RUNO XXXVII

56. Literally, their hatless shoulders.

61. Compare the account of the forging of the Sampo in Runo X.

RUNO XXXVIII

94. This might allude to the Viking practice of carving the Blood-Eagle
on the backs of enemies; but Prof. Krohn remarks that this was unknown
in Finland.

255. Here it seems that the mere fact of Ilmarinen having carried off
the girl, even against her will, was enough to constitute her his lawful
wife.

273. Ilmarinen's sword was less bloodthirsty than that of Kullervo; but
it will be noticed that there is as little real chivalry in the
_Kalevala_ generally as in old Scandinavian literature.

RUNO XL

274. Literally, "at the tips of my ten nails."

RUNO XLI

238. Similar incidents are common in folktales. The reader will
recollect the decoration of Mama, the Woodpecker. (_Hiawatha_, IX.)

RUNO XLII

1-3. Here again we notice a difference of expression, indicating a
different authorship.

52. "Mistress of the mighty spell." (Southey.)

146. Compare Runo XX., lines 17-118.

295. Literally, his finger-bones.

403. Perhaps the cap had ear-flaps to be worn in bad weather.

RUNO XLIII

37, 38. This seems to be meant ironically.

115-120. This, or something similar, is a common device for impeding a
pursuer in European fairy tales.

177. Pohjan eukko. Another epithet for Louhi.

383, 384. The Sampo being not only an unfailing corn, salt, and
money-mill, but a palladium of general prosperity, Pohjola would
naturally fall into famine and misery when nothing remained but an
almost worthless fragment of the cover. It is possible that the story
may refer to some great and permanent change for the worse of the
climate of the North; either during the storms and earthquakes of the
fourteenth century, which would connect it with the plague described in
Runo XLV.; or perhaps to a much earlier period, when, as old Persian
books tell us, the climate of some part of Asia (?) was changed from
nine months summer and three months winter, to nine months winter and
three months summer.

RUNO XLV

41. Loviatar represents the evil and destructive powers of Nature, as
opposed to the beneficent powers, represented in the _Kalevala_ under
the twin aspects of Ilmatar and Marjatta.

117. This speech or invocation is not addressed to Loviatar, but
apparently to some goddess similar to the Roman Lucina.

168. Dr. Russell says that the itch was more dreaded than the plagu