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Tapio (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈtɑpio]) is a Finnish forest spirit or god in Finnish mythology.[1] Hunters prayed to him before a hunt. His wife is the goddess of the forest, Mielikki. He is the father of Annikki, Tellervo, Nyyrikki (the god of hunting), and Tuulikki. Fitting the Green Man archetype, Tapio has a beard of lichen and eyebrows of moss.[2]
Mikael Agricola mentions Tapio as a Tavastian god in the prologue to his Finnish translation of the Book of Psalms, Dauidin Psalttari .
He lends his name, in the form of Tapiola, to:
He has appeared various times in songs by Finnish metal bands. For example, in the symphonic metal band Nightwish's song, "Elvenpath", he is referred to as "Tapio, Bear-king, Ruler of the forest".[3] The name has also been used extensively by the folk metal band Korpiklaani'.
Jean Sibelius' tone poem Tapiola (1926) is a depiction of the forest Tapio inhabits.