Secondly, we find her as a timid and shrinking bride, in fact almost a child-bride.
Thirdly, when married, she appears as a wicked and heartless peasant-woman of the worst type.
The heroes are all skilled in magic, and to some extent are able to command or propitiate even the gods. A peculiarity of Finnish magic is what is called "the word of origin."
To control or banish an evil power, it is sufficient to know and to repeat to it its proper name, and to relate the history of its creation.
Before concluding the Introduction, it may be well to give a brief summary of the principal contents of the fifty Runos of the poem.
Runo I. After a preamble by the bard, he proceeds to relate how the Virgin of the Air descended into the sea, was tossed about by the winds and waves, modelled the earth, and brought forth the culture-hero Väinämöinen, who swims to shore.
Runo II. Väinämöinen clears and plants the country, and sows barley.
Runo III. The Laplander Joukahainen presumes to contend with Väinämöinen in singing, but is plunged by him into a swamp, till he pledges to him his sister Aino; after which he is released, and returns home discomfited. But Aino is much distressed at the idea of being obliged to marry an old man.
Runo IV. Väinämöinen makes love to Aino in the forest; but she returns home in grief and anger, and finally wanders away again, and is drowned while trying to swim out to some water-nymphs in a lake. Her mother weeps for her incessantly.
Runo V. Väinämöinen fishes up Aino in the form of a salmon; but she escapes him, and his mother advises him to seek a bride in Pohjola, the North Country, sometimes identified with Lapland, but apparently still further north.