Finnish Mythology

Tonttu

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Tomte, Tomten
Category: House dweller

The Myth

The tonttu is a small, human-like household spirit in Finnish folklore, traditionally described as wearing a red cap and grey clothing. It helps with domestic work and stable chores, acting as a supernatural servant responsible for the well-being of the household and farm. In Finland, the tonttu was sometimes said to have only one eye, a feature also associated with the spirit in Swedish-speaking communities. This gave rise to the expression “Enögd som tomten,” meaning “one-eyed like the tomten.”

The tonttu expects an annual reward for its work, traditionally offered around the winter solstice during the Yuletide season. Its favourite food is porridge, often served with butter or honey. In Finland, offerings could be placed on the grain-drying kiln or in the sauna. The porridge functioned as the spirit’s yearly payment for its services, and neglecting the offering could break the arrangement and cause the tonttu to abandon the house or farm.

Stories from Finland illustrate how important these offerings were believed to be. In one account, a servant eats the tomte’s porridge and milk, bringing misfortune upon his master. When the spirit leaves, the master eventually has to sell his homestead. In another legend from Nyland, two neighbouring families, the Bäckars and the Smeds, compete over the possession of a tomte. A boy from the Bäckars family manages to recover the spirit after it has gone to the rival household by intercepting its offering of milk and porridge. He eats the food and defiles it, prompting the returning spirit to abandon the Smeds and return to its former family.

These tales portray the tonttu as more than a simple helper. Its labour and loyalty are valuable, but the relationship depends on proper treatment and regular payment. As long as the household respects its obligations, the spirit may continue to perform its chores and contribute to the prosperity of the home and farm.

Sources

“Nisse (Folklore).” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nisse_(folklore)

Hiisi

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Hiidet (plural), Hiiden eukko (Hiisi Queen)
Category: Goblin

The Myth

The Hiisi are supernatural beings associated with Finland’s deep forests, mountains, caves, crevices, and waters. Their forms vary considerably: some accounts describe them as small, goblin-like creatures living in rocky places, while others portray them as giants capable of moving enormous boulders into remarkable formations. They are also regarded as powerful ancient nature gods. The giant’s kettles found in Finnish landscapes are traditionally called hiidenkirnu, meaning Hiisi’s churn, reflecting the beings’ association with extraordinary rock formations.

The Hiisi inhabit wild places known as their own lands. Mountains are called Hiisi’s Castles, and forests are considered their territory. In Finnish tradition, different kinds of Hiisi are associated with particular environments, including the forest Hiisi, water Hiisi, mountain Hiisi, and earth Hiisi. Their presence was treated with caution, and people entering their domains were advised to protect themselves with magical iron equipment. Traditional Finnish magical songs describe iron caps, coats, helmets, gloves, and boots worn by those venturing into Hiisi’s lands.

The Hiisi are sometimes portrayed as a supernatural household consisting of Hiisi himself, the Hiisi Queen, their daughters and sons, servants, and animals. The mountains serve as their castles, and human men may travel there seeking brides among the Hiisi daughters. Upon arriving, they are received by the Hiisi Queen, who assigns them tasks. The Hiisi thus inhabit a distinct otherworldly society, complete with family relationships, servants, dwellings, and skilled craftspeople.

In older Finnish religious tradition, Hiisi was associated with the forest and the success of hunters. Bishop Mikael Agricola included Hiisi in his list of ancient Finnish gods in 1551, describing him as a forest god who helped hunters obtain prey. The name also referred to sacred places in forests where people made sacrifices to the gods. Over time, however, the Hiisi increasingly acquired darker characteristics and became associated with devils and malevolent supernatural forces.

In their more dangerous aspect, the Hiisi attack humans and animals, cause accidents, and inflict mysterious pain. Together with their companion Lempo, they are said to shoot invisible arrows into living creatures. In the Kalevala, the Finnish shaman Väinämöinen suffers a severe injury when Hiisi and Lempo interfere with his axe, causing it to strike rock and send fragments into his knee. Yet the Hiisi retain their older status as formidable nature powers, and their aid can still be invoked in difficult circumstances.

Finnish healers and shamans call upon the Hiisi to help stop bleeding and overcome harmful supernatural influences. Invocations summon the mountain Hiisi, the Water Goblin, or the entire Hiisi household and nation, calling upon their power to consume or destroy the source of an affliction. They may also be summoned to punish evildoers. In traditional spells, Hiisi’s bloody cloak or gory covering is invoked against people who use the evil eye, curse others, or attempt to cause harm through malicious observation.

