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Mighty Mikko: A Book of Finnish Fairy Tales and Folk Tales
The Story of Ilona and the King’s Son
THE TRUE BRIDE
There were once two orphans, a brother and a sister, who lived alone in the old farmhouse where their fathers before them had lived for many generations. The brother’s name was Osmo, the sister’s Ilona. Osmo was an industrious youth, but the farm was small and barren and he was hard put to it to make a livelihood.
“Sister,” he said one day, “I think it might be well if I went out into the world and found work.”
“Do as you think best, brother,” Ilona said. “I’m sure I can manage on here alone.”
So Osmo started off, promising to come back for his sister as soon as he could give her a new home. He wandered far and wide and at last got employment from the King’s Son as a shepherd.
The King’s Son was about Osmo’s age, and often when he met Osmo tending his flocks he would stop and talk to him.
[Pg 4] One day Osmo told the King’s Son about his sister, Ilona.
“I have wandered far over the face of the earth,” he said, “and never have I seen so beautiful a maiden as Ilona.”
“What does she look like?” the King’s Son asked.
Osmo drew a picture of her and she seemed to the King’s Son so beautiful that at once he fell in love with her.
“Osmo,” he said, “if you will go home and get your sister, I will marry her.”
So Osmo hurried home not by the long land route by which he had come but straight over the water in a boat.
“Sister,” he cried, as soon as he saw Ilona, “you must come with me at once for the King’s Son wishes to marry you!”
He thought Ilona would be overjoyed, but she sighed and shook her head.
“What is it, sister? Why do you sigh?”
“Because it grieves me to leave this old house where our fathers have lived for so many generations.”
“Nonsense, Ilona! What is this little old house compared to the King’s castle where you will live once you marry the King’s Son!”
[Pg 5] But Ilona only shook her head.
“It’s no use, brother! I can’t bear to leave this old house until the grindstone with which our fathers for generations ground their meal is worn out.”
When Osmo found she was firm, he went secretly and broke the old grindstone into small pieces. He then put the pieces together so that the stone looked the same as before. But of course the next time Ilona touched it, it fell apart.
THE TRUE BRIDE
There were once two orphans, a brother and a sister, who lived alone in the old farmhouse where their fathers before them had lived for many generations. The brother’s name was Osmo, the sister’s Ilona. Osmo was an industrious youth, but the farm was small and barren and he was hard put to it to make a livelihood.
“Sister,” he said one day, “I think it might be well if I went out into the world and found work.”
“Do as you think best, brother,” Ilona said. “I’m sure I can manage on here alone.”
So Osmo started off, promising to come back for his sister as soon as he could give her a new home. He wandered far and wide and at last got employment from the King’s Son as a shepherd.
The King’s Son was about Osmo’s age, and often when he met Osmo tending his flocks he would stop and talk to him.
[Pg 4] One day Osmo told the King’s Son about his sister, Ilona.
“I have wandered far over the face of the earth,” he said, “and never have I seen so beautiful a maiden as Ilona.”
“What does she look like?” the King’s Son asked.
Osmo drew a picture of her and she seemed to the King’s Son so beautiful that at once he fell in love with her.
“Osmo,” he said, “if you will go home and get your sister, I will marry her.”
So Osmo hurried home not by the long land route by which he had come but straight over the water in a boat.
“Sister,” he cried, as soon as he saw Ilona, “you must come with me at once for the King’s Son wishes to marry you!”
He thought Ilona would be overjoyed, but she sighed and shook her head.
“What is it, sister? Why do you sigh?”
“Because it grieves me to leave this old house where our fathers have lived for so many generations.”
“Nonsense, Ilona! What is this little old house compared to the King’s castle where you will live once you marry the King’s Son!”
[Pg 5] But Ilona only shook her head.
“It’s no use, brother! I can’t bear to leave this old house until the grindstone with which our fathers for generations ground their meal is worn out.”
When Osmo found she was firm, he went secretly and broke the old grindstone into small pieces. He then put the pieces together so that the stone looked the same as before. But of course the next time Ilona touched it, it fell apart.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1922
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 10, 2025
I'm a big fan of Finnish mythology and folklore so I was keen to check out this book. The tales are well written and entertaining. The narrative style is fairly straight forward, making it ideal for those new to Finnish myths or for reading as a bedtime stories to your children. My personal favorites were 'Mighty Mikko', 'The Devil's Hide' and 'Little Sister'. I was familiar with the animal stories having read some of them to my children when they were little. The one about the porridge was hilarious.
My only criticism is the author's decision to alter/ anglicize the character names to make them more pronounceable to non Finnish readers. Not only was this unnecessary, it also took away some of authenticity of the tales. For example, the name Suyettar looks exotic to a non-Finnish speaker but has no meaning. Whereas the original name of the monster, Syöjätär roughly translates as "devouress" or "man-eater" giving the reader a good indication of how dangerous this creature is to humans. A better way of doing it would have been to keep the original and add the term "man-eater" in brackets or as part of a glossary.
Despite this, I would still recommend the book to fans of mythology and folkore.
My only criticism is the author's decision to alter/ anglicize the character names to make them more pronounceable to non Finnish readers. Not only was this unnecessary, it also took away some of authenticity of the tales. For example, the name Suyettar looks exotic to a non-Finnish speaker but has no meaning. Whereas the original name of the monster, Syöjätär roughly translates as "devouress" or "man-eater" giving the reader a good indication of how dangerous this creature is to humans. A better way of doing it would have been to keep the original and add the term "man-eater" in brackets or as part of a glossary.
Despite this, I would still recommend the book to fans of mythology and folkore.
March 12, 2020
This book is a great wait to look at the Finnish folk tradition since the stories show some of their culture and traditions. The book has two sections. In the first, we have a series of folktales that shares some similarities with the Russian folklore but also have lots of unique features. In the second, we meet a series of stories about Mighty Mikko and all the forest animal. I did not find these stories as engaging and beautiful as the first ones.
In conclusion, this book deserves a place in the library of anybody who has interesting in folktales and wants to know more about Finland and his tradition.
In conclusion, this book deserves a place in the library of anybody who has interesting in folktales and wants to know more about Finland and his tradition.
August 26, 2025
I personally loved this little book - as a fan of mythology and legend generally, this is as pleasantly entertaining as the rest. The forward does not hide that several of these myths and folklore echo other well-known stories from other cultures, and it was fun to discover them in the narrative.
A fun and worthy little read.
A fun and worthy little read.
October 3, 2019
This is my Go-To book to read / reread while traveling-- first to Finland during the cold winter waits on train platforms - and then through the long summer tarmac delays from "the airline that will not be named."
Solid, escapist storytelling!
Solid, escapist storytelling!
July 10, 2018
Brutal! but isn't that what we love about these fairy tales?
August 30, 2021
Kiitos!
I'm in the process of educating myself about my Finnish roots. This book of folk and fairy tales was thoroughly enjoyable.
I'm in the process of educating myself about my Finnish roots. This book of folk and fairy tales was thoroughly enjoyable.
February 19, 2017
Oh my, it's not bowdlerized, it's Anglicized
Not only did the author anglicize, he edited them to make them 'accessible'. All this by his own admission! Still, there are some new ones here, and the writing isn't bad either. If you just like to read tales, give it a try.
Not only did the author anglicize, he edited them to make them 'accessible'. All this by his own admission! Still, there are some new ones here, and the writing isn't bad either. If you just like to read tales, give it a try.
December 31, 2008
the fox in the first story is one of my favorite characters i've encountered in a long time... in fact i've mentioned him in my new year's resolutions which i've just posted up on to my blog....
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews