Kirby and the Kalevala

I planned to write about the surprise I got, following up on learning about my wife's ancestry.  But I checked and posts already in the blog make clear what I wanted to write about.  The main point was the psychic significance to me of finding that she has a bit of nearly all major groups of humans.  Not all but nearly so.  In my first college class, the professor paused calling the roll and asked my-to-be wife if her last name was Finnish.  She said it was.  I had not met anyone of Finnish descent and I was interested.  A few years later, we were married and something again got me interested in Finland and its culture and history.  

I had heard of the Finnish epic poem, Kalevala, and that it had influenced American writers.  I thought our college library might have that work translated into English.  You can imagine my strong reaction, lasting until now, upon finding that one translation was made by a man named William Kirby!  Well before I was born but still a gripping coincidence!