The Quest for Kalevala
Encyclopedia
The Quest for Kalevala is an Uncle Scrooge
comic book
story written and drawn by Keno Don Rosa in 1999.
The Quest for Kalevala is based on the Finnish
national epic Kalevala
, assembled and partly written by Elias Lönnrot
in the 19th century. Rosa's inspiration for the story was a Finnish children's book called Koirien Kalevala ("The Canine Kalevala") by the Finnish cartoonist
Mauri Kunnas
, who was himself inspired by the original Kalevala.
Part of the story takes place in Helsinki
, Finland
, depicted in an accurate, realistic way as the city looked in the 1950s, though some buildings pictured weren't built until the 1960s.
sets out on a quest to find the legendary Sampo
. During his quest, he awakens both Väinämöinen
and Louhi
. An epic battle ensues between the two.
in the late 19th century. Huey, Dewey and Louie
consult their Junior Woodchucks Guidebook and find out that the notes on the page are part of Lönnrot's notes for the Kalevala, revealing the location of the remains of the Sampo.
Upon hearing of this mythical machine that can produce grain
, salt
, and most particularly, gold
, out of thin air, Scrooge sets out to find the Sampo. The Ducks travel to Helsinki, where the director of the Finnish Literature Society
explains Lönnrot's notes for them and shows the location marked on them.
The Ducks travel to the island, where they find Väinämöinen's legendary sword
. Touching the sword awakens the spirit of Väinämöinen, which uses the body of whoever touched the sword as its locus of connection to the mortal world. He tells them what happened to the Sampo during the Kalevala times. Väinämöinen's magic brings Gyro Gearloose
to the island, and imbued with Seppo Ilmarinen's spirit, Gyro reassembles the Sampo.
However, the Sampo does not work, because it is missing one part, which was stolen by Louhi, now residing in the afterlife in Tuonela
(The Underworld). Scrooge and Donald go to Tuonela to retrieve the missing part. However, after they have left, Louhi becomes aware of the return of her ancient enemy, and summons Magica De Spell
to help her get the Sampo back.
Sailing back to continental Finland, Väinämöinen and the Ducks are able to fix the Sampo and start producing gold from thin air. However, Magica De Spell and Louhi attack their ship. In the ensuing battle, Louhi manages to steal Väinämöinen's famous kantele
, which holds such great power that she loses interest in the Sampo. As the start of her new reign, Louhi summons the sea monster Iku-Turso
and orders it to wreak havoc on Helsinki. Donald goes after Iku-Turso to stop it. In the process, he gets the kantele back and is able to lure Iku-Turso back to the sea.
With Louhi defeated, Väinämöinen offers Scrooge to come to the lands of Kalevala with him. Scrooge, however, can't bear to lose his family and friends, so he abandons the Sampo in favour of them.
Uncle Scrooge
Uncle Scrooge is a comic book with the stingy Scrooge McDuck "the richest duck in the world" as the main character. The series also featured Donald Duck and his nephews as supporting characters. The first 70 issues mostly consisted of stories written and drawn by Carl Barks, the creator of Scrooge...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
story written and drawn by Keno Don Rosa in 1999.
The Quest for Kalevala is based on the Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
national epic Kalevala
Kalevala
The Kalevala is a 19th century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Finnish and Karelian oral folklore and mythology.It is regarded as the national epic of Finland and is one of the most significant works of Finnish literature...
, assembled and partly written by Elias Lönnrot
Elias Lönnrot
Elias Lönnrot was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry. He is best known for compiling the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic compiled from national folklore.-Education and early life:...
in the 19th century. Rosa's inspiration for the story was a Finnish children's book called Koirien Kalevala ("The Canine Kalevala") by the Finnish cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Mauri Kunnas
Mauri Kunnas
Mauri Tapio Kunnas is a Finnish cartoonist and children's author.Kunnas matriculated in 1969 and graduated from the Finnish Academy of Arts as a graphic designer in 1975. He has worked as a political cartoonist in many Finnish newspapers...
, who was himself inspired by the original Kalevala.
Part of the story takes place in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, depicted in an accurate, realistic way as the city looked in the 1950s, though some buildings pictured weren't built until the 1960s.
Summary
Scrooge McDuckScrooge McDuck
Scrooge McDuck is a cartoon character created in 1947 by Carl Barks and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Scrooge is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a red or blue frock coat, top hat, pince-nez glasses, and spats...
sets out on a quest to find the legendary Sampo
Sampo
In Finnish mythology, the Sampo or Sammas was a magical artifact of indeterminate type constructed by Ilmarinen that brought good fortune to its holder...
