Kalevala is the national epic of Finland. It tells about two different tribes: Väinölä and Pohjola. Väinölä is a peaceful place. Everyone works there: men hunt and fish, women take care of the cattle. Everybody works on the fields and so their fields grow lots of grain. All the plants grow well and the nature is rich. In Kalevala they appreciate work, but they also admire singing and playing, poetry and beauty. Many of the main characters of the book Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen, Lemminkäinen and Aino live in Kalevala. In Pohjola, in the north, the nature is wild and barren. Fields are scarce because people don't like working hard on them, or any other efforts. Pohjola is also called the dark land because even the sun doesn't shine there too often. The people of Pohjola get their food by robbing. They raid the surrounding villages. In Väinölä everyone is afraid of the troublemakers of Pohjola while they despise their laziness. Whereas the people of Pohjola are jealous about the knowledge and skills, singing and poetry of the people of Kalevala. In Pohjola there lives one of the main characters: Louhi the old and ugly Lady of Pohjola. Kalevala has been translated to twenty-two different languages. There are different versions of Kalevala in Finland too; they are different in illustration, designer, appearance and length.

Väinämöinen

 -Väinämöinen was an old shaman.
- wise man
- took part in the creation of the world.
- healer
- singer
- a great man
 - clever
- a great tactician
- sharp-eyed human nature observer
- sensitive
- maker of kantele ( the Finnish national instrument)
- boat maker
 - tries to marry Pohjan Neito
- she refuses
- tries to marry Aino
- she rather drowns herself

Seppo Ilmarinen

Pohjan Neito  (the young lady of the north)

- the daughter of Pohjan Akka
- proud
- was a very popular wife candidate
- knew her own status
- rich and beautiful
- in the end she became the wife of Seppo Ilmarinen

Louhi, Pohjan Akka  (the old matron of the nord, leader)                 

Louhi lived in Pohjola (the North) and her daughter’s name was Pohjan neito.Louhi was ill-tempered and greedy.
 Väinämöinen went to Pohjola to get Pohjan neito to marry him.
Louhi said that he could marry her if he would make Sampo for the people of Pohjola. Väinämöinen asked Seppo Ilmarinen to make Sampo.
He succeeded, won and got married with Pohjanneito.

Lemminkäinen

Lemminkäinen was very good-looking. He always carried sword and bow with him and he was very aggressive. He was popular with women. He had to pass three tests to marry Kyllikki, but he faled. Kyllikki became his wife after all.

Aino

Aino was young and beautiful lady.
Aino was Joukahainen’s sister.
She drowned herself in the sea, because she didn’t want to get married with old Väinämöinen.