
language: Finnish
KAARLE HALME
In a rain‑soaked summer afternoon, the modest home of a bustling merchant becomes a stage for restless curiosity and whispered tension. Otto Hirvola, a perpetually optimistic yet unthinking trader, navigates his own uneasy balance between ambition and the looming fear of confinement, while his wife Alma and daughter Aune provide a mixture of practicality and bright‑minded introspection. Their household is further stirred by a visiting doctor, a proud landowner, a simple farmhand and a lively maid, each bringing their own quirks and hidden motives into the everyday conversations that swirl around a stray dog and a mysterious purchase.
The opening act unfolds with banter over a soggy book, a tentative offer of food, and the sudden arrival of an unexpected guest whose presence hints at deeper, perhaps illicit, dealings. As the family members exchange idle remarks and subtle accusations, listeners sense the fragile veneer of normalcy beginning to crack, setting the stage for the moral and relational conflicts that will drive the story forward.
Language
fi
Duration
~1 hours (72K characters)
Release date
2025-12-22
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1864–1946
A pioneer of Finnish theater and one of its early screen storytellers, these works come from a writer who moved easily between the stage, the page, and the young film industry. His stories often drew on everyday Finnish life while bringing a strong feel for dialogue and performance.
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