This is part of my "Kalevala series" in which I tell the epic folklore poetry of Finns as a series of short stories.
Don't know what Kalevala is? Check my introduction post of it: Kaleva: An epic folklore of Finns - A source of inspiration for Tolkien's mythology
Want to start from the beginning? Go to Part 1: The birth of Väinämöinen
Previous part: Cultivation of the land
Once upon there was Joukahainen, Lapplander, who had heard stories of Väinämöinen and his grand powers of singing.
Growing envious to him Joukahainen went to strike up against Väinämöinen and crushed onto him with his sledge and challenged him to a battle; but Väinämöinen refused to battle by sword.
From which Joukahainen got offended:
"One who doesn't accept sword battle, into a dirty pig I shall sing."
From this insult Väinämöinen got furious: He began to sing and the lakes spilled, rocks broke, cliffs cracked and mountains banged...
...and sang Joukahainen into a swamp.
In where his desperation grew: he offered all his fortune but none would Väinämöinen accept until as a last desperate offer Joukahainen promised his sister, Aino, for him.
Väinämöinen accepted the offer from the beaten Joukahainen.
Crushed of knowing by what he had done, he returned to his mother to tell about his unsuccesful warfare.
Hearing the news, Aino got depressed and she cried for days on which her mother asked the reason for:
"Beloved Aino why do you cry? A great man as your husband you'll get,
into house for man tall as tree."
Aino responded:
"Oh mother, my bearer! Something I cry:
for my silky beautiful hair, for its youth and strength of right now,
if I'd had to cover it, hide it, that day I'd sorrow for ever."
Part 4: Aino's tragedy