# Louhi — The Kalevala character guide > Louhi in The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot. **Role:** major **Also known as:** ancient Louhi, the wicked Louhi, the Nine Diseases Louhi, Louhi Pohjolan emanta Sanan wirkko **First appearance:** 0010-rune-vii-wainamoinen-s-rescue ## Snapshot Toothless mistress of the frozen North, she trades her daughter for the Sampo and turns the sun and moon into her hostages. ## Who they are Louhi rules Pohyola, the cold northern realm whose power she guards with cunning and ruthless bargains. Her tension is with the heroes of Kalevala, whom she both needs and despises: she demands the Sampo forged, then hoards its wealth, and when it is lost she takes the sun and moon in revenge. As the epic's great antagonist, she embodies the North's hunger and gives the story its driving conflict between light and cold. ## Relationships ### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen) _rivalry_ Louhi, the Mistress of Pohjola, is a cunning antagonist who opposes Wainamoinen's quests for the Sampo. ### [Lemminkainen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/lemminkainen) _rivalry_ Lemminkainen repeatedly clashes with Louhi, who tries to thwart his attempts to marry her daughter. ### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen) _rivalry_ Louhi, the Mistress of Pohjola, is a cunning antagonist who opposes Wainamoinen's quests for the Sampo. ### [Lemminkainen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/lemminkainen) _rivalry_ Lemminkainen repeatedly clashes with Louhi, who tries to thwart his attempts to marry her daughter. ### [Lemminkainen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/lemminkainen) _rivalry_ Lemminkainen repeatedly clashes with Louhi, who tries to thwart his attempts to marry her daughter. ### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen) _rivalry_ Louhi, the Mistress of Pohjola, is a cunning antagonist who opposes Wainamoinen's quests for the Sampo. ## In the story ### [Proem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/proem) Referenced in incantations over Sampo and Louhi, with Louhi ceasing her enchantment. ### [Rune VII: Wainamoinen’s Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-vii-wainamoinen-s-rescue) Hostess of Pohyola who finds Wainamoinen weeping, brings him to her home, offers him food and shelter, and demands the forging of the Sampo in exchange for his return and her daughter's hand. ### [Rune VIII: Maiden of the Rainbow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-viii-maiden-of-the-rainbow) Mentioned as the mistress of Pohyola, though not directly appearing in this rune. ### [Rune X: Ilmarinen Forges the Sampo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-x-ilmarinen-forges-the-sampo) Hostess of Pohyola who receives the Sampo and locks it away in the copper-bearing mountains. ### [Rune XII: Kyllikki’s Broken Vow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xii-kyllikki-s-broken-vow) Referenced indirectly as a Pohya-witch; the mother warns Lemminkainen of her witchcraft. ### [Rune XIII: Lemminkainen's Second Wooing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xiii-lemminkainen-s-second-wooing) Hostess of Pohyola who refuses Lemminkainen's suit and sets the task of capturing the wild moose. ### [Rune XIV: Death of Lemminkainen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xiv-death-of-lemminkainen) The hostess of Pohyola sets increasingly difficult tasks for Lemminkainen as the price for her daughter's hand, ultimately sending him to his death. ### [Rune XV: Lemminkainen’s Restoration](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xv-lemminkainen-s-restoration) Hostess of Pohyola, who initially lies about Lemminkainen's fate but eventually reveals he was sent to Tuonela. ### [Rune XVIII: The Rival Suitors](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xviii-the-rival-suitors) The hostess of Pohyola, who tries to persuade her daughter to choose Wainamoinen for his wealth over Ilmarinen. ### [Rune XIX: Ilmarinen's Wooing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xix-ilmarinen-s-wooing) The hostess of Pohyola who sets impossible tasks for Ilmarinen, demanding he plow the serpent-field, bridle Tuoni's bear, and catch Manala's wolf before granting his bride. ### [Rune XX: The Brewing of