ELINDA WHO DANCED IN THE SKY: An Estonian Folktale

A story from the Estonian epic The Kalevipoeg. The Princess Elinda, who oversees the birds' migrations, is wooed by the Sun, the Moon, and the North Wind; instead, she falls in love with Prince Borealis, the northern lights. Unfortunately, though, ""the spirits of his own land refused to let him go."" Her tears forming Earth's rivers, Elinda ascends to be queen of the sky, with the wedding veil she wove becoming the Milky Way. She still tends the birds--and, occasionally, Prince Borealis visits but never to stay. Told with unassuming folktale-like simplicity, the story is illustrated with sturdy forms and bright colors that pay homage to its traditional origins. Source note.