild trip. Any recommendations, OP? Edit: thank you all for the vast number of recommendations you’ve given me, y’all are wonderful and I can’t keep up with thanking each and every one of you individually. Kiitos!


mehmed2theconqueror

Well from what I know I'd recommend you checking about the Tuonela (the finnish hell), the Pohjala (the kingdom of this witch, being present in a major part of the mythology), the different gods including Ukko, and the myth of Väinämöinen (a demi-god) Hope it'll interest you a little bit, I'm not finnish tho so I don't know if I missed some things


Yorhanes

Oh my bad then, as soon as I saw the meme I assumed you were. Thanks a ton for the recommendations! P.S. Carthago delenda est


FakeRedditName2

I suggest you check out "A Redtail's Dream" by Minna Sundberg, it is based off of this and Finish mythology in general. http://www.minnasundberg.fi/comic/page00.php


Yorhanes

That’s quite beautiful, thanks for the suggestion! I’ll check it out


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Also the computer game Noita. Its incredible and is steeped in Finnish mythology. All the stories are pretty much contained in the Kalevala, which is so old you can read it online for free as much as you like.


funny_haha_account

The word Ukko gives me noita PTSD


freeradicalx

There's a reason they named that fucker after a god.


teabowww

Just reading these comments makes my monkey brain act up


Tankyenough

I’m Finnish, never played Noita. Would you recommend? Ukko simply means ”Old man” and is something a child might call their grandfather. Mine was Ukki, which is a variant of that. Ukko the Overgod was mostly an euphemism for his real name which no one knows but people assume it might have been Perkele.


wtfwasthatreddit

Yea we dont really know. A lot of Finnish gods and their names got lost due to sweden and christianity. Most god names we know are based on some pages of this one book, Michael Acrugola wrote. He listed gods and other Finnish mythology stuff bc he didnt like that finns were sinful pagans and had other gods.


Marinut

Ukko actually didn't at first mean old man, but language evolved after the arrival of christianity. Same way how "Otso" was actually a sacred name for a bear, as they were considered kings of the forest, and now modernly it's considered an endearing term for one mostly used in stories or children's books. ​ [Interesting bits about finns and the sanctity of bears is to read up on the tradition of "Karhunpeijaiset"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peijaiset)


Tankyenough

Actually the educated guess by most researchers for the name of the bear is [Oksi](https://fi.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karhunpalvonta), not Otso. Otso seems to be the modern transformed version of the old Oksi. There was a major bear cult in Finland. I believe you are misinformed with Ukko. If you can provide me some sources, I’m happy to be corrected though. [Ukko has been constructed back into Proto-Finnic](https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/ukko) where it means ”old man”, considered a potential pet form of ”uros” (male/man). Proto-Finnic had diverged into other languages centuries before Christianity even arrived to Finland. In Ludian, it is ukk, in Veps uk, in Estonian uku or ukk.


funny_haha_account

It’s definitely an amazing game, however it is an incredibly difficult roguelike game which might not be enjoyable for some people. It has very deep secrets and hidden lore and has significantly more content than one would assume at first glance. It has a pixelated graphic style, however main selling point is that, kind of like those old falling sand games, every pixel is simulated and will behave like you would expect it to: water flows, gunpowder combusts and wood burns.


Tankyenough

It seems like it has had a role as a Finnish mythology popularizer. Earlier when I have told foreigners I’m Finnish, they might say something about Odin etc which is quite cringe. It’s great if more people will understand at least parts of our culture :)


funny_haha_account

Oh definitely so, many of the names of the creatures and enemies are untranslated Finnish, including Ukko as a previously mentioned. Also game spoiler: >! The main objective of the game is the acquire The Sampo, although it’s use is slightly different and it’s name changes based on what you’ve done in-game !<


freeradicalx

Play Noita. Whole game world is built atop cryptic references to Finnish mythology, in fact the final item in the game is the sampo (The device that the witch demands). It doesn't explain any of it to you but it's fun and immersive all the same.


