The Finno-Ugric peoples and the Sami, who spread from Finland to the Ural Mountains, preserved common legends. They shared a unified world, created by a bird and illuminated by the North Star, a world in which the forest served as the source of life and the abode of gods and spirits. The epic poem 'Kalevala' made their mythology famous throughout the world. The same epic quality, vivid imagery, and understanding of nature distinguish other stories of Finnish mythology, which you will discover in the pages of this book.