Lemminkainen

Also known as: Ahti / Ahti Lemminkainen / Ahti Saarelainen / Ahto Saarelainen / Kauko / Kaukolainen / Kaukomieli · Family: Kalevala · Role: son of Lempi · First appears: Runo XI · Lemminkainen and Kyllikki · Part 1

In Runo XI, Lemminkainen, son of Lempi, was raised in a noble house by his mother, who warned him against marrying above his station. He nevertheless journeyed to Saari to woo Kyllikki, working as a herd-boy among the women and embracing the maidens except her. After she refused his advances, he seized her and carried her off; they swore that he would not go to battle and she would not visit the village, then returned to his mother. In Runo XII they lived quietly for a time, until he learned from his sister Ainikki that Kyllikki had gone to the village. He grew angry and went to battle in Pohja despite his wife’s and mother’s warnings, singing his opponents away and sparing only Markahattu.

In Runo XIII, seeking Maid of Pohja, Lemminkainen hunted Hiisi’s elk, though it escaped him. In Runo XIV he captured Hiisi’s courser, but Louhi made shooting the river-swan the condition for giving him her daughter. At Tuonela’s river, Markahattu struck him with a serpent and cast him into the water, where the bloodstained son of Tuoni cut him into pieces. In Runo XV his mother searched for him, raked his remains from the river, restored him to life, and anointed him until he awoke and recovered his speech; he then returned home with her.

In Runo XXVII, Lemminkainen came uninvited to the feast at Pohjola, drank ale after fishing serpents from it, and struck off the head of Pohjola's great Master. He fled, swore never again to take part in battle, and in Runo XXIX escaped to the island, where he lived among its women for three summers. After his boat was burned and a storm overturned the replacement he made, the mistress of a homestead gave him a vessel to return home; there he found his mother alive. In Runo XXX he set out against Pohja with Tiera, overcame Frost, and returned to his mother. Later, in Runo XXXIX, Väinämöinen accepted him as a comrade on the expedition for the Sampo. He helped carry it from Pohjola in Runo XLII and, in Runo XLIII, struck at the eagle’s talons with his sword.