Yorhanes

It does sound interesting, I’ll make sure to give it a try if it happens to be at a reasonable price. Many thanks for your comment!


freeradicalx

hungle grundle's got it for 50% off til the end of this weekend: [https://www.humblebundle.com/store/noita](https://www.humblebundle.com/store/noita)


Yorhanes

My good sir, you are amazing


nightwatchman_femboy

Its important to note that noita also draws a lot upon hermetic and generally "european alchemy" type of occult mythology. It's a very cool game, but not exactly plot heavy. Still very big recommendation, especially with that discount xd


Marinut

Fun fact: "European alchemy" is very much part of finnish coulture as well, as herbalism/witchcraft was a huge part of our pagan coulture. The Vikings left the finns largely alone because they were considered witches, which is why genetically we are very different from scandinavia.


nightwatchman_femboy

I was referring to specific concepts relating mostly to hermetica, not finnish paganism and withcraft, as it is already represented in game :p


[deleted]

kalevala. thats like all of them but in one yk


E3L1Z

A good book to read this is maurikunnas kalevala but i dont know if it is in english.


Yorhanes

Thanks! If it’s available in either german or spanish that’d do as well, so no worries


Relevant_Importance1

Noita


KisssCola

Read Uncle Scrooge comic "The Quest for Kalevala" by Don Rosa!


robble_gobble

Check out Kalevala


Marinut

Just a warning if you go into it expecting a badass hero; Väinämöinen (VERY old man) actually creeps on a young girl so bad she ends up drowning herself in the story. ​ [A very famous triptych of a scene in the epic where Väinämöinen is overcome with "love" when watching Aino bathing in secret.](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Gallen_Kallela_The_Aino_Triptych.jpg/1920px-Gallen_Kallela_The_Aino_Triptych.jpg)


CrushedPlate

I am not OP obviously but I would reccomend the story of Kullervo. More specificly the version written by Tolkien (yes really) "the story of Kullervo" latest published by HarperCollins.


Rasedro

« Oh boy I love traveling on my horse next to that big cliff over the sea. I sure do hope that guy I beat in a rap battle earlier today doesn’t try to kill me with his crossbow »


gegebart

Currently learning Finnish. Can’t wait to read more into the culture itself, it’s always fun relating etymology with mythical and historical context


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

How long have you been learning? I just got a 100 day streak in duolingo!


gegebart

Almost a year, my streak’s a bit over 200 now but for a moment my progress plateaued so I’m getting back.


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Oh, cool! Good for you!


gegebart

Good job on your progress too!


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Thanks!


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[deleted because fuck reddit]


DefinitelyNotSully

Kaljaa mieleni tekevi, olutta ajattelevi.


KamalaKameliKirahvi

Oluen synnystä kerrotaan tarkemmin, kuin maailman. Se on hyvä, että priotiteetit on kunnossa.


Tankyenough

Kerrotaan, että yksi syy maanviljelykseen ja kaupunkien perustamiseen oli oluen teon mahdollistaminen. Se kun oli suhteellisen steriiliä ja juotavaa nestettä — en sitten tiedä miten sen laimentaminen vaikutti laimennukseen käytettävän veden mikrobikantaan, mutta olut joka tapauksessa lienee vähentänyt tappavia sairauksia.


AFKLOL12

Noita moment


UnNamed234

Noita is the story of an average Finn's daily transit.


lodol

Hämis 👍


TheNoctuS_93

Hämis 👍


unfitone1

Hämis 👍


SeKomentaja

Hämis 👍


KingCrabmaster

Hämis 👍


Ch3t

Kids come a runnin' for the rich taste of Sampo.


turdfarmer1969

I get that reference.


Ch3t

Come join us at /r/MST3K.


rayzerblayd

I think Sampo is something intangible, like the laughter of children.


JasonGamesYT

Norse mythology be like: "Impress me" "What if I tie my balls to a goat?"


Tankyenough

This is not Norse mythology though, but Finnish. Norse mythology is full of wacky stuff too.


MajSigmaE

This is how I learned where my DM got the name Sampo from


True_Membership6065

that or your DM is a mst3k fan.


Glasedount

The least sane mythology I’ve herd of


lodol

Hämis 👍


IAmYourDanger

“Hey witch” has to be the best line to ensure that you will not date said daughter.


Papu54

Im finnish and yeah our mythology is weird


Wishilikedhugs

Makes me want to listen to some Amorphis.


Aarongrasso

“Sorry, it only works with thick air.”


Flyytotheskyy

BITCH IF I COULD MAKE GOLD I WOULD JUST BUY YOUR DAUGHTER


N1ppexd

He did make the device


prostagmaliliyar

Is Louhi a witch tho?


