Kullervo is a feature character in five of the 50 chapters of the Kalevala: a 19th-century compiled collection of significant works from Finnish literature, regarded as Finland's national epic. Chapters 31 through 36 give us a brief but tragic look at Kullervo's character, which goes a little something like this
In the story, Kullervo has two uncles by the name of Kalervo and Untamo, notorious for their constant one-upping. Although they were raised separately from each other, the two brothers eventually came together one faithful day when Untamo decided it would be a good idea to fish in Kalervo's fishing spot. Seeing this, Kalervo steals Untamo's net, along with all the fish he caught with it. And thus the rivalry beganMany disputes and confrontations later, Untamo becomes so fed-up with his brother that he declares war, killing all of Kalervo's tribe save for his sister, Untamala, who surrenders and submits herself to him, and gives birth to Kullervo soon after. However, some versions say that Untamala instead had a virgin birth.
When Kullervo is only three months old, he begins to promise revenge and destruction upon Untamo for what he did, so Untamo tries to kill the young boy before he can make these threats real. However, any attempt made to kill the boy doesn't seem to work, as he is consistently saved by his supposed latent magical powers. Drowning him doesn't work. Setting him on fire doesn't work. Even flat out hanging him doesn't end with the desired result. So Untamo just sort of gives up and allows him to live and tries to find work for Kullervo, but because of his latent magic powers and wild, unpredictable nature, he proves ill-fit to complete any sort of task given to him, be it housework or cutting wood. Untamo decides to get rid of the boy once and for all by simply selling him into slavery.
Sold to Ilmarinen, a blacksmith and inventor known as the "Eternal Hammerer", Kullervo's only memento from his past life is a knife he had as a child. As a slave, he is raised in isolation as his magic powers and fierce temper continue to grow. Things might not have been so bad had it not been for Ilmarinen's wife, who found quite a lot of enjoyment in tormenting the young boy. One particular day she asks Kullervo to go out and tend to the livestock, with only a loaf of bread (filled with stones) to eat, and a poem invoking protection and prosperity to aid him. When Kullervo goes to cut the bread with his childhood knife, it breaks on the stones hidden in the bread. Enraged, Kullervo casts a curse on the livestock that makes them turn into bears, which in turn kill Ilmarinen's wife. Kullervo then flees from slavery, and soon finds out from a traveling old woman that his family is actually still alive! All except for his sister, who is presumed to be dead. Traveling to north, Kullervo reunites with them there.
Kullervo's father has just about the same amount of luck in trying to find work for his son. However, Kullervo proves to be successful at collecting tributes for the tribe upon his father's instruction, but on the way back, meets a beggar girl whom he ends up seducing and sleeping with. The next day, Kullervo finds out that this beggar girl was actually his long lost sister, and after she comes to realize the situation, promptly commits suicide out of shame. Kullervo returns to his family to deliver the bad news.
After confessing to his family that he slept with his sister, Kullervo intends to kill himself as well, though his mother begs him not to. So instead, Kullervo decides to take out his emotions on Untamo in order to finally get revenge. Though his family attempts to dissuade him from doing so, warning that the path he walks is an evil and fruitless one, Kullervo has his mind set on revenge. Because of this, his family rejects him, all except for his mother. But Kullervo still refuses to change his mind, and begins to prepare for his quest. As he is doing so, however, all of his family members begin to die off. He doesn't mourn for any of them except his mother, who was the only one to ever show him love.
Choosing not to attend any of his family's funerals, not even his mother's, Kullervo then travels to meet with Ukko, the god of the sky, who gives him a magic broadsword, which he uses to kill Untamo, as well as every single last member of his tribe, effectively wiping them all out before burning their village to the ground. With is goal completed, he returns to his home only to find it empty. As reality slowly begins to sink in, Kullervo begins to weep, crying for days before calling out for his mother, who appears to him as a spirit. His mother's spirit tells him to go into the forest, hoping that the wood nymphs there would shelter and protect him.
Making his way into the forest, Kullervo instead stumbles upon the corpse of his long lost sister. Understandably, Kullervo finally snaps, drawing his sword and asking it to take his life. Being a magic sword and all, the weapon bursts into song, claiming it doesn't care what sort of life it takes, be it guilty or just. With that, Kullervo plunges the sword through his body and takes his own life.
But such a sad story is not without a moral: raise your kids right. Children should never be discarded or treated poorly, or they will surely suffer in the future.
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