Калевипоэг: Эстон ұлттық дастаны

Estonian national epic

Kalevipoeg (, Kalev's Son) is a 19th century epic poem by Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald which has since been considered the Estonian national epic.

The main material is taken from Estonian folklore of a giant hero named Kalevipoeg ("Kalev's son", often Anglicised as "Kalevide"). These tales mainly interpret various natural objects and features as traces of Kalevipoeg's deeds and have similarities with national epics from neighbouring regions, especially the Finnish Kalevala. In 1839, Friedrich Robert Faehlmann read a paper at the Learned Estonian Society about the legends of Kalevipoeg. He sketched the plot of a national romantic epic poem. In 1850, after Faehlmann's death, Kreutzwald started writing the poem, interpreting it as the reconstruction of an obsolete oral epic. He collected oral stories and wove them together into a unified whole. The first version of Kalevipoeg (1853; 13,817 verses) could not be printed due to censorship. The second, thoroughly revised version (19,087 verses) was published in sequels as an academic publication by the Learned Estonian Society in 1857–1861. The publication included a translation into German. In 1862, the third, somewhat abridged version (19,023 verses) came out. This was a book for common readers. It was printed in Kuopio, Finland.

In Estonian (mainly East Estonian) legends, Kalevipoeg carries stones or throws them at enemies, and also uses planks edgewise as weapons, following the advice of a hedgehog. He also forms surface structures on landscape and bodies of water and builds towns. He walks through deep water. Kalevipoeg eventually dies after his feet are cut off by his own sword owing to his own priorand fatally ambiguousinstructions. Kalevipoeg was the youngest son of Kalev and Linda, born after his father's death and surpassed his brothers in intelligence and strength. It is often thought that Kalevipoeg's real name was Sohni/Soini, but it actually means simply 'son' and he never had other name than Kalevipoeg. Alevipoeg, et and Sulevipoeg were his brothers. The character only rarely appears in folk songs. In literature, he was first mentioned by Heinrich Stahl in the 17th century.

Kalevipoeg travels to Finland in search of his kidnapped mother. During his travel he purchases a sword but kills the blacksmith's eldest son in an argument. The blacksmith places a curse on the sword. On returning to Estonia Kalevipoeg becomes king after defeating his brothers in a stone hurling competition. He constructs towns and forts and tills the land in Estonia. Kalevipoeg then journeys to the ends of the earth to expand his knowledge. He defeats Satan in a trial of strength and rescues three maidens from hell. War breaks out and destruction visits Estonia. Kalevipoeg's faithful comrades are killed, after which he hands the kingship to his brother Olev and withdraws to the forest, depressed. Crossing a river, the sword cursed by the Blacksmith and previously lost in the river attacks and cuts off his legs. Kalevipoeg dies and goes to heaven. Taara, in consultation with the other gods, reanimates Kalevipoeg, places his legless body on a white steed, and sends him down to the gates of hell where he is ordered to strike the rock with his fist, thus entrapping hell in the rock. So Kalevipoeg remains to guard the gates of hell.

The epic is written in old Estonian alliterative verse. Approximately one eighth of the verses are authentic; the rest are imitation.

The amputation of the legs of Kalevide by a magical sword is similar to the Hurrian mythic theme of the amputation of the feet of Ullikummi by a supernatural knife. According to Eustathius (ad Hor. ), the Telkhin es were likewise beings without feet.

Kalevipoeg has been referenced in both official contexts and in popular culture. The Estonian Declaration of Independence begins with a passage that quotes a god in Canto XX, right after the death of the protagonist Kalevipoeg: "In the course of centuries never have the Estonian people lost their desire for independence. From generation to generation have they kept alive the hidden hope that in spite of enslavement and oppression by hostile invaders the time will come to Estonia 'when all splints, at both end, will burst forth into flames' and when 'Kalev will come home to bring his children happiness'. Now that time has arrived."

The Hero of Estonia. And other studies in the romantic literature of that country William Forsell Kirby. 1895
Kalevipoeg: An Ancient Estonian Tale Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Trans. Jüri Kurman 1982
Kalevipoeg: the Estonian National Epic Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, Trans. Triinu Kartus. Estonian Literary Museum, 2011