Aino Kallas: The Wolf's Bride

A woman turns into a werewolf and tastes freedom – from men, social norms and obligations. That's what The Wolf's Bride (Sudenmorsian) by Aino Kallas is about. It was first published in Finnish in 1928. I chose to read the story in English, because it was written in “archaic Finnish” which I figured would be too hard for me, probably. :D

The Wolf's Bride is set in Hiidenmaa, Estonia.

My library copy was so old!

A treasure.

Smelled nice. ^^

I laughed. :)

I wonder how many people read this particular copy before me.

I liked this story, even though it had a sad ending. No real freedom for women at that time was allowed... The forest parts when Aalo was a wolf were the best.

SPOILER: She was burned alive as a witch... with her newborn baby. And her husband was horrible. He said the baby wasn't his but the wolf's.

Quotes from The Wolf's Bride

"Her hair was copper-red, like the grass of the shore on which the spring floods leave their rust; but her eyes were dark, like the pools among the marshes, drawing the beholder down into their depths, and their surface was still as bog-water."

"But as the day is divided into two halves, the night and the day, so surely some there be who are children of the day and do deeds of day, and some who are children of night and dwell in night thoughts; but again there are others in whom day and night do follow one upon the other, as in earthly sequence. And this is brought to light in due season, when trial maketh it plain."

"But never in all her human days had her blood bubbled with such a golden exultation and such blissful freedom as now when she ran, a werewolf, across the marsh."

"And she melted away into the murmur of the forest spruce, was pressed in golden drops of resin from the red sides of the pines, and vanished into the green dampness of the marsh moss, for she was the property of the Diabolus sylvarum and the prey of Satan."

"And even if I were to roam a wolf, and a wolf's blood to burn in my veins, it concerns not others, for the salvation or damnation of my soul is for me alone."