Kullervo

Also known as: Kalervo's offspring / Kalervo's son / Kullervoinen · Family: House of Kalervo · Role: slave · First appears: Runo XXXI · Untamo and Kullervo · Part 1

In Runo XXXI, Kullervo was born to Kullervo's mother, who named him Kullervo, while Untamo called him the Battle-hero. Still a small boy, he declared that he would avenge his father’s slaughter and his mother’s tears. Untamo’s people tried to drown him, burn him and hang him, but he survived each attempt; at last Untamo kept him as a slave, then sold him to Ilmarinen.

In Runo XXXII, Maid of Pohja took Kullervo as her herdsman. In Runo XXXIII, after breaking the knife inherited from his father, he turned wolves and bears into cattle and drove them home; they killed Ilmarinen’s wife when she came to milk them. Kullervo then hurried away and, in Runo XXXIV, learned that his parents were alive. His mother recognized him as her son.

In Runo XXXV, Kullervo recalled his crooked upbringing by Kullervo's foster-father and Kullervo's foster-mother. Sent by Kalervo to pay the taxes and land-dues, he met a maiden, forced her into his sledge, and had a sexual encounter with her; only afterward did they discover she was his sister, Kullervo's sister. She rushed into the river, and Kullervo refused his mother’s advice to hide, choosing instead to go to battle.

In Runo XXXVI, Kullervo went forth to battle and learned that his father and Kullervo's brother had died. At Untola, Ukko granted him the sword he requested, and Kullervo slaughtered Untamo’s entire tribe and burned their houses. He then set the sword against his own breast and threw himself upon it.