The world was (partially) created when a bored air-goddess falls to earth, during her fall she is impregnated (?!), and when on earth she begins to give birth for 700 years, and with each movement creates a land formation. During this time, a bird also lands on her knee to nest. When the goddess moves the eggs fall and crack, the yolk's becoming the sun, the moon, the heaven, the earth, stars and clouds.
extract showing how different elements of land are formed:
"Where she turned her hand around
there she arranged the headlands;
where her foot touched the bottom,
there she dug up the fish troughs;" ... the text goes on to describe how each of her movements formed a separate element of the Finnish landscape.
This creation myth holds very powerful visual imagery to me, and would be fascinating to work with more in depth. However, I think it is very hard to relate to with a personal viewpoint. (Though the idea of fertility could be interpreted in a modern perspective)
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