Mielikki
Template:Short description Template:For multi Template:Infobox deity Mielikki (Template:IPA) is the Finnish goddess of forests and the hunt. She is usually called Template:Lang (Template:Lit.), though the epithet Template:Lang (Template:Lit.) also exists. As the mistress, she is seen as the wife of Tapio and the mother of Tuulikki, Tellervo and Nyyrikki.
She was more important and prayed to more often than her husband Tapio.<ref name="sks"/> "Tapio" also appears as a name of Mielikki,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the feminized form "Tapiotar" appears as a name of Mielikki<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as Tuometar and Hongatar, both sometimes called Tapio's daughter.
Name
Template:See also Her name is thought to have come from Template:Lang 'to grow fond', as it was hoped she would grow fond of the hunter and give plenty of prey.<ref name="sks"/> According to Kaarle Krohn, the variant Template:Lang comes from Template:Lang 'gentle', while the variants Template:Lang, Template:Lang and Template:Lang are all connected to the nectar (Template:Lang) of the forest, mead. Template:Lang would come from the word Template:Lang 'fat'. The names Template:Lang and Template:Lang come from Template:Lang 'wing', and Template:Lang from Template:Lang 'precise'.<ref name="krohn"/>
Krohn also theorized that he variants such as Template:Lang and Template:Lang would come from Swedish Template:Lang 'kingdom of heaven', and Template:Lang and Template:Lang from Saint Nicetas the Goth. He also thought most variants beginning with K and H to come from Saint Hubert of Liège, though pointing out that Template:Lang also means an eagle owl.<ref name="krohn"/> According to Samuli Paulaharju, the Siberian jay was called the mistress of the forest in Kuhmo, for it was known to be "the oldest bird".<ref name="harva"/>
Names such as Nylgysä, Nylkys, Nyrkiö, Nyrkkiö and Nyrkytär are used for Tapio's wife in Karelia. It has been connected to Template:Lang 'to skin'. In 1551, Mikael Agricola wrote that Template:Lang brought squirrels from the forest. It sounds similar to Tuulikki/Myyrikki/Tyytikki, who is called Tapio's daughter and the mother of squirrels. Karelian runic songs further mention Nyyrikki as a son of Tapio, despite the feminine form of the name. Kaarle Krohn thought it came from Jyrki (Saint George), Uno Harva thought it could be an old forgotten name for the squirrel,<ref name="harva"/> while Martti Haavio connected the name to Saint Bartholomew who was skinned and crucified.<ref name="haavio">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="sks"/>
The Mistress of the Forest is sometimes called Annikki. This name was influenced by Saint Anne.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In tradition
In 1789, Christfried Ganander mentioned her as Tapiotar, the great mother of feathers (Template:Lang),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and mentions Tapio as a name of the forest goddess as well.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As Template:Lang is synonymous with 'forest', the name Tapio has been seen as a personified forest, as king of the forest Tapio if male and as the forest mistress if female.<ref name="harva"/>
In runic songs, she is described as having had a role in the creation of the bear: she brought up the bear under a spruce. She is, along with her daughters, also asked to dull a bear's claws so it wouldn't hurt cattle.<ref name="wrap">Template:Cite web</ref> Hunting spells in runic songs feminize and eroticize the forest, asking the forest and its mistress to grow fond of the hunter and become wet for him (Template:Lang). Mielikki was especially prayed to when hunting rabbits and birds, called Template:Lang (Template:Lit.).<ref name="sks"/>
She is sometimes described with the colour blue, such as having a blue cape or socks. In Central Finland, the mother or daughter-in-law of the forest is also said to have wings, even blue wings, as she appears as a ruler of wasps. In a Ladoga Karelian song, she as Template:Lang is asked to bake a fatty (Template:Lang) and nectariferous cake. In another song, this was misinterpreted as Kuutar baking.<ref name="krohn">Template:Cite book</ref>
Mielikki displays one of the features of a Template:Lang ('forest haltija'), as forest haltijas could appear at hunters' camping sites: if she was dressed beautifully in gold, it meant the forest mistress was going to be generous with plenty of prey. If she was ugly, with arm-wrappings, rings and headwear made of twigs, she would not give much prey.<ref name="sks"/><ref name="wrap"/>
The Forest Finns knew Template:Lang 'Mistress of the Forest' as a haltija or a goddess who lived beneath a spruce. She was sacrificed to at a spruce growing without the treetop (called Template:Lang Template:Lit. by Forest Finns<ref name="harva"/> and Template:Lang Template:Lit. in Finland).<ref name="sks">Template:Cite book</ref> The Finns of Northern Sweden used the term Template:Lang (Template:Lit.) to refer to the skogsrå.<ref name="krohn"/>
Mielikki is known as a skillful healer who heals the paws of animals who have escaped traps, helps chicks that have fallen from their nests and treats the wounds of wood grouses after their mating displays. She knows well the healing herbs and will also help humans if they know well enough to ask her for it.Template:Citation needed
In the Kalevala
In the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic based on Finnish and Karelian folklore, the hero Lemminkäinen offers her and Tapio prayers, gold and silver so he can catch the Hiisi elk. In another passage, Mielikki is asked to protect cattle grazing in the forest.
