# Youkahainen — The Kalevala character guide

> Youkahainen in The Kalevala by Elias Lönnrot.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** the boastful Youkahainen, the youthful Youkahainen, young Youkahainen

**First appearance:** 0006-rune-iii-wainamoinen-and-youkahainen

## Snapshot

A young Laplander who boasts his way into a singing contest with the greatest bard alive, and loses everything but his life.

## Who they are

Youkahainen is the fiery young minstrel of Lapland who challenges Wainamoinen to a war of wizard sayings. His flaw is youthful arrogance: he mistakes a list of natural facts for wisdom and refuses to yield the road until the older singer's runes sink him into a swamp. His defeat is the spark that sets the epic's opening in motion, and his later grudges keep him tangled in the heroes' affairs.

## Relationships

### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen)

_rivalry_

Wainamoinen defeats Youkahainen in a singing contest, leading to a bitter rivalry and Youkahainen's vow of revenge.

### [Aino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/aino)

_family_

Aino is Youkahainen's sister, and her tragic fate is tied to her brother's rivalry with Wainamoinen.

### [Kullervo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/kullervo)

_rivalry_

Kullervo and Youkahainen are adversaries, with Kullervo seeking revenge for past wrongs.

### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen)

_rivalry_

Wainamoinen defeats Youkahainen in a singing contest, leading to a bitter rivalry and Youkahainen's vow of revenge.

### [Wainamoinen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/wainamoinen)

_rivalry_

Wainamoinen defeats Youkahainen in a singing contest, leading to a bitter rivalry and Youkahainen's vow of revenge.

### [Aino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/aino)

_family_

Aino is Youkahainen's sister, and her tragic fate is tied to her brother's rivalry with Wainamoinen.

### [Aino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/aino)

_family_

Aino is Youkahainen's sister, and her tragic fate is tied to her brother's rivalry with Wainamoinen.

### [Kullervo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/kullervo)

_rivalry_

Kullervo and Youkahainen are adversaries, with Kullervo seeking revenge for past wrongs.

### [Kullervo](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/kullervo)

_rivalry_

Kullervo and Youkahainen are adversaries, with Kullervo seeking revenge for past wrongs.

## In the story

### [Proem](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/proem)

Mentioned as the source from whose bow the songs were taken.

### [Rune III: Wainamoinen and Youkahainen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-iii-wainamoinen-and-youkahainen)

The young and reckless Lapland minstrel who challenges Wainamoinen and is sunk into a swamp until he offers his sister Aino as ransom.

### [Rune IV: The Fate of Aino](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-iv-the-fate-of-aino)

Aino's brother, mentioned as the sister of Youkahainen.

### [Rune V: Wainamoinen’s Lamentation](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-v-wainamoinen-s-lamentation)

Mentioned as Aino's brother; his sister's fate is central to the chapter.

### [Rune VI: Wainamoinen’s Hapless Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-vi-wainamoinen-s-hapless-journey)

The envious Lapland minstrel who crafts a crossbow and shoots Wainamoinen, boasting of his deed.

### [Rune VI: Wainamoinen’s Hapless Journey](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-vi-wainamoinen-s-hapless-journey)

Warns Youkahainen against killing Wainamoinen, lamenting the loss of joy and wisdom after the deed.

### [Rune VII: Wainamoinen’s Rescue](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-vii-wainamoinen-s-rescue)

Mentioned as the one who slew Wainamoinen's steed with bow and arrow and tried to slay him.

### [Rune VIII: Maiden of the Rainbow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-viii-maiden-of-the-rainbow)

Mentioned indirectly as the one who shot Wainamoinen, leading to his journey to Pohyola.

### [Rune XXXI: Kullerwoinen Son of Evil](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/chapters/rune-xxxi-kullerwoinen-son-of-evil)

Not directly present in this chapter.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters/youkahainen
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_kalevala_se/characters