Kalevala (from Kaleva, Finland). Finn. nat. epic, transmitted orally over several centuries, on which Sibelius based several works. In 1835 Elias Lönnrot published an edn. of 12,000 verses and in 1849 a 2nd edn. of 23,000 verses in trochaic verse, unrhymed, divided into 50 cantos or runes. This has been trans. into Swed., Ger., Eng., and Fr. Sibelius works which draw on it incl. Kullervo, Pohjola's Daughter, and the Lemminkäinen works.

Kalevala a collection of Finnish legends transmitted orally until published in the 19th century, and now regarded as the Finnish national epic.