How to make loads of money in seconds! Or grain... or salt. Finnish Mythology: The Sampo

Even the ancient Finns knew how to get an easy life and make bucketfuls of gold easy. You can do it too, as long as you can create THE SAMPO!

Sammon ryöstö, Väinö Blomstedt (1897)
"Stealing the Sampo"

Seppo Ilmarinen, who was the greatest smith known, wanted a wife for himself. The Wench of the North gave Ilmarinen a task to create Sampo so he would get one of her daughters as his wife. Väinämöinen had tried to create the Sampo before him, but even Väinämöinen couldn't do the task (for Väinämöinen, check out the earlier post!). After working extremely hard, Ilmarinen managed to create the Sampo. It could create gold, salt or grain and thus bring happiness for the people.

The Forging of the Sampo, Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1893)

Instead of Väinämöinen, Seppo Ilmarinen got to marry the daughter of the Wench of the North (wow, that's a lot of the's in there). However, when they returned home, a mistreated slave killed the wife of Ilmarinen. Ilmarinen was sad, so he tried to create another wife out of gold. Sadly, it didn't work as well as he hoped it would.

Luckily Ilmarinen got an idea: to go to back North and ask for another wife from Wench of the North. Second daughter wasn't willing to come with Ilmarinen, so Ilmarinen abducted her and ran off. However, as the new wife was nagging and annoying, Ilmarinen got upset and turned her into a seagull.

Picture not related, but thanks Pixabay!

Now you are starting to wonder: is this more about the Sampo or the creator, Seppo Ilmarinen?

Sammon ryöstö, Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1905)
"Stealing the Sampo"

While Seppo Ilmarinen was having trouble with all of his wives, the Sampo brought happiness and riches to the people of the North. This made everybody else upset, so Väinämöinen, Ilmarinen and band of other heroes brought out a force to invade the North and steal back the Sampo.

Sammon puolustus, Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1896)
"Defending the Sampo"

They managed to steal the Sampo, but the Wench of the North attacked them on the way back and the Sampo was lost in the sea. The pieces of the Sampo were washed ashore and created farming. Ilmarinen was still left without a wife.

Sampo was now lost, but as it was destroyed, it brought happiness and wealth for us all instead of being used only by the few.

And no, Steemit is no easy place to make money. You'll most likely only get salt.

And I forgot to add this in the earlier post, but Väinämöinen has been identified to be the hero on which Gandalf (you know, the wizard) was based on. Check my earlier post:
Finnish mythology: the god-wizard Väinämöinen!