
These short stories paint a vivid picture of life in the Finnish heartland during the early 1900s. From cramped farmhouses to bustling market stalls, each tale captures ordinary people wrestling with desire, desperation, and fleeting hope. The collection moves through crime, auctions, quiet mornings, and even a secretive circus, offering a kaleidoscope of moods that feel both timeless and intimately local.
In the opening story we meet Pentti Ronkanen, a gaunt man whose dilapidated home mirrors his poverty. He watches the bright bundles of paper money in the village store and becomes haunted by the thought of a quick, dangerous solution. As a storm gathers outside, his resolve to set fire to his own attic for the insurance sum builds tension, pulling the listener into a moral crossroads that feels all too real.
Language
fi
Duration
~1 hours (94K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
Finland: K. J. Gummerus Oy, 1915.
Credits
Tapio Riikonen
Release date
2023-07-21
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects
1888–1942
A Finnish journalist and writer from Rautalampi, he wrote across several genres, from historical storytelling to animal tales and books for young readers. His work and life were rooted in early 20th-century Finland, and his name still turns up in library catalogs today.
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