Kalevala

Many centuries ago, in a land where tall pines and firs whisper, and the sea waves converse with the lake's surface, wonderful folk tales came to life. They were called runes and were passed down from generation to generation, to be compiled in the 19th century into a single poem by Finnish linguist Elias Lönnrot. Kalevala is the name of a sunny and blessed country where glorious heroes reside: here sings his prophetic songs the old, wise Väinämöinen, and everything happens by his word; here the fearless hunter, cheerful Lemminkäinen, goes to propose in the gloomy land of Pohjola; and here the skillful blacksmith Ilmarinen forges a marvelous mill, Sampo, which can bestow upon its owner flour, salt, and gold. The heroes set out on journeys and perform feats, defeat evil, and restore justice – so that there may be wealth and happiness in their homeland, so that the good people may not know evil and distress. The legendary Karelian-Finnish epic was retold for children by Alexandra Lyubarskaya and brought to life in illustrations by Nikolai Kocherhin.