A hunter’s prayer to Tapio
Tapio, King of the wilderness
appease me
Master of the animals
comply with my wishes
Take me to the hillock with your hare
give me my kill.

Tapio was one of the major gods of the ancient Finns. Tapiola, the woods, was his kingdom. He was the god of hunters and hunting and master of the spirits of the woods. Hunting was an essential activity in those days and it practically kept people alive. So the role of Tapio was very prominent. Tapio could bring the game to you or take it away. You were the guest in his woods and hunted his animals. The forest was the home of Tapio and as such a sacred place. His animals were also sacred, before and after the kill. To ensure the favour of Tapio offerings were made. For this purpose there were special places in the woods called “Tapion Pöytä” (the Table of Tapio). This was sometimes the stump of a large tree but more typically a short and bushy spruce with all the branches pointing evenly downwards and with a flat, table-like top. On the table special offerings were laid which included some of the hunted prey. The cattle breeder could also place offerings to Tapio since his cattle grazed freely in Tapio’s woods.