Lemminkainen’s Hunt for the Hiisi Moose

Lemminkainen’s Hunt for the Hiisi Moose is a pursuit that turns an elusive quarry into a test of persistence within Lemminkainen’s second wooing. After the moose escapes detection, he begins the hunt again; prayer for divine aid precedes his eventual arrival at Pohyola as a victor.

Place in the Second Wooing

The episode belongs to Rune XIII, titled “Lemminikainen's Second Wooing,” and is framed by Lemminkainen’s dealings with the hostess of Pohyola. The hunt therefore sits within a courtship narrative rather than standing as an isolated feat: its outcome carries him onward to Pohyola, where he addresses Louhi.

The Renewed Pursuit

The moose proves difficult to find: it is beyond the sight of the eye and the detection of the hero’s ear. Anger and discouragement follow this evasion, but they do not end the attempt. Lemminkainen starts again to capture the animal, making persistence the defining action of the hunt.

Prayer and Outcome

On the journey, the wild and daring Lemminkainen steadfastly calls upon the gods for succor. The account then marks a decisive change in his fortunes: he goes as a victor to the dwellings of Pohyola. There he addresses Louhi, bringing the hunting episode directly back to the wooing frame without specifying in these lines what he says to her.