Overview

A collection of fifty folktales, which features traditional folktales and a number of popular Finnish jokes and anecdotes, this anthology is an excellent introduction to the rich oral tradition of Finnish storytelling for both the general reader and for students of folklore. As in other countries, skilled storytellers were often representatives of the itinerant trades such as cobblers, tailors, lumberjacks, and peddlers, but due to its relative geographical isolation, storytelling as a living tradition was preserved longer in Finland when compared to other countries whose local oral traditions were considerably diminished by the impact of external cultures.

Full Product Details

Author:   Helena Henderson
Publisher:   Welsh Academic Press
Imprint:   Welsh Academic Press
Edition:   2nd Revised edition
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 1.00cm , Length: 23.40cm
ISBN:  

9781860571770

ISBN 10:   1860571778
Pages:   186
Publication Date:   13 November 2025
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Language:   Finnish

Table of Contents

Introduction by Dr Pirkko-Liisa Rausmaa Preface by Helena Henderson Animal Tales 1. The Rabbit, The Wolf, the Fox and the Bear 2. The Fox as Nursemaid 3. The Fox, the Wolf and the Lion 4. The Dog's Document 5. The Pig and the Squirrel 6. The Wedding Roast 7. The Reward of the Benefactor Ordinary Folktales 8. Aal, Taal and Everaal 9. The Three Missing Princesses 10. The Three Brothers 11. Three Brothers Imprisoned by the Devil 12. The Smith and the Devil 13. The Bird Bride 14. The Maiden Who Rose From the Sea 15. The Death of the Wicked Witch 16. The Devoted Orphans 17. The Castle of Snakes 18. Antti Puuhaara 19. The Old Man's Daughter and the Old Woman's Daughters 20. Tittulas Tuuree 21. The Pig Maid 22. A Disguised Woman as the King's Brother-in-Law 23. The Witch and the Sister of Nine Brothers 24. The Farting Stone 25. The Three Doctors 26. The Cat Child 27. The King's Son on his Way to Marry 28. The Clever Girl at the Inn 29. Half a Man and a Horse's Head 30. The Farmer's Weather Prediction 31. The Sailor and the Parson 32. The Merchant's Son Casts His Net 33. The Prophecy of Murder and Incest 34. The Stonemason's Apprentice as a Bank Robber 35. The Helsinki Academy Jokes and Anecdotes 36. The Devil Buys Wood 37. The Unknown Bird 38. The Devil Eats his Thingy 39. Four Sami in the Giant's Gorge 40. The First Gun 41. The Branch Cutter 42. The Bustle of the Numskulls 43. The Twelve Brothers 44. The Dog Mouser 45. Boys Swimming in the Rye-Field 46. The Search for Three Fools 47. The Man Who Did the Housework 48. Two Women, a Mouse and Gold Coins 49. The Boy Who Grew Up in a Barrel 50. The Famished Parson Notes Index of Narrators and Collectors Index of Tale Types

Reviews

'a very accessible and valuable collection' Southern Folklore, University of Western Kentucky 'This collection serves well as an introduction and one must applaud Ms. Henderson ... fascinating' Journal of the Finnish Church Guild 'a most colourful entry to the study of the folktale ... never before translated into English' Folklore

Author Information

Helena Henderson, a member of the Anglo-Finnish Society, is a UK-based freelance tutor, translator and writer.

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