Animal Myths And Legends In Finnish Folklore

Before the arrival of Christianity, early inhabitants of Finland practised animistic nature-based belief, where everything in nature had its own place and spirit. Some of the historical artefacts show that belief in the totem animals was strong as well. In this course, you will learn about the history of ancient Finland and some of the intriguing animal myths. How the cat was created in the warmth of the sauna, how northern lights are created by the magical fox and how the moose carries the sun in its antlers. Some of these stories like the bear being landed from the starry skies can be traced as far as the stone age. These stories are dreamy and magical,, but they also reflect the nordic nature and how people saw animals as companions and sometimes even as gods and goddesses. We will go through myths related to some of the most important animals in mythology. How the swan was originally a man but was turned into a bird, and it was forbidden to kill swans because they had the soul of a human. How the giant moose almost destroyed an entire land. It was created by the trolls and always was wild and untenable. Bear cult existed in Finland for centuries. Bear was a holy ancestor, a witch and a shaman. It knew things. Bear was feared and beloved at the same time. Cared for and protected by Mielikki the mistress of the forest, the bear became one of Finland's national animals. By the end of this course, you have a better understanding of Finnish mythology and the animal connection. The goal is to deepen our knowledge and wisdom and creativity through myths and folklore by examining the myths and the archetypical meanings behind them.