. During his quest, he awakens both Väinämöinen
Väinämöinen
Väinämöinen is the central character in the Finnish folklore and the main character in the national epic Kalevala. His name comes from the Finnish word väinämö, meaning minstrel. Originally a Finnish god, he was described as an old and wise man, and he possessed a potent, magical...
and Louhi
Louhi
Louhi is a queen of the land known as Pohjola in Finnish mythology and the mythology of Lapland.-In mythology:Louhi is described as a powerful witch with the ability to change shape and weave mighty enchantments. She is also the main opponent of Väinämöinen and his group in the battle for the...
. An epic battle ensues between the two.
Detailed plot
When going through his trunk full of old memories and souvenirs, Scrooge discovers a page that he remembers having originally torn from Lönnrot's notebook when they met in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in the late 19th century. Huey, Dewey and Louie
Huey, Dewey and Louie
Huey, Dewey, and Louie Duck are a trio of fictional, anthropomorphic ducks who appear in animated cartoons and comic books published by the Walt Disney Company. Identical triplets, the three are Donald Duck's nephews. Huey, Dewey, and Louie were created by Ted Osborne and Al Taliaferro, and first...
consult their Junior Woodchucks Guidebook and find out that the notes on the page are part of Lönnrot's notes for the Kalevala, revealing the location of the remains of the Sampo.
Upon hearing of this mythical machine that can produce grain
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
, and most particularly, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
, out of thin air, Scrooge sets out to find the Sampo. The Ducks travel to Helsinki, where the director of the Finnish Literature Society
Finnish Literature Society
The Finnish Literature Society was founded in 1831 to promote literature written in Finnish. Among its first publications was the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic.-External links:* ...
explains Lönnrot's notes for them and shows the location marked on them.
The Ducks travel to the island, where they find Väinämöinen's legendary sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
. Touching the sword awakens the spirit of Väinämöinen, which uses the body of whoever touched the sword as its locus of connection to the mortal world. He tells them what happened to the Sampo during the Kalevala times. Väinämöinen's magic brings Gyro Gearloose
Gyro Gearloose
Gyro Gearloose is a fictional character, an anthropomorphic chicken created by Carl Barks for The Walt Disney Company. He is part of the Scrooge McDuck universe, appearing in comic book stories as a friend of Donald Duck, Scrooge and anyone who is associated with them. He was also a frequent star...
to the island, and imbued with Seppo Ilmarinen's spirit, Gyro reassembles the Sampo.
However, the Sampo does not work, because it is missing one part, which was stolen by Louhi, now residing in the afterlife in Tuonela
Tuonela
Tuonela is the realm of the dead or the Underworld in Finnish and Estonian mythology. Tuonela, Tuoni, Manala and Mana are used synonymously. In Estonian mythology, it is called Toonela or Manala....
(The Underworld). Scrooge and Donald go to Tuonela to retrieve the missing part. However, after they have left, Louhi becomes aware of the return of her ancient enemy, and summons Magica De Spell
Magica De Spell
Magica De Spell is a fictional character of the Scrooge McDuck universe, a sorceress created by Carl Barks. She constantly steals or attempts to steal Scrooge McDuck's Number One Dime, which she believes will play a vital role in magically obtaining the same fabulous wealth of its...
to help her get the Sampo back.
Sailing back to continental Finland, Väinämöinen and the Ducks are able to fix the Sampo and start producing gold from thin air. However, Magica De Spell and Louhi attack their ship. In the ensuing battle, Louhi manages to steal Väinämöinen's famous kantele
Kantele
A kantele or kannel is a traditional plucked string instrument of the zither family native to Finland, Estonia, and Karelia. It is related to the Russian gusli, the Latvian kokle and the Lithuanian kanklės. Together these instruments make up the family known as Baltic psalteries...
, which holds such great power that she loses interest in the Sampo. As the start of her new reign, Louhi summons the sea monster Iku-Turso
Iku-Turso
Iku-Turso is a malevolent sea monster in the Finnish mythology. Nowadays Meritursas means octopus in Finnish, named after Iku-Turso, but originally tursas is an old name for walrus while the more common term is mursu. However, it is more common to see the word Iku-Turso is a malevolent sea...
and orders it to wreak havoc on Helsinki. Donald goes after Iku-Turso to stop it. In the process, he gets the kantele back and is able to lure Iku-Turso back to the sea.
With Louhi defeated, Väinämöinen offers Scrooge to come to the lands of Kalevala with him. Scrooge, however, can't bear to lose his family and friends, so he abandons the Sampo in favour of them.