Epithets
| Epithet | Epithet meaning | Regions |
|---|---|---|
| Metsän emäntä<ref name="muori">Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mistress of the Forest' | Central Finland, Kainuu, Karelian Isthmus, Ladoga Karelia, Lapland, North Karelia, North Ostrobothnia, North Savo, White Karelia |
| Mielus, Mehtolan emäntä<ref name="meht">Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielus, Mistress of Mehtola' | Ostrobothnia, South Savo |
| Kuuriitar, mehän kunninkas<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Kuuriitar, king of the forest' | North Karelia |
| Mielikki kivien emäntä<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, mistress of rocks' | White Karelia |
| Mielikki metsän tytti<ref name="tytti">Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, girl of the forest' | White Karelia |
| Mielikki, metän emut<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, mother of forest' | White Karelia |
| Mielikki metän eläjä<ref name="eläjä"/> | 'Mielikki, one who lives in the forest' | White Karelia |
| Mielikki metän miniä<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, daughter-in-law of the forest' | North Karelia, White Karelia |
| Mielikki, metosen tyttö<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, girl of little forest' | White Karelia |
| Mielikki, metsän kultanen<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, the golden one of the forest' | White Karelia |
| Mielikki, metinen emäntä<ref name="metinen">Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki, nectariferous mistress' | North Karelia |
| Mielikki korea neito<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mielikki beautiful maiden' | Uusimaa |
| Tapiolan tarkka vaimo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tapiolan tarkka akka<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Tarkka Tapion vaimo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
'Precise wife of Tapiola' 'Precise wife of Tapio' |
Central Finland, Kainuu, Karelian Isthmus, Ostrobothnia, South Savo, White Karelia |
| Tapiolan vanha vaimo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Old wife of Tapiola' | North Ostrobothnia |
| Tapion vaimo<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Akka Tapion<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> |
'Tapio's wife' | Kainuu, Karelian Isthmus, North Savo |
| Tapiolan tarkka neito<ref name="meht"/> | 'Precise maiden of Tapiola' | Ostrobothnia, South Savo |
| Tarkka Tapion tytti<ref name="tytti"/> | 'Precise girl of Tapio' | White Karelia |
| Annikki, Tapion eukko<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Annikki, Tapio's wife' | Olonets Karelia |
| Annikki, ahon emäntä<ref name="aho">Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Annikki, mistress of an abandoned swidden' | South Savo |
| Musta sukka, suon emäntä<ref name="aho"/> | 'Black sock, mistress of a swamp' | South Savo |
| Salakaaren vaimo kaunis<ref name="vanhin">Template:Cite web</ref> Salokorven vaimo kaunis<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Satakaaren kaunis vaimo<ref name="eläjä">Template:Cite web</ref> |
'Beautiful woman/wife of the secret arch' 'Beautiful woman/wife of deep forest wilderness' 'Beautiful woman/wife of a hundred archs' |
White Karelia |
| Metsän ehtosa emäntä<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Generous mistress of the forest' | North Karelia, Ostrobothnia |
| Metsän mieli Mikikki<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Mind of the forest Mikikki' | Kainuu |
| Metän kulta Mielis-neiti<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Gold of the forest, Miss Mielis' | Kainuu |
| Metsän kukka kultarinta<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Gold-chested forest flower' | White Karelia |
| Metsän tyttö tylleröinen<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Little girlie girl of the forest' | White Karelia |
| Korven kultanen omena<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Golden apple of the wilderness' | Ladoga Karelia |
| Metsän muori muotokaunis<ref name="muori"/> | 'Beautiful-formed old mother of the forest' | Kainuu |
| Metän piika pikkuruinen<ref name="metinen"/> | 'Tiny maid of the forest' | Kainuu, North Karelia |
| Vanhin vaimoloista<ref name="vanhin"/> | 'Oldest of women' | White Karelia |
| Eläjistä ensimmäini<ref name="vanhin"/> | 'First of the living' | White Karelia |
| Pesömättä puhtukaini<ref name="vanhin"/> | 'Clean without washing' | White Karelia |
| Pohjan tytti, käyrä neiti<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | 'Girl of the north, crooked miss' | White Karelia |
In contemporary culture
The Mielikki Mons, a mountain on Venus, is named after her.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
External links
- Original quotes from Kalevala regarding Mielikki translated to English
- Mielikki information and links from the Finndex.