Finnish folklore of grain

Pollen studies show that grain was first cultivated in Finland around 2000 years before the birth of Christ, and equally old or even older traces of it are found in the fell area of inland Finland as well as the river valleys of the coast of southern Finland.

In the festival connected with the beginning of the spring plowing, an old man represents the god of the sky and from an attic or a tree answers questions put to him by people who pray about health, the grain harvest, the weather, and other matters.

The " souls " of the dead have power of motion like those of the living. It is also believed that the souls of the departed may find concealment in the guise of other sorts of insects, this explaining the Cheremiss custom that whenever many caterpillars begin to appear in the grainfields, sacrifice is made to such of the departed as have died without leaving kinsfolk.

There were several customs regarding sowing and harvesting, which were aimed at showing proper respect to the spirits. The haltija of the field was called Pellonpekko or just Pekko (Pekka, Pikka), was probably originally the Finnish spirit of barley, and thus the spirit of beer.

Beer drinking promoted the growth of grain in the pre-Christian “Ukko’s Bushel” celebration held each spring; Ukko was the god of thunder. In Finland beer was enjoyed as a sacred drink at feasts such as the 'Ukon vakat'. Sacred beer consecrated with spells and mythical songs was brewed for the yearly festivities.

In Finno-Ugrian mythology, the sustainability and prosperity of the community were maintained by a Sampo pillar (navel of the sky). According to Kalevala, the smith Ilmarinen who are expert working the known metals of the time, including brass, copper, iron, gold, and silver managed to build a Sampo machine, which would grain fortune—flour, salt and gold—for the community into an unforeseen future.

He gives the machine to the mistress of a neighboring community beyond the sea as a gift in exchange for marrying her daughter. However, after receiving the Sampo, she did not give her daughter to Ilmarinen, who had to return to Kalevala.

Smith Ilmarinen gathered a group of fellow men and sailed to take the Sampo back, but it fell from their boat and broke into millions of pieces and into the sea. Ever since then, the Finns have been searching for a new Sampo wonder machine that would secure their wellbeing and prosperity.
Finnish folklore of grain