What is the name of the giant who swallowed Väinämöinen?

The giant who swallowed Väinämöinen is Antero Vipunen. In the Kalevala, Vipunen is a gigantic, long-dead shaman buried underground, preserving powerful spells and ancient knowledge within himself.

Väinämöinen needs three magical words, or luotteet, to complete the construction of a boat. He goes to Vipunen’s grave and awakens him by driving stakes into the body. Vipunen opens his mouth, and Väinämöinen falls inside.

Rather than simply escaping, Väinämöinen builds a forge in the giant’s stomach and begins hammering. The pain forces Vipunen to speak the words Väinämöinen needs, after which he spits the hero out. The episode turns a frightening act of swallowing into a contest of magical knowledge and endurance.

The story varies in older runic traditions. Some versions make Lemminkäinen, Ilmarinen, or a shamanic son of Vipunen the central figure. In the standard Kalevala, however, Väinämöinen is the visitor and Antero Vipunen is the giant whose body contains the knowledge.