To Tuonela

by Floranna

The river was as black as the songs and stories had said, and she could feel the coldness from the white water seep into her skin and make her shiver as badly as standing outside in the midwinter.

AN: Some of the italicized parts were taken from Kalevala, translated to English by Keith Bosley, published by Oxford University Press.

Kanerva walked towards the river and stopped to breathe. She had been walking for several days through the thick woods and inhospitable lands to get here, but the most dangerous part was still ahead. The river was as black as the songs and stories had said and she could feel the coldness from the white water seep into her skin and make her shiver as badly as standing outside in the midwinter. She couldn't quite see what was in the other side of the river, but knew for sure that there was Tuonela, the Dead Land. The air felt still even here and she couldn't hear any sounds of animals or birds. Even the river was soundless in a way that was clearly unnatural.

She took a deep breath and started stripping. Her outer clothes were too valuable for this part of the trip, and she wouldn't most likely need shoes at Tuonela anyway. When she only had her undershirt and skirt on, she opened her bag and took two bottles full of pig's blood out. Then Kanerva packed every piece of clothing and things she wasn't taking with her and hid the bag in a hole she found, covering it and tying a piece of cloth to a tree branch so she would recognize it when coming back.

Now came the part she wasn't particularly enthusiastic about. Kanerva took a firm grip on her bodice and ripped it. She did the same to her skirt and opened her hair from the braid and proceeded to mess it up as well as she could. Then she opened the bottles and poured the blood on herself, trying to make it look like she had been attacked. The blood smelled bad in a way that it might have gone little off on her way there, but she was hoping that she could still pass enough for a dead to get to the other side.

Kanerva walked to the river beach and shouted: "Bring a boat, girl of Tuoni a raft, child of the Tuonela to get me over the strait reach me across the river!" Then she waited. It didn't take long for a girl of Tuoni to arrive with her boat. From afar, she seemed like an ordinary working girl, with hair under a kerchief and clothes made for working, but the closer she got more obvious it became that she was no human girl. Her skin was vaxen and her eyes were circled with dark and sunken so deep that Kanerva wondered if she had eyes at all. The voice when she spoke was scratchy but strong: "Why does one that isn't killed by any mortal means wants to go to Tuonela?"

Kanerva swallowed at that and answered: "But I was killed, don't you see the blood on me, the evidence of a violent death? I have a right to pass and wish for it also." Girl of Tuoni looked at her with such a gaze that made Kanerva want to hide, as she suspected that her sham would be brought out in the open. But the girl of Tuoni only nodded and moved aside so she could get into the boat. For a moment Kanerva only stood dumbly, but after he gathered at least some of her wits she scrambled in. Big part of her hadn't truly believed that the hoax would work, but she doubted that girl of Tuoni was actually fooled. It might be moderately easy to get into Tuonela, but finding the answers she was looking for and getting back would most likely be far more dangerous and difficult.

When the boat hit the shore, she stumbled out as fast a she could and started walking briskly away from the water. The land was as black as the river and the sky was blood red. The rare trees that stood there were twisted deadwoods, which looked more like jutting bones in their near unnatural whiteness.

Kanerva could also see small houses, or more like shacks littered in the landscape. When she got closer to a one, she saw that it was made of rock, a small hovel that would barely allow a one full-grown man to sleep without hunching. The roof ended below her chin and the door was just a small hole covered by a piece of cloth. Only way to get in would be to crawl inside.

She slowly lifted the cloth and peeked inside. There was a young child sleeping inside, so young that she couldn't say if the child was a boy or a girl. Kanerva put the covering back on its place quietly and walked away. It would be best not to disrupt the sleep of the dead who she had not come for.

She looked inside several of the shacks, and started to slowly get slightly distressed. There was no way of telling who was sleeping inside of them and even looking inside wouldn't help as she didn't know what the man she was trying to find actually looked like. She sat down and held her head in her hands and tried to calm down. It would be of no use to get hysterical, that she still had some time until she would have to go back for drink and food and actual rest.

"What are you doing here, child?"

She might've shrieked a little at that, stood up and turned quickly around. The man who had said the words looked down at her with a slightly amused expression. He was an old man with a long white hair and beard, but he held himself in a way that told about strength and firm resolve. His eyes shined off intelligence and maybe even a small amount of compassion.

"Who are you child to come to Tuonela, while still alive."

Kanerva felt like he actually knew the answers to both of those questions but asked them anyways. "I am Kanerva, daughter of Kullervo and Kaunokki."

"Kanerva, the heather. A daughter of the curse-bringer Kullervo, who unknowingly seduced his sister, who then killed herself when she found out about their blood ties. Who killed Ilmarinen's wife with a curse after she baked a stone in his bread where his knife then broke. Who slaughtered Untamo's family, and then threw himself on his sword. Who grew up as a slave."

Kanera grinded her teeth and said: "You know my family's history rather well, steady old Väinämöinen. Why such an interest?"

The old man, legendary Väinämöinen just laughed at that. "A child brought up crookedly or a son lulled stupidly won't come to grasp things, have a man's understanding though he should live to be old or should grow strong in body."

Kanerva nodded at that with a dubious look. "It's true that my father had suffered greatly, and brought more pain and suffering to the world with his own hands. But why do you ask?"

"It's odd to see a child of that sibling incest union walk around alive, when your mother threw herself in the water nearly immediately after the act. How do you exist, young Kanerva?"

"But steady old Väinämöinen, don't you know where children come from?" she didn't really want to answer to that question, as people tended to react badly or at least treat her differently after they heard the truth.

"Don't mock me child. Answer me truthfully and I will help you to find what you are looking for on this land."

