The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That CountryKirby, W. F. (William Forsell)
History
The Hero of Esthonia and Other Studies in the Romantic Literature of That Country
Kirby, W. F. (William Forsell)
Estonian literature; Estonian literature -- History and criticism
[42]
We find this great oak-tree over and over again in
Finnish and Esthonian tales. Compare _Kalevala_, Runo
2, and Cantos 4,
5,
6, and 16 of the _Kalevipoeg_. Neus, _Ehstnische
Volkslieder_, p. 47; Kreutzwald and Neus, _Mythische
und Magische Lieder_, p. 8, &c. Could this oak have any
connection, direct or indirect, with the ash
Yggthrasil? or could the story have originated in some
report or tradition of the banyan?
[43]
The tremendous exploits of the Kalevide and his
weariness afterwards give him much of the character of
a Berserk.
[44]
In the 26th Runo of the _Kalevala_ Lemminkainen
creates a flock of birds from a handful of feathers,
to appease the fiery eagle who obstructed his way to
Pohjola. We may also remember Jason and the dragon's
teeth.
[45]
In the _Kalevala_ (Runo 34) an old woman directs
Kullervo to the house of his parents.
[46]
The smith is sometimes called the uncle of Kalev; but
the term may only mean that he was an old friend.
[47]
The cuckoo is a sacred bird, but more often alluded to
in Finnish than in Esthonian literature.
[48]
This lake (Saad järv) lies a little north of Dorpat.
[49]
Nothing is said as to how the government was carried
on during the Kalevide's minority.
[50]
White horses constantly occur in Esthonian tales; and
the devil's mother or grandmother usually appears as a
white mare. One of the commentators remarks that as
the white horse was sacred in pre-Christian times, the
missionaries represented it as peculiarly diabolical.
It will be remembered with what severity the early
missionaries suppressed the horse feasts among the
Teutonic tribes.
[51]
This is a little like the formation of the world from
the body of the giant Ymir, as described in the Edda.
As W. Herbert paraphrases it,
"Of his bones the rocks high swelling,
Of his flesh the globe is made,
From his veins the tide is welling,
And his locks are verdant shade."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account