First compiled from oral tradition in a systemic way in the early 19th century, this is the Finnish national epic, the greatest example of Finnish literature and the ancient text that illuminates the unique character of these Baltic peoples. Here, in lyrical, expressive language, are nearly 23,000 verses relating the adventures of the legendary heroes Väinämöinen, the "eternal sage," and his companion, the "everlasting smith" Ilmarinen; of the deity Lemminkäinen; and other magical demigods. With its grand scope encompassing the dawn of prehistory through the Iron Age, Kalevala is a work of vital anthropological significance, from its creation mythology to its marking of the shifts in cultural ideas and attitudes, particularly as pagan belief systems clash with arriving Christianity in the latest verses.This edition features the now-classic 1907 translation by British entomologist WILLIAM FORSELL KIRBY (1844-1913), and will thrill readers of comparative mythology as well as fans of imaginative epic literature.