The Maiden of the Rainbow Chooses Ilmarinen

The Maiden of the Rainbow Chooses Ilmarinen is a declaration of personal choice made against the economic logic urged by her mother. The Maiden of the Rainbow values Ilmarinen for his character and his work, not for the treasures he might bring; she also makes clear that she will not marry Wainamoinen. The exchange turns a courtship into an argument over who has the right to determine a woman’s marriage and what should count as a suitor’s worth.

The Setting and the Contrast of Gifts

At the dwelling, the scene evokes the material forms through which a marriage prospect might be presented: those arriving are associated with a bowl of honeyed food and a two-handled pitcher, while a suitor’s vessel is described as carrying costly presents and priceless gems from Kalevala. Against such wealth, another arrival is characterized as empty-handed, bringing only wisdom-sayings. The contrast sets material value beside knowledge and personal merit, preparing the terms of the Maiden of the Rainbow’s decision.

The Maiden’s Choice

The Maiden of the Rainbow acknowledges that her mother’s advice is good, but refuses to make riches the basis of marriage. She insists that daughters are not to be sold by anxious mothers to suitors they do not love. Her choice is Ilmarinen, whom she names for his wisdom, worth, and good behavior. She also points to his achievement: he forged the wondrous Sampo and hammered its lid in colors. The Sampo thus stands not merely as a source of wealth in the courtship debate, but as evidence of the chosen smith’s skill.

Conflict with Her Mother

The hostess of Pohyola answers by calling her daughter senseless and foolish. To the mother, Ilmarinen’s wit and wisdom count for little beside gold and silver. Their disagreement is direct: the mother measures a match by material advantage, while the daughter refuses to exchange her preference for riches. The daughter’s respect for maternal counsel does not amount to obedience; she distinguishes advice from authority over her choice.

Refusal and Significance

The Maiden of the Rainbow closes off the alternative of marrying the ancient Wainamoinen, declaring that she will never wed him. Her decision therefore does more than favor Ilmarinen: it rejects both a wealth-centered model of marriage and a match she does not want. The episode gives the maiden a stated standard of her own—wisdom, worth, and conduct—and makes her preference the decisive answer to competing suitors and her mother’s pressure.