What we know of Finnish mythology comes mostly from
the epic work Kalevala, the 22,000 collected verses by
Elias Lonnrot. Within it are several cosmologies: stoneage myths,
ideas adopted from the Viking adventurers, Christian legeds, poems
of the countryfolk and traditions passed along by witches.
The Goddess Paivatar is the virginal sun goddess
who lives in the sky and weaves the golden light of day. Her sister
is the moon goddess who weaves the silver light of the moon.
Paivatar's symbols are connected to spinning and
weaving. For the Finns, their gods were related to their severe
living conditions, and were essential for survival. Nature and
everyday life were seeped in magic. Spinning and weaving played
an enormous role in the lives of the women. They'd spend long
hours spinning thread and weaving the cloth required to clothe
the village and outfit the sailboats. While spinning and weaving,
the women told stories:
One day the sun was stolen away by a witch named
Louhi, who used a magical song to freeze the sun inside a metal
mountain. For five years, it was night and for ten more years,
even the stars lost their twinkle.
Even the Gods could stand it no more. They called
Vainomaoien and Ilmarinen to solve the problem and rescue Paivatar.
They wanted to forge a new sun of metal, using the heat from the
sun's baby, fire. The child had been lost by Paivatar -- was in
a cradle with Paivatar rocking him when he grew so hot, he burned
right through the cradle and fell from the sky.
Ilmarinen, a highly skilled smith, forged a new
sun and moon. With great difficulty he lifted the metal discs
into the sky, but the sun still did not shine and the moon did
not glow. They hung in the sky, but the world remained dark.
At that point, Vainomaoien, the poet, lost his temper
and stormed Louhi's house, demanding the crafty witch tell him
where the Goddess was hidden. Louhi taunted him: "The sun
got into the crag, the moon vanished into the rock, and they will
never be free! Never, never, never!"
Vainomaoien grew angry at her taunting and lopped
the heads off her men. He then went to find Paivatar.
On the way, he found nine doors, each with three
locks. So Ilmarinen set out to forge a three-tined hoe, ice picks
and a set of keys. While he worked, Louhi grew nervous and flew
to the window of the smithy disguised as a bird. Ilmarinen recognized
Louhi and told her he was fashioning a neck ring for that crafty
old Louhi.
Terrified, Louhi flew off and freed the sun. She
returned to the smithy as a pigeon and said "Look! The sun
is rising!" And so it was. The sky maiden warmed the earth
and she will remain with us evermore.
