Loviatar (pronounced lo-VEE-at-ar) is the Finnish Goddess of plagues. She is the blind daughter of Tuonetar and Tuoni, Goddess and God of the Underworld. The Kalevala calls Loviatar “black in heart and soul and visage,” and tells of her impregnation by the east wind. When she went into labor, Loviatar went to Louhi, Goddess of sorcery, who helped her to give birth to nine sons. The first eight of these sons she named Pistos (consumption), Ähky (colic), Luuvalo (gout), Riisi (rickets), Paise (ulcer), Rupi (scab), Syöjä (cancer), and Rutto (plague). The ninth, who personified envy, was not named. Loviatar’s name is also seen as Louhiatar, Louhetar, Loveatar, Lovetar, and Lovehetar.