# Rune XXXV: Kullervo's Evil Deeds explained — The Kalevala > Chapter companion for The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot. ## What happens Kullervo, unable to change his ill-nurtured nature, fails at fishing and paying tribute, then unknowingly seduces and shames his long-lost sister, who drowns herself in despair. He confesses to his mother and resolves to seek death or vengeance against Untamoinen. ## Themes in this chapter ### Fate and Tragedy Kullervo's ill-fated life and his sister's suicide highlight the inescapable tragedy of their lineage. ### Family and Kinship The incestuous encounter and Kullervo's confession to his mother underscore the broken family bonds. ### Revenge and Retribution Kullervo's desire to avenge his father's grievances against Untamoinen drives his final resolve. ## Character check-ins ### Kullervo The hapless wizard-son who commits incest with his sister and laments his fate. ### Kalervo Kullervo's aged father who criticizes his son's destructive work. ### Untamoinen Mentioned as the unavenged enemy of Kullervo's family. ## Key lines > Kullerwoinen, youthful wizard, In his blue and scarlet stockings, Henceforth lingered with his parents; But he could not change his nature, Could not gain a higher wisdom, Could not win a better judgment; As a child he was ill-nurtured, Early rocked in stupid cradles, By a nurse of many follies, By a minister of evil. Kullervo, the young wizard dressed in blue and scarlet, stayed with his parents but remained unable to improve his character or wisdom because he was poorly raised by a foolish and evil nurse. _Establishes Kullervo's flawed nature due to bad upbringing._ > Came a golden maid to meet him, On her snow-shoes came a virgin, O'er the hills of Wainamoinen, O'er his cultivated lowlands. Quick the wizard-son, Kullervo, Checked the motion of his racer, Thus addressed the charming maiden: 'Come, sweet maiden, to my snow-sledge, In my fur-robes rest and linger!' A golden-haired maiden on snowshoes approached Kullervo as he traveled, and he stopped his horse to invite her into his sledge. _First encounter with a maiden, whom he later seduces._ > Scarcely had the maiden spoken, When she bounded from the snow-sledge, Rushed upon the rolling river, To the cataract's commotion, To the fiery stream and whirlpool. Thus Kullervo's lovely sister Hastened to her own destruction, To her death by fire and water, Found her peace in Tuonela, In the sacred stream of Mana. As soon as the maiden revealed she was his sister, she leaped from the sledge and drowned herself in the river, finding peace in the afterlife. _Climactic moment of the incest revelation and sister's suicide._ > Woe is me, my life hard-fated! I have slain my virgin-sister, Shamed the daughter of my mother; Woe to thee, my ancient father! Woe to thee, my gray-haired mother! Wherefore was I born and nurtured, Why this hapless child's existence? Better fate to Kullerwoinen, Had he never seen the daylight, Or, if born, had never thriven In these mournful days of evil! Kullervo laments his hard fate, confessing he has killed and shamed his own sister, and wishes he had never been born or had died in infancy. _Kullervo's expression of guilt and despair._ > Untamoinen still is living, Unmolested roams the wicked, Unavenged my father's grievance, Unavenged my mother's tortures, Unavenged the wrongs I suffer! Kullervo declares that Untamoinen still lives freely, and his family's wrongs remain unavenged, fueling his desire for revenge. _Sets up Kullervo's turn toward vengeance._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxv-kullervo-s-evil-deeds - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kalevala_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters