The first translations in Estonian
Matthias Johann Eisen (1857–1934) was a priest, expert in folklore studies and folklore author. He was also the first one to translate the Kalevala into Estonian. He was married to a Finnish woman. Eisen was an exceptionally productive writer and he published collections of poems, folk tales, folklore material, studies and also translations. In 1883, he finished a prose adaptation of the epic Väike Kalevala (Pienois-Kalevala). Later, although Eisen focused more on collecting and publishing texts on folk traditions and heritage, he studied the Finnish epic even further and also did a poetic translation of it. The first edition was published in two parts in 1891 and 1898. In the 20th century a second and third edition were published (1924). These had been slightly revised. Eisen was also in Finland a well-known and renowned researcher on folklore studies, a Fennoman and an outstanding expert on Finnish culture. He was appointed honorary member of the Finno-Ugrian Society and the Kalevala Society. The translation and, in particular, the revised version was generally considered to be very good.
However, the problem with Eisen’s translation was conveying the accentuation of the verse in a Finnish folk poem into the Estonian language so that the short main stressed syllable does not follow the rising tone of the metrical foot. In 1921, Villem Grüntahl-Ridala managed to do this when he translated the Kullervo episode in the Kalevala.
Villem Ridala continued translating the Kalevala and he finished his work in 1935. However, it was never printed and remained only as a manuscript. Ridala and Annist also translated, unaware of each other, the Helkavirsi by Eino Leino. Both the Helkalaulud by August Annist and the Pühad laulud by Villem Grünthal-Ridala were published in 1922.
August Annist had observed the work by Villem Ridala when he translated the Kalevala and he said that he valued “the beauty that the poetic meter that corresponds to the original meter gives to the Kalevala in the Estonian language”. Although Annist gave credit both to Eisen and Ridala for translating the Kalevala, he, still, was not satisfied. He emphasised that the spirit of the Kalevala was so important and close to the Estonian people that it required to be studied more closely and also a new translation that would the piece of art justice.
Sirje Olesk: ”Vironkielinen Kalevala: August Annistin elämä ja työ” – Kalevala maailmalla. Helsinki: SKS. 2012.