The Hiisi are also renowned as master blacksmiths who forge weapons inside mountain smithies. Their supernatural craftsmanship extends to the creation of extraordinary animals. According to Finnish magical songs, they fashioned a horse from iron and steel, with a stone head and rocky hooves. They also created the Hiisi elk, Hiiden hirvi, into which they breathed an evil spirit before sending it into the world to spread chaos. Through these traditions, the Hiisi emerge as ambiguous powers: ancient guardians of the wild, skilled creators, and dangerous spirits whose influence can bring either assistance or destruction.

Sources

“Goblins: Bloody Cloth.” Finnish Mythology, June 23, 2018. https://finnmyth.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/goblins-bloody-cloth/

Antero Vipunen

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Vipunen
Category: Giant

The Myth

Antero Vipunen is a giant and legendary shaman in Finnish mythology, known from traditional runic songs and the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. Although he has long been dead and buried underground, Vipunen possesses an extraordinary store of ancient knowledge, including powerful spells and magical words. His wisdom is so valuable that even the greatest heroes must journey into the underworld to obtain it.

In one of the best-known stories, the legendary hero and shaman Väinämöinen is creating a boat but discovers that he lacks three magical words, known as luotteet, needed to complete his work. He asks his brother Joukahainen where these words can be found. Joukahainen explains that the only source is Antero Vipunen, who has been dead and buried for a long time. Determined to obtain the missing knowledge, Väinämöinen travels to Vipunen’s grave in the underworld. His journey is described in traditional verses through extraordinary imagery, including walking over men’s swords and women’s needles.

To awaken the buried giant, Väinämöinen drives sharp stakes into his grave, forcing them through Vipunen’s mouth and stomach. In some versions, Väinämöinen falls into the giant’s mouth, with his left foot sinking inside first. Once swallowed, he establishes a forge within Vipunen’s body and begins hammering, causing the giant terrible pain. Unable to endure the torment, Vipunen finally yields the three magical words Väinämöinen needs. Having obtained the knowledge required to finish his boat, Väinämöinen can continue his work.

Other versions of the runic songs feature Lemminkäinen instead of Väinämöinen as the protagonist who seeks Vipunen’s knowledge. According to Finnish folklorist Matti Kuusi, Lemminkäinen may have been the original hero of the episode. Some traditional songs even describe Lemminkäinen, as well as fire, as a son of Vipunen. Regional versions also differ in their details: in one song from South Savo, a wise figure named Vintti lyyrätyinen is missing two words needed to build a boat, while a version from the Karelian Isthmus identifies the protagonist as Vipunen’s son.

Antero Vipunen occupies a distinctive place in Finnish mythology as a dead giant whose body conceals indispensable wisdom. His encounter with Väinämöinen transforms the search for knowledge into a confrontation with the ancient and mysterious powers of the underworld. Although Vipunen initially resists being awakened, his immense store of magical knowledge ultimately proves more important than his physical resistance, allowing the hero to complete his task.

Sources

“Antero Vipunen.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antero_Vipunen

Meteläinen

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Metelyäinen, Metelyaiset, Munkkilainen, Metelijäiset
Category: Giant

The Myth

The Meteläinen are enormous giants from Karelian folklore, renowned for their immense size and the incredible noise they make as they move through the forest. Their name is associated with the Finnish word meteli, meaning “noise,” reflecting the disturbance caused by their movements.

According to legend, the Meteläinen lived in Karelia many centuries ago. They were also known as Munkkilainen or Metelyäinen and were distinguished by their enormous stature. As they moved through the forests, they produced such tremendous noise that their presence could be recognized from afar.

The giants were believed to have inhabited areas later occupied by the Lapps and Finns. Although they eventually disappeared, people continued to find enormous bones, ploughs, and boulders that were attributed to them. These remains were regarded as evidence of the giants’ former existence, although their precise origins and purposes remained unknown.

Sources

“Metelilyaineny.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/metelilyaineny

Kyöpelinvuori

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Ghost Mountain
Category: Ghost

The Myth

Kyöpelinvuori is a mysterious mountain in Finnish mythology where the spirits of dead women are believed to gather after death. According to tradition, women who died as virgins travel to this secluded place, where they remain among the souls of other women who shared their fate. The mountain is associated with the dead and serves as a supernatural destination beyond the world of the living.

Kyöpelinvuori is also connected with beliefs about witches and their gatherings. Under Christian influence, the mountain became associated with the witch’s sabbath, transforming its image from a place of departed women into a mysterious location where supernatural beings might assemble. Its connection with the dead and the uncanny gives the mountain an eerie reputation, standing at the boundary between the ordinary world and the realm of spirits.

Sources

“Kyöpelinvuori.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 15, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ky%C3%B6pelinvuori

Aarnivalkea

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Virvatuli, Aarretuli, Aarreliekki
Category: Flame

The Myth

The Aarnivalkea is a mysterious eternal flame in Finnish mythology, associated with will-o’-the-wisps and the hidden treasures of the supernatural world. These strange fires mark the places where fairy gold lies buried beneath the earth. Their flames burn endlessly, revealing the presence of riches that would otherwise remain concealed from human eyes.

