# Rune XLI: Wainamoinen’s Harp-Songs explained — The Kalevala

> Chapter companion for The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot.

## What happens

Wainamoinen, the ancient minstrel, plays his harp of fish-bone on the mount of joyance, enchanting all of Northland. Every creature of forest, air, and water gathers to listen, including Tapio's people, the daughters of the welkin, and Ahto the sea-king. His music moves all to weeping, and his own tears fall into the waters. He asks for someone to gather his tear-drops, and a duck dives to retrieve them, transforming them into sea-pearls.

## Themes in this chapter

### Power of Song and Magic

Wainamoinen's harp-playing enchants all creatures of forest, air, and water, demonstrating the transformative and unifying power of music.

### Nature and the Landscape

The entire natural world responds to the music, from squirrels and bears to eagles and fish, highlighting the deep connection between the hero and the landscape.

### Creation and Origins

The chapter provides an origin story for sea-pearls, born from Wainamoinen's tears gathered by a duck.

## Character check-ins

### Wainamoinen

Ancient minstrel and eternal wisdom-singer who plays the harp he created, enchanting all of nature and drawing tears from his audience and himself.

### Ahto

King of all the waters, who raises his head from the billows in a boat of water-lilies to listen and declares he has never heard such music.

### Tapio

Metsola's most noble landlord, who along with his people, flies like red-deer up the mountains to listen to the harp.

### Mielikki

Tapiola's wisest mistress and hostess of the glen and forest, who robes herself in blue and scarlet and sits on a birch-tree to listen.

## Key lines

> Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel, The eternal wisdom-singer, Laves his hands to snowy whiteness, Sits upon the rock of joyance, On the stone of song he settles, On the mount of silver clearness, On the summit, golden colored; Takes the harp by him created, In his hands the harp of fish-bone, With his knee the arch supporting, Takes the harp-strings in his fingers, Speaks these words to those assembled: 'Hither come, ye Northland people, Come and listen to my playing, To the harp's entrancing measures, To my songs of joy and gladness.'

Wainamoinen, the ancient singer, washes his hands, sits on a joyful rock, and takes up his fish-bone harp, inviting all Northland to listen to his enchanting music.

_Opening scene setting the stage for the magical performance._

> Now was gladness rolled on gladness, And the harmony of pleasure Echoed from the hills and mountains: Added singing to his playing, Out of joy did joy come welling, Now resounded marvelous music, All of Northland stopped and listened.

Joy multiplied as his singing and playing echoed through the hills, and all of Northland paused to listen.

_Describes the overwhelming joy and universal attention his music commands._

> All the birds that fly in mid-air Fell like snow-flakes from the heavens, Flew to hear the minstrel's playing, Hear the harp of Wainamoinen.

All the birds descended from the sky like snowflakes to hear Wainamoinen's harp.

_Illustrates the irresistible pull of his music on all creatures._

> Ahto, king of all the waters, Ancient king with beard of sea-grass, Raised his head above the billows, In a boat of water-lilies, Glided to the coast in silence, Listened to the wondrous singing, To the harp of Wainamoinen.

Ahto, the ancient sea-king with a beard of sea-grass, rose from the waves in a lily-boat and silently glided to shore to listen.

_Even the king of waters is drawn to the music._

> Wainamoinen, ancient minstrel, Played one day and then a second, Played the third from morn till even. There was neither man nor hero, Neither ancient dame, nor maiden, Not in Metsola a daughter, Whom he did not touch to weeping;

Wainamoinen played for three days, moving every person and creature to tears.

_Highlights the emotional power of his music._

> This the origin of sea-pearls, And the blue-duck's beauteous plumage.

This is how sea-pearls and the blue-duck's beautiful feathers came to be.

_Concluding origin myth for sea-pearls._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xli-wainamoinen-s-harp-songs
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kalevala_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters