Tuonela

By Crusader1307

Finnish Mythology identifies The realm of ‘’Tuonela’’ as a place very much like The Grecian concept of ‘’Hades’’. In death, regardless of if One was considered a ‘’Good or Bad’’ Soul – all had to traverse Tuonela. A ‘’Styx-Like’’ River, also named Tuonela – needed to be swam. IF One was not weighted down by Sin, They would reach the other side. However, a Soul was not quite done. They needed to work Their way thru a myriad of Mazes and Monsters. IF They succeeded, a Soul would be judged ‘’cleansed’’ and could go on to Paradise. Many Souls did not survive according to Legend, and would either become lost (and become Ghosts), or They too became Demons and Tormentors. A common personification of Tuonela in Finnish Literature and Pagan Art was that of a ‘’Black Swan’’. The sable colored birds were seen as Death personified (not feared, but revered). Hence, killed a Black Swan was an extremely ‘’Bad’’ thing to do.