The Story of Kullervo by J. R. R. Tolkien. Short summary

5 seconds

Cullervo’s hero took revenge on the guardian-uncle who had killed his father. But Cullervo entered into incest with his sister without knowing who she was. Upon discovering this sin, he committed suicide.

1 minute

Unfinished prose narrative with poetic insertions of several runes from the epic «Kalevala».

The brothers Untamo and Kallervo quarrelled, as a result of which the latter was killed first. Kullervo is left with a newborn son Kullervo. Untamo becomes his nephew’s guardian. He does not treat the boy well.

Kullervo grows up and learns that his uncle is his father’s murderer. He vows revenge. The hero is aided by the god Ukko and the forest goddess Mistress of the woods. But Kullervo is bewitched: everything he does turns out badly.

Kullervo grew up away from his family and was brought up as a slave. When he meets his own sister (the author has no name for her), the hero does not recognize her, nor does she recognize him. Cullervo married his sister. She found out about the incest and threw herself off a cliff.

Upon learning of this, Cullervo first killed Untamo, who destroyed the entire kin, and then threw himself on the edge of his sword.