The Story of Kullervo Promo Post

[narya_flame]

 

Summary: This dark little tale follows "hapless Kullervo" as he tries to reunite with his family after they are torn apart by the evil wizard Untamo, who killed Kullervo's father.  Our hero makes Túrin Turambar look like a good luck charm; expect witchy women, terrible twists of fate, incest, and tragedy aplenty.  (Oh, and humans descended from swans.)

Why should I check out this canon?  Jesting aside, this text genuinely is the forerunner of Túrin's story - Tolkien confirmed as much in Letter 257.  Tracing the motifs through is a lot of fun, as is seeing what changed.  It's an interesting look at Tolkien's early prose writing (the drafts date from 1914, when he was an undergraduate in Oxford) and also at how he drew on and adapted the epic literature of other countries when creating his own legendarium.

Where can I get this?  There's a copy available on the Internet Archive; for physical copies, try your preferred bookseller or your local library.

What fanworks already exist?  Nothing comes up in an AO3 search - could you be the one to give this canon the love and attention its tragic soul deserves?