Summaries: W. F. Kirby, 1907, from Lönnrot's summaries in the 1849 edition.
Lines 1–128
Kullervo escapes from the homestead of Ilmarinen, and wanders sorrowfully through the forest, where he meets with the Old Woman of the Forest, who informs him that his father, mother, brothers and sisters are still living.
Finnish, 1849English, W. F. Kirby, 1907
1Kullervo, Kalervon poika,Kullervo, Kalervo's offspring, 2sinisukka äijön lapsi,He, the youth with blue-dyed stockings, 3hivus keltainen, korea,And with yellow hair the finest, 4kengän kauto kaunokainen,And with shoes of finest leather, 5itse läksi astumahanHurried quickly on his journey 6luota seppo Ilmarisen,From the home of Ilmarinen, 7ennenkuin isäntä saisiEre report could reach the master 8naisen kuolon korvihinsa,Of the death his wife had suffered, 9painuisi pahoille mielin,And might harm him in his anger, 10tapahtuisi tappelohon.And he might at once destroy him. 11Läksi soitellen seposta,From the smith he hurried piping, 12ilon lyöen Ilman mailta,Joyful left the lands of Ilma, 13kullervoiten kankahalla,On the heath his horn blew loudly, 14patakoitellen palolla:Shouted loudly in the clearing, 15suo sorahti, maa järähti,And he dashed through plains and marshes, 16kangas vastahan kajahtiWhile the heath re-echoed loudly, 17Kullervoisen soitantoa,And his horn kept loudly blowing, 18ilkeän ilonpitoa.And made horrible rejoicing. 19Kuului se sepon pajahan.In the smithy did they hear it, 20Seppo seisottui pajassa,At the forge the smith was standing, 21sai kujalle kuulemahan,To the lane he went to listen, 22kartanolle katsomahan,To the yard to look around him, 23mikä soitanta salolla,Who was playing in the forest, 24kullervointa kankahalla.And upon the heath was piping. 25Jo näki toet totiset,Then he saw what just had happened, 26valehettomat, vakaiset:Saw the truth without deception, 27näki naisen nukkunehen,There he saw his wife was resting, 28kaunoisensa kaatunehen,Saw the fair one who had perished, 29kaatunehen kartanolle,Where she in the yard had fallen, 30kellistynehen keolle.On the grass where she had fallen. 31Siihen seppo seisottiheEven while the smith was standing, 32syämellä synkeällä.All his heart was dark with sorrow; 33Puuttui yöksi itkemähän,Many nights he spent in weeping, 34viikoksi vetistämähän.Many weeks his tears were flowing, 35Mieli ei tervoa parempi,And his soul like tar was darkened, 36syän ei syttä valkeampi.And his heart than soot no lighter. 37Itse Kullervo käveli,Kullervo still wandered onwards, 38astui eelle jonnekunne,Aimlessly he hurried forward, 39päivän korpia kovia,For a day through thickest forest, 40hiien hirsikankahia.Through the timber-grounds of Hiisi, 41Illan tullen, yön pimetenAnd at evening, when it darkened, 42päätyi maahan mättähälle.Down upon the ground he threw him. 43Siinä istuvi isotoin,There the orphan boy was sitting, 44armotoin ajattelevi:And the friendless one reflected: 45"Mikä lie minunki luonut,"Wherefore have I been created, 46kuka kurjaisen kuvannutWho has made me, and has doomed me, 47kuuksi päiväksi kululle,Thus 'neath moon and sun to wander 48iäkseni ilman alle?'Neath the open sky for ever? 49"Kotihinsa muut menevät,"Others to their homes may journey, 50majoillensa matkoavat:And may travel to their dwellings, 51mull' on korvessa kotini,But my home is in the forest, 52kankahalla kartanoni,And upon the heath my homestead. 53tuulessa tulisijani,In the wind I find my fire-place, 54satehessa saunan löyly.In the rain I find my bathroom. 55"Ellöspä, hyvä Jumala,"Never, Jumala most gracious, 56elkösi sinä ikänäNever in the course of ages, 57luoko lasta luonnotointaForm a child thus mis-created, 58eikä aivan armotointa,Doomed to be for ever friendless, 59isotointa alle ilman,Fatherless beneath the heavens, 60emotointa ensinkänä,From the first without a mother, 61niinkuin loit minun, Jumala,As thou, Jumala, hast made me, 62minun kurjaisen kuvasit,And hast formed me to be wretched, 63loit kuin lokkien sekahan,Formed me like a wandering seagull, 64karille meren kajavan!Like a seagull on the lake-cliffs. 