Mielikki's Request

"Long I wandered in the dark forest, before I arrived at a clearing. There I found her waiting in her court among the junipers and the pines . I presented my offerings and sang my praise to her. She gave her blessing and then asked me to draw her image, declaring it would become my greatest work." In the Finnish mythology Mielikki is the goddess of the forest and the hunt, and wife to Tapio, king of the forest. She is responsible for the beauty of the woods and those seeking her favour should compliment her handiwork and her own beauty while traversing her domain. Hunters would sing and flatter her to receive game.If Tapio was for some reason angered by the hunters, she could be pleaded to calm him down. She is also a skilled healer and takes care of wounded animals, perhaps caught in traps or hurt in mating rituals. With her wide knowledge of herbs, she can also offer aid to people should they come asking for her help.

In my teens I was an avid reader of fantasy literature and one of my favourites was the dark elf trilogy by R.A.Salvatore, where Mielikki also appears as the patron goddess of the main character Drizzt Do'Urden. Now as i'm little bit older and enjoying my walks in the woods, picking up trash and meditating, it was fun to be reminded of that connection.