The spirit of nationalism that swept over the small peoples of Europe in the early nineteenth century touched faraway Finland and started the Finns on the quest of the Finnish. There as elsewhere scholars who were also patriots found that the native tongue, lost to the educated and the well-to-do, had been preserved in the songs and stories which were current among the peasants. Elias Lönnrot spent a long and busy life collecting those ancient runos from which he succeeded in building up a national epic, the Kalevala. This is Lönnrot's great contribution to his own country and to the world. Beside the material for the Kalevala Lönnrot made important collections of lyrics, proverbs, and stories. During his time and since other patriot scholars have made faithful records of the songs and tales which the old Finnish minstrels, the runolaulajat, chanted to the strains of the kantele. The mass of such material now gathered together in the archives of the Society of Finnish Literature at Helsingfors is imposing in bulk and of great importance to the student of comparative folklore.

"Mighty Mikko: A Book of Finnish Fairy Tales and Folk Tales" by Parker Fillmore. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

Storytelling as a living tradition has been preserved longer in Finland than in many other countries, because of its relative geographical isolation compared to other countries that more readily came into contact with other civilizations which destroyed local oral traditions. As in other countries, skilled storytellers were often representatives of the itinerant trades, such as cobblers, tailors, lumberjacks, peddlers, and beggars. Now available in paperback, this anthology of Finnish folktales is an excellent introduction to a rich oral tradition for both the general reader and for students of folklore. The book also includes a number of popular Finnish jokes and anecdotes. [Please note: This collection was previously published in hardback as The Maiden Who Rose from the Sea and Other Finnish Folktales by Hisarlik Press in 1992.]

Discover mighty eagles and mythical heroes in this beautifully illustrated prose retelling of Finland's classic epic

In Mikko's family, when a son is ready to marry, he must chop down a tree and then search for his bride by following the direction in which the tree points. When Mikko's brother chops down his tree, it points right to where his sweetheart lives. But when it's Mikko's turn, the tree points toward the deep, dark woods. What type of sweetheart can Mikko expect to find there? Though his brother taunts that the only wife Mikko will find in the forest will be a wolf or a fox, Mikko sets off optimistically. There he meets the most unusual of sweethearts, but one who proves that with an open heart and mind, love can be rewarded in the most surprising and unexpected ways. With luminous illustrations by Leonid Gore, Aaron Shepard retells a classic Finnish folktale that will delight young readers time and time again.

Trolls haunt the snowy forests, and terrifying monsters roam the open sea. A young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear. This collection of 16 traditional tales transports readers to the enchanting world of Nordic folklore. Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, and presented here unabridged, the stories are by turns magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling. They offer a fascinating view into Nordic culture and a comforting wintertime read. Ulla Thynell's glowing contemporary illustrations accompany each tale, conjuring dragons, princesses, and the northern lights. This special gift edition features an embossed, textured case and a ribbon marker.

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