The Theft Of The Sampo

‘The Theft Of The Sampo’ is part of an ancient legend from Finland. The story was written down in the 19 th century, as part of an epic poem called ‘The Kalevala’, by a man called Elias Lönnrot. Väinämöinen is the main hero in The Kalevala. He had magic powers and could play wonderful music.

Finland is to the north and east of Scotland. Can you find it on a map or on your classroom globe? Here is the Finnish flag. What do you notice about it?

The Kalevala tells the story of the battle of wits between three wizard brothers and the witch goddess, Louhi. The brothers were Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen and Lemminkainen.

In the story Väinämöinen falls in love with the witch of the north’s daughter Pohjan. The witch,Louhi, promises Väinämöinen her daughter’s hand in marriage if he will make a magic mill to help her and the people of Pohjala, survive the cruel winters of the north.

Ilmarinen, Väinämöinen’s brother makes a magic mill. This mill is the famous Sampo. It makes flour, salt and money. Whoever has the Sampo has great good fortune.

The witch goddess Louhi tricks the brothers. She keeps the Sampo for herself and the people of Pohjala, and Väinämöinen returns home without a bride. The Sampo helps to make the lives of all the people of Pohjala comfortable.

Väinämöinen becomes upset when he sees what an easy life the people of Pohjala have. The Sampo does all the work for them. They can make bread from the flour, buy food and clothing with the money and use the salt to help them cook and store their food. Väinämöinen decides to steal the Sampo back. He calls for his brothers Ilmarinen and Lemminkainen and together they set sail for Pohjala.

On the journey to Pohjala, Väinämöinen and his brothers row across the water. In the middle of the sea loch, the boat becomes stuck and will move no farther. The men discover that they have hit an enormous pike and their boat is sitting, stuck on the shoulder of the giant fish.

Väinämöinen’s brothers try to move the boat off the giant fish but cannot. Väinämöinen kills the giant pike and the men tie it to their boat and row to the shore. The men make camp and cook the fish over a fire. They eat a delicious fish supper that night. Väinämöinen takes the jawbone from the great pike and makes a magical, musical harp called a kantele from it.

When Väinämöinen arrives in Pojala he asks Louhi, the witch of the north, for half of the Sampo so that he too can use it to make flour, salt and money. The evil Louhi refuses and Väinämöinen decides that he will have to steal it from her!

Väinämöinen puts the witch of the north and the people of Pojala to sleep using his magic harp. While the people sleep Ilmarinen, Väinämöinen’s brother, manages to open the nine locks on the door of the room where the Sampo is held. Väinämöinen and his brothers escape in their boat with the precious Sampo.

When Louhi, the witch, wakes up from her sleep she is furious. The Sampo and Väinämöinen and his brothers are far, far away across the water in their boat. She sends a monstrous sea monster called the Iku-Turso to attack their boat.

Iku-Turso the water monster attacks Väinämöinen’s boat.

Väinämöinen grabs Iku-Turso by the ears and sends him back to his underworld sea-castle in the depth of the waters.

Louhi the sea witch is furious that the Iku Turso has failed to sink Väinämöinen’s boat. She turns herself into a monstrous eagle and attacks the ship.

There is a great battle between Louhi and Väinämöinen. The eagle grabs the Sampo in its talons and during the fight it drops the magic mill into the water. The Sampo sinks down and breaks up in to many pieces.

At the end of the story pieces of the Sampo remain at the bottom of the sea. Louhi the sea witch is left with only the worthless lid of the Sampo. The people of Pohjala are left struggling in the cold lands of the north without the help of the Sampo to make their lives easier. Some pieces of the Sampo are washed up on the shore and to this day it is said that they bring Finland good luck and prosperity.

The ‘The Theft Of The Sampo’ is one of the tales and legends we are learning about at Chirnsyde Primary this term as part of our Comenius ‘Tales and Legends Are On The Way’ input. The other tales and legends this term come from Italy, Spain, Ireland and Scotland.