Synge's adaptation of the Kalevala relies heavily upon Lonnrot's arrangement, which may indeed be an artificial structure. The stories, which were composed by numerous authors at various times, were collected from different parts of the country after being passed down orally, in some cases, for as long as twelve hundred years. In many ways, the parts of the saga fit nicely together, but the mixed origins of the stories introduce many conflicting elements of character and plot.

For example, the heroes first claim that they are struggling to recover the sampo because they are bored with inaction and eager to undertake a new adventure. This is a more ancient notion of heroic character than that revealed by later statements that they are retrieving the sampo to aid the suffering people in Finland. This latter rationale is more of a Christian motive that may have been tacked...