Beer](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xx-the-brewing-of-beer) Hostess of Pohyola who organizes the wedding preparations and explicitly forbids inviting Lemminkainen. ### [Rune XXI: Ilmarinen’s Wedding-Feast](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxi-ilmarinen-s-wedding-feast) Hostess of Pohyola who prepares the wedding feast, orders the stables and chambers readied, and serves the guests. ### [Rune XXII: The Bride’s Farewell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxii-the-bride-s-farewell) The hostess of Pohyola, urging the bride to depart and lamenting her leaving. ### [Rune XXIII: Osmotar the Bride-Adviser](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxiii-osmotar-the-bride-adviser) Mentioned as the mother of the bride, from whose gardens the 'tender plant' originates. ### [Rune XXV: Wainamoinen’s Wedding-Songs](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxv-wainamoinen-s-wedding-songs) Mentioned as the mother of the bride in Pohyola. ### [Rune XXVI: Origin of the Serpent](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxvi-origin-of-the-serpent) Mentioned as the host of Pohyola's wedding, though not directly appearing; the wedding is for the Rainbow-virgin, Louhi's daughter. ### [Rune XXVII: The Unwelcome Guest](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxvii-the-unwelcome-guest) Referred to as Ilpotar, the hostess of Pohyola, who initially refuses Lemminkainen food and drink, then later summons warriors against him. ### [Rune XXVIII: The Mother’s Counsel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxviii-the-mother-s-counsel) Her warriors pursue Lemminkainen after he kills a hero in her halls. ### [Rune XXIX: The Isle of Refuge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxix-the-isle-of-refuge) Implied as the landlord of Pohyola whose warriors seek Lemminkainen's head for vengeance. ### [Rune XXX: The Frost-Fiend](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxx-the-frost-fiend) Wicked hostess of Pohyola; sends the Frost to destroy Lemminkainen. ### [Rune XXXIII: Kullervo and the Cheat-Cake](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxiii-kullervo-and-the-cheat-cake) Not directly present; the hostess is Ilmarinen's wife, not Louhi. ### [Rune XXXVIII: Ilmarinen’s Fruitless Wooing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxviii-ilmarinen-s-fruitless-wooing) Hostess of Pohyola, she refuses Ilmarinen's request for her youngest daughter, blaming him for the death of her first daughter. ### [Rune XXXIX: Wainamoinen's Sailing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxix-wainamoinen-s-sailing) Mentioned as having hidden the Sampo in the copper mountain of Pohyola. ### [Birth of the Harp](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xl-birth-of-the-harp) Tries to play the harp in Pohyola, but produces only dissonance. ### [Rune XLII: Capture of the Sampo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xlii-capture-of-the-sampo) Hostess of Pohyola, refuses to share the Sampo, raises a storm and sends Iku-Turso to attack the heroes. ### [Rune XLIII: The Sampo Lost in the Sea](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xliii-the-sampo-lost-in-the-sea) Hostess of Pohyola, pursues the Sampo, transforms into a giant eagle, loses the Sampo in the sea, and returns home weeping. ### [Rune XLV: Birth of the Nine Diseases](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xlv-birth-of-the-nine-diseases) Hostess of Pohyola who, out of envy, prays for destruction and later banishes the diseases to Kalevala. ### [Rune XLVI: Otso the Honey-Eater](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xlvi-otso-the-honey-eater) Toothless hostess of Pohyola; in envy, she drives the bear Otso to attack Kalevala's livestock. ### [Rune XLVII: Louhi Steals Sun, Moon, and Fire](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xlvii-louhi-steals-sun-moon-and-fire) Hostess of Pohyola who steals the Sun, Moon, and fire, causing darkness in Kalevala. ### [Rune XLIX: Restoration of the Sun and Moon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xlix-restoration-of-the-sun-and-moon) The toothless witch of Pohyola who stole the Sun and Moon and hid them in a mountain; she releases them when threatened. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/louhi - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters