SUOMEN KANSAN ELÄINSATUJA
by Iivo Härkönen
Adapted Version
One cold day, Fox walks to the lake. Fox sees Bear. Bear sits on the ice. "I want fish!" says Bear. Fox thinks and thinks. "Put your tail in the water," says Fox. Bear sits and waits. The ice gets very cold. "Oh no!" says Bear. "I am stuck!" Fox pulls and pulls. Pop! Bear is free. "My tail is so cold!" says Bear. Fox laughs. Bear laughs too.
Fox has a new idea. "Let us plant a garden!" says Fox. Bear digs the dirt. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Wolf carries the seeds. Hare brings water. Fox waters the plants every day. The sun shines. The rain falls. The garden grows big and green. "Look!" says Fox. "So many carrots!" Bear picks the carrots. Wolf picks the beans. They all sit and eat together. "Fox is so clever," says Bear. "We all helped," says Fox.
Fox and Wolf walk in the woods. Whoosh! They fall in a big hole. "Oh no!" says Wolf. "I cannot get out!" Fox thinks and thinks. Fox has an idea. "Wolf, I stand on you," says Fox. "Then I pull you up!" Wolf is strong. Fox climbs up. Fox finds a long stick. Fox pulls and pulls. Wolf grabs the stick. Pop! Wolf is out. "Thank you, Fox!" says Wolf. "Thank you, Wolf!" says Fox.
Wolf walks to the river. "I am so hungry!" says Wolf. Wolf sees Hare. "Oh! I know!" says Hare. "Best berries are by that rock," says Hare. Wolf runs to the rock. Red berries! Blue berries! So many berries! Wolf eats and eats. "Yum!" says Wolf. "Hare is smart!" says Wolf. Wolf gives Hare some berries.
The sun goes down. Fox, Bear, Wolf, and Hare sit together. They share the berries. They share the carrots. Bear laughs. Wolf laughs. Hare laughs. Fox laughs too. "Fox is so clever!" says Bear. "Bear is so kind!" says Fox. "Wolf is so strong!" says Hare. "Hare is so smart!" says Wolf. They eat and laugh under the stars. And they are all good friends.
Original Story
SUOMEN KANSAN ELÄINSATUJA
Ensimäinen sarja suomalaisia satuja lapsille
Kertonut
IIVO HÄRKÖNEN
Helsingissä, Kansanopettajain O.-Y. Valistus, 1912.
SISÄLLYS:
Johdatukseksi.
I OSA:
Ketun kalansaalis. Karhun kalanpyyntö. Kettukarhun selässä. Mistä päin nyt tuulee? Karhun koreilemishalu. Karhun, suden ja ketun yhteinen maanviljelysyritys. Elojen jauhatus ja keittäminen. Karhu miehen kera maanviljelijänä. Voipytyt ja kumminakäynnit. Eläimet maailmanloppua paossa eli syömässä toisiaan. Eläimet toisen kerran yhteisellä metsätiellä eli kuollut ukko. Susi ja kettu kuopassa 1-2. Ketun ja jäniksen kiista juoksusta eli jäniksen ajo. Ketun kyyti. Susi kantelijana. Kettu suksipuuta katsomassa. Korpin laulu. Vuoroin vieraissa. Yleinen rauha eläinten kesken. Jäniksen mahti. Jäniksen itsemurha-aie. Jäniksen viisaus. Hiirten apu. Suden laulu. Suuret syömäjuhlat. "Saarnamies". Sota ja sodan seuraukset. Kissan ainoa taito ja ketun konstipussi. Karhun halu saada lihaa. Karhun mahtava kyyti. Kumpi näkee ennemmin päivännousun eli Sian viisaus. Susi etsimässä ateriaansa. Suden vierailu sian, pässin, jäniksen ja kukon luona. Vanhan miehen kertomus. Kettu tuomarina. Miesten syöjä ja karhujen sitoja. Pojan konstit eli Eläimet lattian alla.
