Tradition / Region: Estonian Mythology
Alternative names: —
Category: Dog
The Myth
The Penilased are a strange race mentioned in the Estonian national epic Kalevipoeg. They are described as beings with the bodies of dogs and the heads of humans, each with a long dog’s tail.
When Kalevipoeg and his companions sailed north aboard the Airplane, they reached the land of the Penilased. The inhabitants refused to let the travelers come ashore, provoking Kalevipoeg into battle. He attacked the Penilased and slew them in great numbers.
During the fighting, Kalevipoeg’s horse stumbled and died. Enraged, he seized a great oak club and began tearing up the surrounding fields and pastures. A local wise man stopped him, reproached him for destroying the land, and showed him the proper path home. He also warned Kalevipoeg of a hidden gate that led not to the end of the world, but to hell. Following the sage’s guidance, Kalevipoeg continued his voyage back toward Lindanisa Bay.
Sources
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Penilased. In Vikipeedia. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penilased