
A lively Midsummer celebration unfolds on a sunny meadow, where village youngsters gather around a makeshift stage of pine trees and a rustic kitchen hut. The air thrums with song, fiddle notes, and the teasing chatter of boys and girls who dart between games, secret glances, and playful bets. At the centre is Henna, the carefree daughter of the local farmer, whose swing becomes a focal point for flirtation and mischief, while the shy Manu watches from the edge, unsure how to join the revelry.
The play captures the bright, breezy spirit of rural Finnish life, weaving together humor, budding romance, and the timeless rhythms of seasonal festivity. Characters like the eager violinist Samppa, the boisterous village boys, and the curious onlookers each add color to the tableau, hinting at the tangled feelings that will surface as the night deepens. Listeners are invited to feel the warmth of the bonfire, hear the laughter echo across the fields, and sense the anticipation of love that blossoms under the midsummer sun.
Language
fi
Duration
~39 minutes (37K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Tapio Riikonen
Release date
2020-02-09
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1873–1948
Best known for lyrical poems rooted in Finnish countryside life, this writer brought warmth, music, and everyday feeling into early 20th-century literature. He also wrote plays and stories, earning a lasting place in Finland’s literary history.
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