The Tales of Ensign Stål

The Tales of Ensign Stål (Swedish original title: Fänrik Ståls sägner, Finnish: Vänrikki Stoolin tarinat, or year 2007 translation Vänrikki Stålin tarinat) is an epic poem written in Swedish by the Finland-Swedish author Johan Ludvig Runeberg, the national poet of Finland.

[1] The poem describes the events of the Finnish War (1808–1809) in which Sweden lost its eastern territories;[2] these would become incorporated into the Russian Empire as the Grand Duchy of Finland.

[4] The influence of Tales of Ensign Stål is also remarkable on Finnish culture because it repeatedly lifts the common people as heroes, despite the hardship of their life.

He says he was only a child when his father left, subsequently to be killed in the War of Finland's Lapua battle, but he remembers his fine shape, for he was "fair, too" his proud posture and the plume of this hat.

But it is also a fine description of the ideals and mentality of the time: it was acceptable for the Swedish authorities to recruit even fifteen-year olds to war and such tasks were glorified in society.

The boy states that his father's road "always led to honor", and that he "gladly suffered cold, hunger and his wounds", the epitome of military resilience.

That even a young boy unquestioningly chooses that road tells us perhaps the lack of avenues available in that society: the shame of "eating stranger's bread" i.e. being subject to charity, can only be wiped out by following in his father's footsteps and dying, at least fighting, for his country.

The Russian general Yakov Kulnev, on the other hand, is described positively as a chivalrous and brave soldier and ladies' man.