Rune XLV: Birth of the Nine Diseases explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Conflict Between North and South

  Louhi's envy and attack on Kalevala through diseases highlights the ongoing rivalry between Pohyola and Kalevala.

• Fate and Tragedy

  The birth of the nine diseases and the suffering of Kalevala's people illustrate the tragic inevitability of misfortune.

• Power of Song and Magic

  Wainamoinen's use of incantations, healing baths, and magical balsams demonstrates the power of song and magic to cure and protect.

Characters to notice

• Louhi

  Hostess of Pohyola who, out of envy, prays for destruction and later banishes the diseases to Kalevala.

• Wainamoinen

  The wise enchanter who heals the people of Kalevala by using magic baths, prayers, and balsams.

• Lowyatar

  The blind daughter of Tuoni who gives birth to the nine diseases after being impregnated by the east wind.

• Ukko

  The god of thunder, prayed to by both Louhi and Wainamoinen for destruction and healing respectively.

• Tuoni

  Father of Lowyatar, associated with the Death-land and the origin of the diseases.

Key passages

• “Louhi, hostess of the Northland, Heard the word in Sariola, Heard the news with ears of envy, That Wainola lives and prospers, That Osmoinen’s wealth increases, Through the ruins of the Sampo, Ruins of the lid in colors.”

  Louhi, the mistress of Pohyola, heard in Sariola that Kalevala was thriving and growing wealthy from the fragments of the Sampo, and she became envious.

  Louhi's envy motivates her to seek destruction for Kalevala.

• “The blind daughter of Tuoni, Old and wicked witch, Lowyatar, Worst of all the Death-land women, Ugliest of Mana’s children, Source of all the host of evils, All the ills and plagues of Northland, Black in heart, and soul, and visage, Evil genius of Lappala, Made her couch along the wayside, On the fields of sin and sorrow; Turned her back upon the East-wind, To the source of stormy weather, To the chilling winds of morning.”

  Lowyatar, the blind and wicked daughter of Tuoni, the ugliest and most evil of Death's children, who is the source of all plagues, lay down by the roadside and turned her back to the east wind, facing the stormy weather.

  Lowyatar's exposure to the east wind leads to her impregnation and the birth of diseases.

• “Thus Lowyatar named her offspring, Colic, Pleurisy, and Fever, Ulcer, Plague, and dread Consumption, Gout, Sterility, and Cancer.”

  Lowyatar named her nine children: Colic, Pleurisy, Fever, Ulcer, Plague, Consumption, Gout, Sterility, and Cancer.

  The nine diseases are personified as Lowyatar's children.

• “Wainamoinen heats the bath-rooms, Heats the blocks of healing-sandstone With the magic wood of Northland, Gathered by the sacred river; Water brings in covered buckets From the cataract and whirlpool; Brooms he brings enwrapped with ermine, Well the bath the healer cleanses, Softens well the brooms of birch-wood; Then a honey-heat he wakens, Fills the rooms with healing vapors, From the virtue of the pebbles Glowing in the heat of magic.”

  Wainamoinen prepared a healing sauna by heating sandstone with magical wood, fetching water from sacred sources, and using birch brooms wrapped in ermine. He created a honey-like heat filled with healing vapors from the glowing pebbles.

  Wainamoinen uses traditional Finnish sauna rituals combined with magic to heal the sick.

• “Thus expelled the nine diseases, Evil children of Lowyatar, Healed the tribes of Kalevala, Saved his people from destruction.”

  Thus Wainamoinen drove out the nine diseases, the evil children of Lowyatar, healed the people of Kalevala, and saved them from destruction.

  Wainamoinen successfully cures the plague and restores health to Kalevala.