Kyllikki

First wife of the reckless hero Lemminkainen; the fairest maiden of the island of Saari, courted by all yet heeding no suitor until Lemminkainen carried her off by force (Runo 11). The pair swore mutual vows that he would not go to war if she would not go to the dances; when she broke her vow and went to the village dances, Lemminkainen voided his own and set off for Pohjola, launching the Pohjola adventures (Runo 12). She is the canonical bride-capture wife of the Lemminkainen-cycle. Wired as spouse of finnish_lemminkainen.

Powers

• Bind a marriage by mutual sworn vow

Epithets

• Saaren kukka finnish · folkFlower of Saari, her standing epithet as the fairest island maidenKalevala (Lonnrot), Runo 11 epithet for Kyllikki (primary)
• Saaren neito finnish · folkMaiden of the Island, her place-epithetKalevala (Lonnrot), Runo 11 epithet for Kyllikki (primary)

Relations

• spouse: LemminkäinenReciprocal-needed on finnish_lemminkainen — Kyllikki is the hero captured first wife of the island of Saari, bound to him by the mutual vow; her broken vow frees him to depart for Pohjola.Kalevala (Lonnrot 1849), Runos 11-12 (primary)

Sources

• existence: Elias Lonnrot, Kalevala (1849 New Kalevala) Runos 11-12 (primary); Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot (Old Songs of the Finnish People), Lemminkainen / Saari bride-capture runos (primary); Matti Kuusi, Finnish Folk Poetry: Epic (1977) (secondary)