Publisher's Synopsis
The Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland is a comprehensive English translation of the national epic of Finland, compiled and edited by John Martin Crawford. The book contains a collection of 50 poems, which tell the story of the creation of the world, the adventures of heroes, and the struggle between good and evil. The poems are based on ancient Finnish oral tradition and were compiled in the 19th century by Elias L������nnrot. The Kalevala is a significant work in Finnish literature and has influenced Finnish culture and identity. This translation includes an introduction by Crawford, providing context and background information, as well as footnotes throughout the text to explain cultural references and provide additional information. The Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland is a must-read for anyone interested in Finnish mythology, folklore, and literature.1889. The first English translation of Kalevala was published by John Martin Crawford in New York and it stimulated great interest among specialists in the religions of primitive peoples. This collection of 50 cantos was compiled from oral poetry, which for the most part had been recorded among the unlettered folk in the backwoods districts of northeastern Finland and those parts of the Russian Province of Archangel where Karelian (a language closely related to Finnish) was spoken. It has since become known to the world as the Finnish national epic.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.