The treasures guarded by the Aarnivalkea are protected by a magical glamour that prevents people from discovering them by chance. Even someone who passes directly over a buried fortune may remain completely unaware of its existence. To overcome this enchantment, a fortunate seeker must find the seed of a mythical flowering fern. This rare magical seed is said to lead its possessor toward the hidden gold, allowing them to locate treasures that ordinary people cannot find.

The fern seed is believed to possess another extraordinary power: it grants invisibility to the person who carries it. The legend claims that the fern flowers only on exceptionally rare occasions, despite ordinary ferns producing spores rather than flowers. Finding such a seed is therefore an almost impossible undertaking, but those who succeed may gain both the power to disappear from sight and access to the enchanted treasures marked by the eternal flames.

Sources

“Will-o’-the-wisp.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 10, 2026. Section: “Americas.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will-o%27-the-wisp#Americas

Liekkiö

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Ihtiriekko, Flamey
Category: Flame

The Myth

The Liekkiö is a ghostly spirit from Finnish mythology associated with the souls of children who were killed by their mothers and buried outside consecrated ground. In traditional stories, a woman who gave birth to a child outside an accepted marriage might kill the baby to avoid condemnation from the church and the surrounding community. The child was then buried without a priest’s blessing, leaving its soul unable to find peace in the afterlife.

One form of this restless spirit is called the Ihtiriekko. It is said to make terrible noises until someone discovers its buried body and gives it a proper burial in a graveyard. The spirit’s cries reveal its distress and its longing for the burial rites that were denied to it in death.

Other spirits of this kind are known as Liekkiö and may remain silent, appearing instead as mysterious flames in the forest. Like will-o’-the-wisps, these ghostly lights flicker among the trees, marking the presence of restless souls unable to find peace. Their eerie glow serves as a reminder of the neglected dead who remain trapped between the world of the living and the afterlife.

Sources

“Liekkiö.” Simple English Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liekki%C3%B6

Kehno

by

Tradition: Finnish Mythology
Alternative Names: Kehno
Category: Demon

The Myth

Kehno is an evil spirit in Finnish and Karelian folklore and a mythical character appearing in epic songs. He is described as a kind of analogue to the Slavic devil.

No specific physical appearance, powers, or individual legends concerning Kehno are given in the source.

Sources

“Кехно (Kehno).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed September 9, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/kehno

Gofitterrak

by

Tradition: Sami mythology, Finnish Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Gofitterak, Gofitterak
Category: Deer

The Myth

Gofitterrak are wealthy spirits who are masters of wild reindeer herds in Sami mythology. They inhabit the tundra and are associated with the pastures where reindeer graze. They are described as spirits who can be invisible like themselves, yet reveal their presence through the ringing of bells.

Among the mountains, particularly in the kegors—areas covered with lichen where deer graze—and in places covered with grass, the Gofitterrak live with their own herds of deer, cows, and sheep. They sometimes hang bells on their flocks, and by the ringing of these bells the Lapps learn of the spirits’ visible and invisible presence in the pastures.

The herds of the Gofitterrak can be mastered. To do this, a person must have the courage to approach the spirit’s flock while looking only upward and never turning back or looking to either side. The person must then throw a piece of iron into the middle of the flock.

The spirit who tends the herd fears iron and flees when it is thrown. The flock, however, becomes the property of the person who threw the iron away.

Sources

“Гофитэрраки (Gofiterraki).” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). Accessed September 6, 2026. https://www.bestiary.us/gofiterraki

Kimmo

by

Tradition / Region: Finnish Mythology
Alternative names: Kimmo
Category: Cow

The Myth

Kimmo is a magical heifer forged by Ilmarinen, the eternal smith and master of metals, during his attempt to create the Sampo. Her horns shine like gold, while the Bear of Heaven and a disc of sunlight mark her forehead.

On the third day of Ilmarinen’s work, after a metal crossbow and a purple-metal skiff had emerged from the furnace and been destroyed, the strange heifer rose from the flames.

Kimmo was wild and impossible to control. She raced through forests, swamps, and meadows, scattering and spilling her milk as she went. No mortal could restrain her, and even Ilmarinen could not tame the creature he had forged.

Realizing that the heifer could not be kept, Ilmarinen cut Kimmo into pieces and threw her back into the furnace. From the magical materials of the forge, the Sampo finally began to take shape, its many-colored lid turning as it produced flour, salt, and gold.

Sources

Kalevala: The Epic Poem of Finland: RUNE X. ILMARINEN FORGES THE SAMPO. (J. M. Crawford, Trans.). (1888).