Untamo
Finnish · mortal · kalevala mythic prehistoric · Recorded classification
Mortal Karelian-tribal chief, brother of Kalervo and the prime antagonist of the Kullervo-cycle. Driven by a fratricidal feud, he raised a war-band and slaughtered the whole Kalervo kindred save one pregnant captive, who bore Kullervo in slavery; he tried repeatedly to kill the preternaturally strong infant (drowning, burning, hanging) and, failing, sold the boy to the smith Ilmarinen. The wrong he began is the wrong the cycle avenges: Kullervo at last marches on Untamola, kills Untamo and burns his settlement (Runo 36). Wired as sibling of finnish_kalervo and enemy of finnish_kullervo, who slays him.
Powers
- Raise a war-band and lay waste a kindred
Epithets
- Untamo verinen bloody Untamo, the feud-chief who destroys his brother kindredKalevala (Lonnrot), Kullervo-cycle Runos 31-36 (primary)
Relations
- sibling: KalervoReciprocal-needed on finnish_kalervo — Untamo is Kalervo brother; their feud and Untamo massacre of the Kalervo kindred frame the Kullervo-cycle.Kalevala (Lonnrot 1849), Runo 31 (primary)
- enemy: KullervoReciprocal-needed on finnish_kullervo — Untamo enslaves and repeatedly tries to kill the infant Kullervo, who in the cycle climax slays Untamo and razes Untamola.Kalevala (Lonnrot 1849), Runos 31, 36 (primary)