The Story of Aino
The 4th poem of Kalevala, the Finnish National epic, tells a story about a young girl called Aino. The poems in Kalevala were compiled from folk poetry in the middle of the 19th century. But what actually happens in the poem?
Ainon tarina - the story of Aino. Many of the themes in the story, as in the whole Kalevala, are still relevant today. This is one of the reasons Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret also wanted to make their version of this story. Image: Antti Vuori
AN UNPLEASANT PROPOSAL
Aino’s brother Joukahainen is a young man who has arrogantly challenged a known hero and singer Väinämöinen to a singing contest. It does not go well for Joukahainen, and while Väinämöinen is drowning him in the swamp with song, he feels there is no other way out but to promise his young sister Aino as a wife to Väinämöinen.
When Aino hears about this, she is not pleased and runs home crying. Marriage in general has not been on the top of her list, and marrying a significantly older man does not seem at all appealing.
Aino’s family, and especially her mother, see things differently and encourage her to marry. Even though older, Väinämöinen is a known hero and seen as a ‘catch’ in the world of this time. Marrying him would give Aino a secure future. Aino’s mother shows her daughter the wedding dress and jewelry planned for her and tries her best to convince her to see the bright side in the situation. But Aino refuses to marry.
The Decision
In the forest, Aino arrives at a shore, where she discovers her only way to escape from this difficult situation. She sees three rocks in the water and realizes that this is where she wants to be, ‘the fourth one in the water’. She takes off the wedding dress she has been wearing, walks into the water, and does not walk back.
Animals in the forest are the first to know about this tragic event, and in the end it is the rabbit who is given the task to inform Aino’s family of what has happened.
When Aino’s mother hears the news about her daughter’s passing, she feels devastated. Maybe she was too harsh on her daughter and unable to see the situation from her point of view? She cries for so many days that a river is formed of her tears.
WHY IS THIS STORY SO IMPORTANT TO SAARTEN TYTTÄRET?
Aino is a well-known character in Finnish literature and often depicted in different art forms, but the way she is shown tends to be one-sided. We as a group wanted to approach the themes of this story from a different point of view. Instead of a victim, Aino is a modern woman making her own decisions.
The Ainos of today, strong and reaching for something new. Image from the video shoot of ‘Armottoman osa’ in June 2020. Image: Nalle Elmgren
We often see death as something that is final. But in Kalevala it is not the whole story. In later chapters of the epic Aino returns, transformed into a fish, and takes revenge on Väinämöinen. The river formed from the mother’s tears can also be seen as a start of something new. There are many sides to the same story, stay tuned for our version!
The first peek to Aino’s Story ‘Armottoman Osa’ can be watched here:
Want to learn more about Kalevala?