Editing Kantele (section)

==Legendary history==
[[File:Helsinki-Folk-singer-statue-1750.JPG|thumb|Robert Stigell's 1888 sculpture at Vanha Ylioppilastalo (Old Student House) in Helsinki depicts [[Väinämöinen]] with the first kantele, made of a giant [[pike (fish)|pike]]'s jawbone, as told in the ''[[Kalevala]]'' national epic.]]
In Finland's national epic, ''[[Kalevala]]'', the mage [[Väinämöinen]] makes the first kantele from the jawbone of a giant [[pike (fish)|pike]] and a few hairs from [[Hiisi]]'s stallion ({{audio|Vaka vanha Vainamoinen.ogg|sung excerpt|help=no}}, [[:File:Vaka vanha Vainamoinen.ogg#Lyrics|excerpt lyrics]]). The music it makes draws all the forest creatures near to wonder at its beauty.

Later, after grieving at the loss of his kantele, Väinämöinen makes another one from [[birch]], strung with the hair of a willing maiden, and its magic proves equally profound. It is the gift the eternal mage leaves behind when he departs Kaleva at the advent of Christianity.<ref name="Kalevala: The Land of Heroes">{{cite book|title=Kalevala: The Land of Heroes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YIUxAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA152|access-date=13 June 2012|year=1915|publisher=Dent|pages=152–}}</ref>

[[File:Ilomantsi.vaakuna.svg|thumb|Three kanteles in the coat of arms of [[Ilomantsi]]]]