II OSA:
Karhu tiaisen pesällä. Havukka ja kuovi. Hiiri ja sammakko. Hiiri kissalla räätälinä. "Itseensäpäinhän tuo vetää!". Orava ja metsämiehet. Västäräkki ja koskikara koskenlaskussa. Koppelon "maailmanloppu". Kukko ja kana. Kotka ja talitiainen. Mistä kyntörastas, tiltaltti ja laulurastas kielensä saivat. Loppusatu.
Johdatukseksi.
Huolimatta siitä, että suomalaisia kansansatuja on verrattain monessa yhteydessä julaistu, on allekirjottanut, Kansanopettajain Osakeyhtiö Valistuksen kera tehdyn sopimuksen perusteella, uskaltanut ryhtyä toimittamaan sitä suomalaisten satujen sarjaa, josta ensimäinen osa täten ilmestyy.
Häntä on kehottanut siihen silmämäärä antaa nykyaikaisempaan tapaan laadittu järjestelmällinen satusarja Suomen lapsille.
Kokoelmiin otetaan kaikki tarkotukseen sopivat tähän asti muistiin pannut arvokkaat pää-sadut, t.t.s. muodostetaan kunkin sopivan satu-aiheen toisinnoista yksi niitä edustava satu. Kuitenkin tehdään tästä säännöstä poikkeus, milloin aihe on jakautunut moneen osaan ja kukin osa sisältää lukuisia hyviä toisintoja, — silloin muodostetaan aiheesta useampia satuja. (Niin on tässä ensi kokoelmassa käsitelty aiheita: kuoppaan lankeaminen, toistensa syöminen, hevosen selässä ajo ja kissan pelkääminen). Tämä on katsottu oikeutetuksi siitäkin syystä, kun monta aihetta on täytynyt tarkotukseen sopimattoman sisällyksensä tai vähäpätöisyytensä vuoksi jättää kokonaan käyttämättä. — Järjestelmällisyyttä ilmenee kokoelmissa siten, että niissä esiintyvä satujen luokitus ja niiden sisältö järjestykseenkin asettelu seuraa tohtori Aarneen äsken julkaisemaa suurisuuntaista satuluetteloa.
Tämä ilmestyvä ensi osa sisältää edustuksen eläinsaduista, seuraavat tulevat sisältämään muita satuja.
Toimitustyö on ollut sekä kiitollista että vaikeaa. Aiheisto on yleensä mielenkiintoista, mutta samalla täytyy sanoa, että siihen syventyminen on mitä hankalinta, joka aiheesta kun on toisintoja kymmen- jopa satamäärin ja ne kaikki ovat vain paloja, epätäydellisiä ja hajanaisia. Luonnollisesti kuitenkaan ei tämä työ, jolla ei ole tieteellistä tarkotusta, ole voinut pakottaa tutustumaan joka toisintoon, ja sehän on suuresti helpottanut työtä. Sitäpaitsi on toimittajalle ollut suurta apua äskenmainitusta tri Aarneen teoksesta. Tästä välillisestä avustaan sen tekijälle sekä Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seuralle siitä, että se on antanut käyttää käsikirjotuskokoelmiaan, lausutaan täten sulimmat kiitokset.
Helsingissä marraskuun 25 p:nä 1912.
*Iivo Härkönen*.
Characters
Kettu ★ protagonist
A sleek, agile red fox, smaller than a wolf or bear but quick and nimble. Its fur is a vibrant reddish-orange, with a bushy tail tipped in white. Its legs are slender, and its movements are fluid and silent.
Attire: None, as a wild animal. Its fur is its natural covering.
Wants: Survival, obtaining food, and often, simply to prove its intellectual superiority over others.
Flaw: Its overconfidence can sometimes lead it into dangerous situations, and its small size makes it vulnerable to direct confrontation.
Kettu consistently demonstrates its established character as the trickster, rarely undergoing significant internal change but always adapting its tactics.
Cunning, resourceful, deceptive, intelligent, and often mischievous. Kettu consistently outwits larger, stronger animals through cleverness.
Karhu ◆ supporting
A large, powerful brown bear, with a thick coat of shaggy dark brown fur. It has immense strength and a somewhat clumsy, lumbering build. Its paws are large and heavy.
Attire: None, as a wild animal. Its fur is its natural covering.