She sighed a little and answered: "My mother threw herself in the river, yes, where fishes ate her flesh and a one salmon devoured her womb. If that had been an ordinary salmon I may have never been born, but she had once been a human named Aino."

At that the steady old Väinämöinen actually flinched. Kanerva smiled at it and kept going. If he wanted answers she was going to give them to him without easing the words. "Yes, the woman given to you but who rather killed herself than married you, who entered Ahti's kingdom as a fish. I grew inside her belly, and when I had grown big enough, she changed her shape and gave birth to me on the dry land. There I was found and taken into a family, there I grew, until a shaman told the story of my bloodline and I left for answers and actions that only lie in Tuonela."

Steady old Väinämöinen nodded at that. "Kullervo did unwittingly curse his own bloodline. It didn't matter before as everyone believed that the line was irredeemably broken, but now for that you live and the possible children you will have, you must find him to lift it."

"Yes, that's why. I wish to have a family of my own with many children and wish for them and me to not to have the same fate as my forebears."

Väinämöinen looked amused at that declaration. "And have you got any suitors?"

"I have three. One is of my age but talks of a new religion that comes from across the sea. Second is a young widow, but with several children of his previous union. Third is an old man. All three are equally wealthy, all are very good men and all equally dear to me, which is very much. The choice is difficult, but I know I don't want any of them to face the curse that I carry in my blood and they won't wait for me forever. I must lift it and soon, so that's why I am here now."

"You bring action on this land, where almost everyone sleeps an eternal dream. I do warn you, getting outside will be far harder than entering."

Kanerva smirked at that. "As for leaving…I grew up in a fish's belly and I have inherited some of the magical powers my father held. I'll be fine."

"So be it. I know where Kullervo sleeps, but beware, he sleeps restlessly and death hasn't eased his temper. He won't react kindly to those who wake him."

"That wouldn't surprise me."

Steady old Väinämöinen nodded, turned around and started walking. Kanerva hurried after him and neither said a word anymore.

They seemed to walk for hours but she wouldn't have been surprised if someone would say that the journey actually lasted only few minutes. The time in Tuonela moved sluggishly and still too fast at the same time. Kanerva felt no hunger nor thirst, unlike she had feared before. The tiredness was a surprise, as she felt the sluggishness and lethargy slowly gain more strength. She did strongly doubt that if she were to take a nap she wouldn't wake up from it, so she kept pinching herself and forcing her eyes wide open trying not to fall down to sleep.

The gazes steady old Väinämöinen kept throwing at her told Kanerva that he knew exactly what she was feeling but said nothing. She didn't think that he would help her if she were to fall asleep so she strengthened her attempts to stay awake.

"Your father sleeps here."

The stone shack was identical to any others, but when she looked in there he laid. Hiss face was the same she saw on the surface of the water and in the family heirloom mirror. It was almost uncanny.

She let go of the cloth and stood up. When she turned to thank Väinämöinen, the old man had already left. Kanerva frowned. She seriously doubted that he had gone afar and would be watching the action.

She sighed, bent down to grab a handful of gravel, lifted the cloth and threw the rocks inside, shouting: "Wake up! Your daughter wants to talk to you!"

There were sounds of shocked cursing coming from inside until a man crawled out. He was handsome with a golden hair and even features and seemed only a couple of years older than her. Although he had the look of an angry and depressed man that took away great deal of his good looks. He glared at her and said: "Are you my daughter?"

"Yes."

Kullervo looked disgusted at her. "What are you doing here, incest-child?"

Kanerva bristled at that and ignored the stab of hurt that those words brought to her heart. "You cursed our bloodline, unwittingly or not and I want you to lift it."

"No."

That…was a small surprise. "Why is that?"

"That bloodline only brings misery and pain in the world. It spills the blood of the innocents and is completely uncontrollable in a civilized society. It should fade away."

Kanerva looked at him, nodded and pounced at him while punching him in the face. Kullervo didn't even have time to defend himself when she wrapped her hands around his throat growling: "I do understand that you had a terrible life, that everyone you cared died because of your mistakes, but I won't let you ruin my life too. I grew up in a fish's belly, I was raised by a loving and caring family, I have a future and suitors to choose from, I wish for a family of my own and I won't let you ruin it. I inherited your magic and my bearer-mother's shape and I will fight to the end for my freedom of you. Release me from the curse!"

Kullervo punched her into stomach forcing her to let go and stroke her nose so hard it broke and started gushing. She howled in pain, cowering, but when he got closer she sprang forward head-butting him into the stomach and taking him down with her. After that, things got messy until Kullervo was lying under her and she was screaming in his ear: "Release me, RELEASE ME!"

"I will! I release you!"

Those words gave her a rush that left her gasping. It was like her entire life there had been a thin film over her eyes and now it was suddenly removed. Even in Tuonela the colors seemed a bit brighter and the lines sharper. Kullervo used her distraction into his advantage and threw her off his back. Kanerva rolled to her feet and raised her hands, waiting for attack that didn't come. Kullervo just stood, glowering at her. "You got what you wanted, now leave." Suddenly he smirked and said: "If you can."

Kanerva took couple of steps backwards and until she judged she was far enough, turned around and started running full speed to the shore. There was no one chasing her but she still jumped into the water at full speed, splashing painfully to the surface and immediately started to sink.

It took a moment for her to get over the shock at how cold the water was, but she managed to gather wits enough to twist into the shape she gained from her bearer-mother. As a salmon she started to swim to the opposite side of the shore, swimming under the net that Tuoni's son made to catch the few living who had gained entry and tried to escape. When she climbed to the dry land she saw that she had come up on the exact spot she had left her bag and started to laugh in joy. After a moment the laughter changed into a sobs of relief.