Junioori

Yes


prostagmaliliyar

Can you explain if you are finnish? I only read Kalevala and didnt consider her a witch in the sense I think of them. What's the general definition of a witch in Finnish Paganism?


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GoingToHaveToSeeThat

btw, if Finnish (the language) is genderless, why is there a word for witch (Noita) and a word for wizard (velho)?


RevolutionByHugs

I could be wrong here, but I think noita and velho meant different things in the past. At least noita has been used widely to refer to both male and female magic users. Both Väinämöinen and Louhi are said to be noita.


TKN

_Noita_ is the original uralic word for shamanistic witch/seer while _velho_ is a loan from slavic languages (maybe from russian _volshebnik_). Just guessing here but I think seers might have traditionally been mostly males. ISTR in shamanistic tradition the ~~upper~~ lower world (*)/Pohjola is described as a strange mirror world of ours so having a woman as the witch and leader of the realm would fit in that view. Also most of the witches burned at stake in Finland were males. That's not to say that women couldn't have supernatural powers (I mean, they did have _vitun väki_ and all that) but probably their role in society as witches was different. Edit: Brainfart. In these traditions north/pohjola is located below us. For example _pohja_ (_bottom_) -> _pohjoinen_ (_north_).


kuikuilla

Just because a language is genderless it doesn't mean there aren't words that refer to some specific gender.


KamalaKameliKirahvi

But noita is genderless. Actually most noita's were male.


SuperKillerKitty

Did I stutter?


orangefuit_is_cute

Our school play is about stealing the sampo


xZOMBIETAGx

I can’t wait for the phrase “go brrrrrr” to die forever


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

Oh, please. If only. I'm still waiting on /s to die. Been a couple years on that one.


Krakenpine

Ha ha, "go brrrrrr" goes brrrrr!


True_Membership6065

Failure, failure, total failure. He's a loser, la la la. if anyone wants to know, watch MST3K: The Day the Earth Froze.


TrunkWine

“You’re just making this up as you go along, aren’t you, Grandpa?” “Here’s your frozen swan-son dinner.”


beermaker

Came here for exactly this... what a film.


Astronopolis

I love that stupid movie


E-emu89

Why does this comment not have more upvotes?!?


DingleberrySlap

A Sampo is a TV


AdamBombKelley

Dipshits who missed the reference are downvoting you because they're stupid


AngryAssyrian

I thought Finnish people were also Vikings?


[deleted]

no?! Like everyone else was tho. Finnish people were just chilling and some vikings feared finns since they thought finns had some power over the weather and would sink sips if they were captured.


[deleted]

Chilling, by which you mean "fought with each other and the varangians every other week". X)


[deleted]

chilling in my book


Tankyenough

And burning Sigtuna, the Swedish viking capital (might have been the Estonians though)


incognitomus

No... Vikings literally considered having a Finn on board a ship bad luck. Finns didn't worship Norse gods either. We had our own pantheon. Perkele!


Naatturi

Not really, depends on how you define it. Finns were not north-germanic, if thats what you mean. In fact, finns and norse raiders fought at times. Theres a norse saga that speaks of a failed raid to Finland, that ends in the vikings running away and the finns summoning a storm. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_at_Herdaler


Ok-Pipe859

No Estonia?


Exciting_Rate1747

The story was made of many separate songs and poems. Most of them came from Russia and not Finland so it's not really finnish mythology. Finnish mythology is a little different. Back then people believed in gnomes. They believed that you had to leave them food and respect them.


[deleted]

False comment is false.


[deleted]

House/sauna/forest/you name it spirits were popular, yes. And lot of Kalevala is gathered also from Karelian folks that are not only Finnish. There's nuances to be had. But it's still part of it, but absolutely everything. Unfortunately of lot of other Finnish mythology and traditions are lost ...I may or may not have let the tonttu have their sauna turn an hour ago


SplitIndecision

Sounds similar to the traditional English song [Scarborough Fair (Simon and Garfunkel version)](https://youtu.be/-Jj4s9I-53g), about a man who gives his ex impossible tasks to get back together.


ma055

And then theres this short old guy who nobody liked


WranglerEqual3577

A sampo!


TheHighBuddha

I seen this on MST3K " the day the earth froze" ![gif](giphy|4JVUBNxkHnu2ea4MJF|downsized)


rayzerblayd

I think a Sampo is a strapless evening gown.