Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



When he is asked by the Hag of Pohjola to 

 fetch from the river of Mana the giant pike, 

 before he can have her daughter for a wife, 

 he fashions an eagle of iron, steel and flame, 

 which at length grapples successfully with the 

 pike and lands it from the river of death. 

 "When he and Vaino steal 

 the Sampo, the Hag of 

 Pohjola transforms her- 

 self into a monster eagle 

 and bears armed men on 

 her back over the sea in 

 pursuit of the marauders. 

 One meets the eagle at every twist and turn. 

 When Lemminkainen fails to get an invita- 

 tion to the wedding of Ilmarinen and resolves 

 to know the reason why, the Hag tries to 

 place obstacles in his way; amongst others she 

 causes a fiery stream to appear across his path 

 with a fiery eagle that threatens to swallow 

 Lemminkainen. After he has reached Poh- 

 jola, defied its inhabitants and killed the son 



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