Woinomoinen. from the Finnish by George Borrow

Woinomoinen is a character from Finnish mythology who appears in the Kalevala epic poem. He is depicted as a powerful wizard and shaman, capable of performing feats such as creating new landmasses and controlling the weather. In George Borrow's book, Woinomoinen plays a central role in several stories, including one where he battles against the evil witch Louhi.

By George Borrow · First published 1845 · Genre: Mythology, Poetry, Fantasy · 459 words

First lines

Woinomoinen was, according to the Mythology of the ancient Finns, the / second Godhead, being only inferior to Jumala. He was master of the / musical art, and when he played upon his instrument produced much the same / effect as the Grecian Orpheus, enticing fishes from the stream and the / wild animals from the forest. The lines here translated are a fragment of / a poem which describes a musical contest between Woinomoinen and the Giant / Joukkawainen, in which the latter was signally defeated.

Then the ancient Woinomoinen, / On the bench himself he seated, / Took the harp betwixt his fingers, / On his knee about he turn'd it, / In his hand he fitly plac'd it.

• Open reader

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Genres

• Mythology — The text is based on Finnish mythology, focusing on the character Woinomoinen, a mythological figure.
• Poetry — The work is a poetic fragment, featuring structured verses and a lyrical style.
• Fantasy — The narrative includes fantastical elements such as magical music and mythical creatures.
• Folklore — The story draws from traditional Finnish folklore, depicting cultural myths and legends.

Tags

Finnish folklore · epic poetry · mythology · narrative · cultural heritage · literary translation · oral tradition · heroic tales · nature · spirituality · adventure · legend

What this Textopian page supports

Woinomoinen. from the Finnish is listed on Textopian as a short story by George Borrow, dated 1845 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

• Work type: Short story
• Author: George Borrow
• Date: 1845 CE
• Language: English
• Genres: Mythology, Poetry, Fantasy, Folklore, Epic
• Length: 459 words
• Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
• Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)

Good citation fit

• Work identity for Woinomoinen. from the Finnish by George Borrow
• Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
• Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
• Readability and classroom-planning context
• Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph

More by George Borrow

• Marsk Stig's Daughters and Other Songs and Ballads (1913)
• The Return of the Dead and Other Ballads (1913)
• The King's Wake and Other Ballads (1913)
• Signelil (1913)
• A Tale from the Cornish (1913)
• Sir Verner and Dame Ingeborg (1913)
• The Heddeby Spectre (1913)
• From Goudeli (1913)
• All works by George Borrow