65Päivä pääskyille tulevi,Shines the sun upon the swallow, 66varpusille valkenevi,Brightly shines upon the sparrow, 67ilo ilman lintusille;In the air the birds are joyous, 68ei minulle milloinkana,I myself am never happy, 69tule ei päivä polvenensa,On my life the sun shines never, 70ei ilo sinä ikänä!And my life is always joyless. 71"En tieä tekijätäni"Now I know not who has nursed me, 72enkä tunne tuojoani.And I know not who has borne me, 73Liekö telkkä tielle tehnyt,For, as water-hens are used to, 74sorsa suolle suorittanut,Or as ducks among the marshes, 75tavi rannalle takonut,Like the teal on shore she left me, 76koskelo kiven kolohon?Or in hollow stone, merganser. 77"Piennä jäin minä isosta,"I was small, and lost my father, 78matalana maammostani.I was weak, and lost my mother, 79Iso kuoli, äiti kuoli,Dead is father, dead is mother, 80kuoli muu sukuni suuri;All my mighty race has perished, 81jätti mulle jäiset kengät,Shoes of ice to wear they left me, 82sukat uhkuiset unohti;Filled with snow they left my stockings, 83jätti jäisille jälille,On the ice they left me lying, 84pyöriville portahille,Rolling on the platform left me, 85joka suohon sortumahan,Thus I fell into the marshes, 86likahan litistymähän...And amid the mud was swallowed. 87Vaan en nyt iällä tällä,"But in all my life I never, 88en mä vielä jouakanaNever in my life I hastened, 89soille sotkuportahiksi,Through the swamp to make a platform, 90silloiksi likasijoille.Or a bridge in marshy places; 91Enkä sinnes suohon sorru,But I sank not in the marshes, 92kunnes kannan kahta kättä,For I had two hands to help me, 93viittä sormea viritän,And I had five nimble fingers, 94kynttä kymmentä ylennän."And ten nails to lift me from it." 95Jopa juohtui mielehensä,Then into his mind it entered 96puuttui aivohon ajatusIn his brain he fixed the notion 97käyä Untamon kylähän,Unto Untamo to journey, 98kostoa isonsa kohlut,There his father's wrongs avenging, 99ison kohlut, maammon mahlat,Father's wrongs, and tears of mother, 100itsensä pahoin-piännät.And the wrongs himself had suffered. 101Sanan virkkoi, noin nimesi:Then he spoke the words which follow: 102"Vuota, vuota, Untamoinen,"Wait thou, wait thou, Untamoinen, 103maltapa, sukuni surma!Watch thou, of my race destroyer! 104Kun tulen minä sotahan,If I seek thee out in battle, 105tokko saan tuvat tuhaksi,I will quickly burn thy dwelling, 106kartanot kekälehiksi?"And thy farms to flame deliver." 107Tuli akka vastahansa,Then an old dame came to meet him, 108siniviitta viian eukko.Blue-robed Lady of the Forest, 109Hänpä tuon sanoiksi virkki,And she spoke the words which follow, 110itse lausui, noin nimesi:And in words like these expressed her: 111"Kunne läksit, Kullervoinen,"Whither goeth Kullervoinen, 112kaaloat, Kalervon poika?"Where will Kalervo's son hasten?" 113Kullervo, Kalervon poika,Kullervo, Kalervo's offspring, 114sanan virkkoi, noin nimesi:Answered in the words which follow: 115"Juohtui mielehen minulle,"In my mind the thought has entered, 116puuttui aivohon ajatusIn my brain has fixed the notion 117mennä tuonne toisialle,Hence to other lands to wander, 118käyä Untamon kylähän,Unto Untamo's own village, 119kostoa sukuni surma,There my father's death avenging, 120ison kohlut, maammon mahlat,Father's wrongs, and tears of mother, 121polttoa tuvat tuhaksi,There with fire to burn the houses, 122kypeniksi kyyetellä."And to burn them up completely." 123Akka tuo sanoiksi virkki,But the old wife made him answer, 124itse lausui, noin nimesi:And she spoke the words which follow: 125"Ei ole surmattu sukusi,"No, your race has not yet perished, 126viel' ei kaatunut Kalervo.Nor has Kalervo been murdered; 127On sulla iso elossa,For your father still is living, 128maammo maille tervehenä."And on earth in health your mother." Folk songs that share lines with this passage
SKVR XIII1 2102. — Etelä-Karjala · 1837 · Elias Lönnrot
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 55 "Ellöspä, hyvä Jumala, | Elkään hyvä Jumala |
| 57 luoko lasta luonnotointa | Luoko lasta luon̄otonta |
| 58 eikä aivan armotointa, | Eikä aivan armotonta, |
| 61 niinkuin loit minun, Jumala, | Niinkuin minun on Jumala luont |
More shared lines (4)
