Finnish Legends for English Children

"Finnish Legends for English Children" by R. Eivind is a compilation of stories for kids from the 1800s. The book shares Finnish folklore with English-speaking youngsters using stories based on the Kalevala epic. The stories revolve around Wainamoinen, a powerful wizard, and his magical trips filled with creation stories and meetings with other heroes from Finnish mythology. Father Mikko, a traveling seller, tells a family about Finnish stories during a snowstorm at the beginning of the collection. The family requests stories from how the world began. Father Mikko tells of Wainamoinen creating the world and the events that follow involving both people and mystical creatures. Wainamoinen's birth from Ilmatar, his battles with the Hisi-reindeer, and the power of magic are revealed in the tales, which explores Finnish mythology throughout the stories.