*The Son of Kalev*

Basic facts about the author and epic

• In 1840ties a well-known medical doctor Friedrich Robert Faehlmann started to collect stories about the mythical hero of Estonia, the *Son of Kalev*, and planned to put them all together in one book.

• He died in 1850 and could’nt complete the work and another doctor Friedrich Reinhold *Kreutzwald* finished compilation of the epic.

“The Son of Kalev” by Oskar Kallis

• The epic was published for the first time in 1861.

• Later a number of editions were published but the first illustrated epic (with Kristjan Raud illustrations) was issued only in 1935.

• The last 17th edition was issued in 1998 and is translated into many languages.

• For Estonians the *Son of Kalev* is a mythical hero of gigantic size, who ruled over the country before the German knights came - he is a symbol of fight for freedom.

The Son of Kalev by F. R. Kreutzwald

• The Son of Kalev is written in old Estonian alliterative verse and consists of twenty cantos and about 19,100 verses.

• All Estonians know the stories of the *Son of Kalev* and have studied them many times during the school years.

• Many various natural objects and features in Estonia are interpreted as traces of the deeds of the *Son of Kalev*.

The story of the epic *Son of Kalev* (Kalevipoeg)The coronation of Son of Kalev by Kristjan

Raud• The story begins with the

description of the father and mother of the hero and then his adventures begin.

• He follows his mother’s kidnapper, visits a blacksmith in Finland to get a good sword and commits a blood guilt by raping a Finnish girl.

• After coming back home, he competes with his brothes in stone throwing and becomes the king.

• As a king he cultivates the land and fights with the enemies who try to conquer the country, travels twice to the the hell, fights with the devil and his helpmates, makes a journy to the end of the world and finally, tired of the endless wars, passes the throne to his relative the Son of Olev. The Son of Kalev in Hell by

Oskar Kallis

The Son of Kalev is bringing the planks by Kristjan Raud

KThe Son of Kalev Travelling Over the Lake Peipsi by Jüri Arrak

• The Son of Kalev by Erik Haamer

The Son of Kalev Fighting with the Enemies by Evald Okas

• Eventually the *Son of Kalev* dies after his feet are cut off by his own sword because of the blood guilt he committed in his youth.

• After the death he becomes a guardian of the gates of the underworld.

• The final verses of the epic are famous among Estonians and often used, when spoken about our independence.

The Son of Kalev at the Gates of Hell by Kristjan Raud

The *Son of Kalev* as inspiration

• Motives from the stories of the *Son of Kalev* have been used in Estonian art and literature. The epic has inspired composers like Rudolf Tobias and Eugene Kapp.

The costumes for the E. Kapp ballet /1948

•The story of The Son of Kalev in theatre

•Sculpture by Tauno Kangro “Son of Kalev ploughing the field” in Põltsamaa

• The copy of the statue of The Son of Kalev in our hometown Tartu

• Now there is a project for erecting a 25 meters high statue of the Son of the Kalev in the Tallinn Harbour, but because of many technical and financial problems the project has not jet started.

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