The Kalevala is an epic poem from Finland. It is considered the national epic of Finland and is based on Karelian and Finnish folklore and mythology.

The Kalevala is an epic poem from Finland that is regarded as a national epic. It consists of folk poetry collected by Elias Lönnrot in the 19th century and tells the stories of Finnish folklore and mythology. The Kalevala is known for its rich imagery, magical elements, and themes of creation and heroism.

Elias Lönnrot (9 April 1802 - 19 March 1884) was a Finnish philologist and collector of traditional Finnish oral poetry. He is best known for compiling the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic compiled from national folklore.

Veikko Ruoppila has written:

'Kalevala ja kansankieli' -- subject(s): Finnish language, Kalevala

The Kalevala is largely based on Finnish folklore and oral tradition, but the author Elias Lönnrot also included some original content and rearranged the stories to create a cohesive narrative. Therefore, while much of the material in the Kalevala is drawn from traditional sources, Lönnrot did use his own imagination to shape the epic poem.