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An epic border: Finland’s poetic masterpiece, the Kalevala, has roots in 2 cultures and 2 countries

  • Written by Thomas A. DuBois, Professor of Scandinavian Studies, Folklore, and Religious Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison
An epic border: Finland’s poetic masterpiece, the Kalevala, has roots in 2 cultures and 2 countries'The Defense of the Sampo,' by early-20th-century Finnish painter Joseph Alanen, was inspired by tales from the Kalevala.Heritage Images/Hulton Archive via Getty Images

At the outset of the Kalevala, Finland’s national epic, a singer bemoans his separation from a beloved friend who grew up beside him. Today, the friends rarely meet...

Read more: An epic border: Finland’s poetic masterpiece, the Kalevala, has roots in 2 cultures and 2 countries