Fairies In Finnish Mythology and Folklore

The worldview of the ancient Finnish tribes was animistic and it was believed that everything in nature had its own soul and spirit. Nature was filled with invisible spirits and many of them had the ability to affect the lives of men, therefore, respect for nature and its powers was essential in order for people’s survival. Fairies in Finnish folk tales are not small, winged pretty ladies but they come in all shapes and sizes.

In Finnish mythology, a different phenomenon in nature was often personified as feminine entities. Nature itself was a goddess called “Luonto” and it literally means nature in Finnish. Daughters of Luonto were a group of maidens called luonnottaret. According to the legend, maidens were moving grains on a misty cape on a foggy island and making it into hay. After spreading it out sea monster Tursas burned it into ashes. As it happened maidens were out of ash for they had to wash the face of the sun’s son (Paiva the day) but before they could collect the ash wind of the northeast whished it away to the banks of a holy stream and from it, splendid oak sprang…

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