Ilmarinen is a magical blacksmith, an eternal hammerer and a creator god who has forged the dome of the sky so skilfully that no traces of a hammer or tongs can be detected.
He is the discoverer of iron and the inventor of smithing. He was born in the night with a hammer and tongs in his hands and started immediately to look for a place for a forge. He found a spot on a swamp and underwent a magical transformation into a blacksmith by changing his armor, clothes and body into a smithy: his shirt into a bellows, his pants into a flue and his knees into an anvil.
He discovered iron in a wolf’s and a bear’s footsteps, brought it to his smithy and started forging the first iron objects. But the Hiisi (goblin) poisoned the water with snake poison, bringing an evil spirit into the iron and making swords and axes bloodthirsty. This is why iron must constantly be controlled with spells.
Ilmarinen can forge practically anything from any metal: iron, gold, silver, copper. He forges a giant iron eagle to catch a pike from the Tuonela Deathland river. He forges a new Sun and the Moon after Louhi, the witch of Northland, has hidden them. He forges swords, axes, spears and iron armors. He forges magical bridles to catch a bear and wolf of Tuonela. He is a master swordsmith. In war spells, he is asked to rise from under the wall to forge a sword.
Smith! arise from under the wall,
from behind a stone, thou hammerer,
thyself Ilmarinen the smith,
that art a most skilful hammerer,
forge a new sword for me,
to put in my right hand,
forge a dozen pikes,
an ample sheaf of spears,
that I may start off to the war.
Magic Songs of the Finns
His true masterpiece is Sampo, a magical mill that grinds things to eat, things to sell and things to keep. He must create it from the tip of a swan’s feather, the milk of a barren cow, a single grain of barley and wool of an ewe (sheep). The task is given by Louhi, witch of Northland. After several days and many failures, he summons the winds to help him, and finally Sampo is born.
On the third night Ilmarinen,
Bending low to view his metals,
On the bottom of the furnace,
Sees the magic Sampo rising,
Sees the lid in many colors.
Quick the artist of Wainola
Forges with the tongs and anvil,
Knocking with a heavy hammer,
Forges skilfully the Sampo;
On one side the flour is grinding,
On another salt is making,
On a third is money forging,
And the lid is many-colored.
Well the Sampo grinds when finished,
To and fro the lid in rocking,
Grinds one measure at the day-break,
Grinds a measure fit for eating,
Grinds a second for the market,
Grinds a third one for the store-house.
Kalevala
Ilmarinen even forges a golden woman, a silver bride, from gold and silver gathered from the sea. A golden-haired, silver-headed woman arises from the flames. He forges her feet but she cannot walk. He forges her arms but she cannot embrace him. He forges her a mouth but she is speechless, and eyes, but she cannot see.
But the artist and magician.
Ilmarinen, metal-worker,
Forges nights and days unceasing,
On the bride of his creation;
Feet he forges for the maiden,
Hands and arms, of gold and silver;
But her feet are not for walking,
Neither can her arms embrace him.
Ears he forges for the virgin,
But her ears are not for hearing;
Forges her a mouth of beauty,
Eyes he forges bright and sparkling;
But the magic mouth is speechless,
And the eyes are not for seeing.
Kalevala
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Finnish Mythology Illustrated 