In Finnish mythology, Otso (also known as Karhu, Ohto, Kontio, Metsän kuningas, and Mesikämmen) is a bear, the sacred king of animals and leader of the forest. It was deeply feared and respected by old Finnish tribes. Otso appears in the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala. Due to the importance of the bear spirit in historical Finnish paganism, bears are still considered by many Finns to be kings of the forest, and the bear is even the national animal of Finland.
Otso is not a particular individual bear spirit, but rather the collective animistic spirit of all bears. Besides being worshipped by historical Finnish pagans, Otso is also worshipped in modern Finnish neopaganism, and the neopagan organization Karhun kansa is named after the bear.
Mythology
The story of how Otso was born varies in myths. Some stories tell of how Ukko, the god of weather, threw wool into the sea and how Otso was born from the bits of wool that reached the shore. Other stories tell of how Otso was born from the Ursa Major constellation.
Otso had many wives and children, but it was also said to eat them.
Peijaiset
If a bear had to be killed by ancient Finns, a sacred ritual of Peijaiset was held. In it, the bear's skull was mounted on a pine tree.