RUNE MELODIES

RUNE MELODIES , ancient simple melodies to which the Kalevala poems were sung. They form, together with the epic poetry which they accompanied, a common tradition of the Finnish and Estonian nations, dating from the time when they still lived together some two thousand years ago. The same meter is found also in much of the lyrical poetry, such as that later collected into the Kanteletar, in wedding songs, work songs, lullabies, and medieval poems based on Christian themes, incantations,...