Known as the na­tion­al poet of Fin­land, Run­e­berg was ed­u­cat­ed at the Un­i­ver­si­ty of Åbo (Tur­ku), and was a friend of Zach­a­ri­as To­pe­li­us. He so worked for a while as a tu­tor in Saarijärvi, Finland, and after grad­u­at­ing from the un­i­ver­si­ty, moved Hel­sin­ki for a po­si­tion as un­i­ver­si­ty lec­tur­er and coun­cil as­sist­ant. From 1831 to 1836 he taught at the Hel­sing­fors School. In 1837, he be­came a clas­sics lec­tur­er at the coll­ege of Bor­gå, founded the Bor­gå Tid­ning in 1838, and be­came rector of the coll­ege in 1847. His works in­clude:

• Dikter, 1831
• Elgskyttarne (The Elk Hunters), 1832
• Hanna, 1836
• Kung Fjalar, 1844
• Fänrik Ståls Sägner (The Tales of En­sign Ståhl), 1848-1860

Sources

Hymns

1. Hur ljuvt det är att kom­ma
   • What Joy There Is