Have you seen the National Geographics Life of Tolkien special at all? Rent it in your local video store or download it.
It talks about how much Tolkien admired the Finnish National Epic the Kalevala....(What? Me talk about something Finnish?!) The ending is virtually word for word of how the ending of the Kalevala is, Gandalf is mirrored from the Character and hero Vainamoinen.... about how Tolkien admired the Finnish culture. Damn my pride!
Pick up a copy of the Kalevala if you don't own it! It is an epic so a little dry through a good portion of it, but you can also find summaries online as well. It would make me happy. (Get the one translated by Eino Friberg) Or go to http://virtual.finland.fi/ for a summary.
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It talks about how much Tolkien admired the Finnish National Epic the Kalevala....(What? Me talk about something Finnish?!) The ending is virtually word for word of how the ending of the Kalevala is, Gandalf is mirrored from the Character and hero Vainamoinen.... about how Tolkien admired the Finnish culture. Damn my pride!
Pick up a copy of the Kalevala if you don't own it! It is an epic so a little dry through a good portion of it, but you can also find summaries online as well. It would make me happy. (Get the one translated by Eino Friberg) Or go to http://virtual.finland.fi/ for a summary.