Could it be that the origin for the St Urho legend lies in the Kalevala, the epic poem of Finland? Here is the recently discovered Rune 51 of the Kalevela.

Kalevala Rune 51

(Translated by Toivo Soumispeakerla)

In the northland stood an evil.
Old and gap-toothed crone of Pohja,
Louhi, Pohja's old Enchantress,
Made a magic of such evil,

Hated she the fields and meadows
Hated Kalevala's heathlands
Beautiful oak and birch lined pathways,
Fields of grape vines sweet and potent
All Vainola's tasty grape crops
Hated all in equal measure

Old and gap-toothed crone of Pohja,
Sang she up a horde of locusts
Locust swarms she made in thousands,
Dog sized locusts did she grow there
Sky was thick with green grasshoppers

South she sent them in their thousands,
Devouring fields green and purple,
Whole ripe vineyards left in ruin,
Ever southward came the scourge,

Came the darkness to south coast,
Bugs so many in countless numbers,
Sun unseen through their numbers,
Pitch the blackness of the night sky,

Who in our land stood to stop her,
Gone was aged Vainomoinen,
Gone too the smith Illmarinen,
And the lively Lemminkainen,
Gone all Kalevalen heroes.

On the south coast stood a sauna,
In the sauna stood a hero,
Tall and strong from fellia sour,
Culla Moyaka every hour
Urho, last hero Kalevelan.

Help us Urho, help your kindred,
Help us stop Kalevala ruin,
Use your song to stop the locusts,

Urho strode out from the Sauna,
Grasped his pitchfork made of iron, Pitchfolk made by Illmarinen,,
Forged most strong by Illmarinen,
Northward marched the mighty Urho

On a rise he saw the locasts,
Sky most black filled with their numbers,
Grasshopper noise filled his earways,
Swarms and swarms did fly against him,

'gainst him railed the green grape eaters,
In their thousands came they at him,
Big as dogs they tried to bite him,

Urho raised his mighty pitchfork,
Slashed and stabbed the rolling menace,
Raised his voice unto the heavens,
Shouted loudly that which follows
Heinasirkka, heinasirkka
Mene taatta hiiteen
Heinasirkka, heinasirkka
Mene taatta hiiteen
Heinasirkka, heinasirkka
Mene taatta hiiteen

From the sky were bugs then blasted,
From the earth were locusts skewered
All about him they fell in numbers
Grasshopper corpses stretching northward
Southern grape crop rain drops drinking
Southern grape crop in sunlight bathing
Southern grape crop waiting Vinting.

Old and gap-toothed crone of Pohja,
Fled back to her Northern bleakness,
There to wait for no more heroes

Travels south news to Saint Peter's,
Pope hears tales of Finnish Magic,
Urho made a Saint of Finland

Now concludes this final chapter
Rune song now at length completed,
Finland now saved from disaster.

Provided by Eero Remes of North Carolina
Link to House Taivassalama SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism)
St. Urho's Day Medieval Tournament.