Paiva and Kuu In the Finnish epic poem The Kalevala, the sun and moon.

Both Paiva and Kuu attempted to woo the beautiful Kyllikki, the “flower of the islands,” to become the wife of their respective sons. Kyllikki refused the offer of Paiva. She did not want to live at Paivala, the sun’s abode, because it was too hot. She also refused Kuu’s offer because she did not want to live in Kuutola, the moon’s abode. Eventually, Kyllikki was abducted by the hero Lemminkainen, but he later left her for being unfaithful. Sibelius composed Terve Kuu, for chorus, on rune 49 of The Kalevala, in which Vainamoinen calls on Kuu, the moon, in a mystic invocation. The sun spirit is called Paivatar or Paivan Tytar (sun’s daughter); Kuutar is the moon spirit or daughter in the poem.

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Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, Third Edition – Written by Anthony S. Mercatante & James R. Dow– Copyright © 2009 by Anthony S. Mercatante