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 65 Päivä pääskyille tulevi, | Päivä pääskyille tuloo, |
| 67 ilo ilman lintusille; | Ilo ilman lintusille, |
| 68 ei minulle milloinkana, | Ei minulle emottomalle |
| 70 ei ilo sinä ikänä! | Ei ilo sinä ikänä. |
SKVR VII2 1793. — Liperi · 1890 · K. Hyttinen
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 55 "Ellöspä, hyvä Jumala, | Elköön hyvä Jumala |
| 57 luoko lasta luonnotointa | Luoko lasta luomatonta, |
| 58 eikä aivan armotointa, | Eikä aivan armotonta, |
| 61 niinkuin loit minun, Jumala, | Niinkuin loi minun Jumala: |
More shared lines (2)
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 67 ilo ilman lintusille; | Ilo ilman lintusille, |
| 68 ei minulle milloinkana, | Ei minulle milloinkaan. |
SKVR XIII1 2100. — Sakkola · 1854 · Kaarlo Slöör
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 55 "Ellöspä, hyvä Jumala, | Elköön hyvä Jumala |
| 58 eikä aivan armotointa, | Eikä aivan armotonta, |
| 64 karille meren kajavan! | Karille meren kajavan. |
| 67 ilo ilman lintusille; | Ilo ilman lintuisille, |
More shared lines (1)
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 70 ei ilo sinä ikänä! | Ei ilo sinä ikänä. |
JR 42607 — Kuhmoinen · 1967 · Sanna Mattila
This song may draw on the printed Kalevala.
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 91 Enkä sinnes suohon sorru, | En mä sinnes suohon sorru, |
| 92 kunnes kannan kahta kättä, | kunnes kannan kahta kättä, |
| 93 viittä sormea viritän, | viittä sormea viritän, |
| 94 kynttä kymmentä ylennän." | kynttä kymmentä ylennä. |
SKVR VII2 1864. — Ilomantsi · 1841 · Elias Lönnrot
| Kalevala | This song |
|---|
| 73 Liekö telkkä tielle tehnyt, | Liekkö telkkä tielle tehnyt, |
| 74 sorsa suolle suorittanut, | Sorsa suolle suorittanut, |
| 76 koskelo kiven kolohon? | Koskelo kiven kolohon? |
More folk songs share lines with this passage; the reader shows the closest matches of each line.
About the text and the folk songs
How the songs were found: a folk song is listed under a passage when at least three lines of the passage, spread over at least four lines, can be paired one to one with lines of the song. The two lines of a pair have at least two words in common, and these make up at least half of all the different words of the two lines together. Words are compared as written, so a dialect form counts as a different word. Lines that occur five or more times in the Kalevala, such as “Kullervo, Kalervon poika”, are left out, and so are pairs whose shared words are all among the hundred commonest words of the Kalevala. The songs with the most pairs come first (among equals, the one written down earliest), and up to five are shown under each passage.
The songs were written down at different times, some before the 1849 Kalevala appeared and some after it, when singers could have learned from the book. That is why each song shows the year it was written down. Songs that the archive files as learned from the Kalevala are not listed, songs that on reading turned out to follow the printed book are left out, and doubtful cases carry a note.
A shared line does not show that Lönnrot knew or used the song: the same lines were sung by many singers in many places. For what he worked from, see the commentary in Avoin Kalevala, the Finnish Literature Society's online edition, linked from each canto page. The closest matches of each line are in the poem reader, and Runoregi, the FILTER project's research tool, also shows similar lines line by line.
The Finnish text is the 1849 Kalevala as RunoVerse's poem reader gives it. Its spelling is more modern than that of the first printing (for example Venäjän and kaitsijaksi, where the first printing has Wenäjän and kaitsiaksi), and some lines differ from it in wording. Avoin Kalevala shows the text of the first printing. Where the reader's text has a typing error, these pages correct it from the first printing. The lines are numbered as in the first printing. The English is W. F. Kirby's translation of 1907, which follows the Finnish line by line.
Written down after 1849: 6 of the 9 songs listed on this page.