Wants: Food, comfort, and sometimes, a desire to be admired or to participate in human-like activities (like farming), though it lacks the wit for them.
Flaw: Its gullibility and lack of foresight make it an easy target for Kettu's tricks. Its strength is often misapplied or easily manipulated.
Karhu rarely changes, consistently falling for the same types of tricks, reinforcing its role as the strong but foolish character.
Strong, somewhat dim-witted, greedy, easily flattered, and prone to fits of anger or frustration when outsmarted. It desires comfort and food.
Susi ◆ supporting
A lean, muscular grey wolf, with a powerful build and keen senses. Its fur is typically greyish-brown, with lighter underparts. It is swift and predatory.
Attire: None, as a wild animal. Its fur is its natural covering.
Wants: Primarily driven by hunger and the desire for an easy meal. It also seeks to gain advantage over others.
Flaw: Its insatiable hunger and impatience often lead it to make rash decisions or fall for Kettu's more elaborate traps.
Susi, like Karhu, remains largely static, consistently acting on its predatory nature and often being outmaneuvered by Kettu.
Hungry, often greedy, somewhat less intelligent than Kettu but more cunning than Karhu. It is often aggressive and opportunistic.
Jänis ◆ supporting
A small, agile European hare with long ears and powerful hind legs. Its fur is typically brown or greyish-brown, blending with its forest surroundings. It is known for its speed.
Attire: None, as a wild animal. Its fur is its natural covering.
Wants: Survival and avoiding predators. Sometimes, it seeks to prove its worth or intelligence, despite its inherent fear.
Flaw: Its overwhelming fear makes it prone to panic and sometimes leads to irrational decisions.
Jänis often starts in a state of fear but occasionally finds moments of courage or cleverness, demonstrating that even the smallest can outwit larger foes.
Timid, fearful, but surprisingly clever and sometimes boastful. It often relies on its speed and wit to escape danger.
Locations
Finnish Forest Clearing
A typical clearing within a dense Finnish boreal forest, surrounded by tall pine and spruce trees. The ground is likely covered with moss, lingonberry bushes, and fallen pine needles. Sunlight filters through the canopy, creating dappled light on the forest floor.
Mood: Wild, natural, sometimes peaceful, sometimes tense due to animal interactions.
Many animal interactions, hunts, and gatherings would take place here, such as the fox's fishing catch or the bear's fishing attempt.
Riverbank or Lakeside in Finland
The edge of a clear, cold Finnish river or lake, possibly with reeds or sedges growing along the water's edge. The bank might be muddy or stony, leading up to the surrounding forest. The water reflects the sky and trees.
Mood: Serene, reflective, but also a place of resourcefulness and cunning for animals.
The fox's fishing exploits and the bear's attempts to fish would occur here.
Animal Den/Burrow System
A hidden network of underground tunnels and chambers, dug into the earth, providing shelter for various animals like foxes, badgers, or rabbits. The interior would be dark, earthy, and potentially lined with dry leaves or grass for warmth.
Mood: Safe, secluded, sometimes cramped, a place of refuge.
Animals would retreat here for safety, to hide, or to store food, as implied by stories of animals escaping or hiding.
Story DNA
Plot Summary
This collection of Finnish animal fables, compiled by Iivo Härkönen, primarily showcases the cunning of the Fox against the strength and often foolishness of the Bear and Wolf. Through a series of episodic tales, the Fox consistently outsmarts its larger counterparts in situations involving food, survival, and social interactions, such as tricking the Bear into losing its tail while ice fishing or manipulating farming efforts. Other stories feature various animals like the Hare, Pig, and Rooster demonstrating their own forms of wisdom to evade predators or solve problems. The collection systematically presents these traditional tales, highlighting themes of resourcefulness and the triumph of wit.
Themes
Emotional Arc
challenge to clever resolution
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Published in 1912, this collection aimed to systematically present Finnish folk tales for children, drawing from existing oral traditions and earlier written collections. It reflects an effort to preserve and adapt national folklore for a modern audience.
Plot Beats (16)
- Introduction to the collection of Finnish animal fables, emphasizing their systematic arrangement for children.
- The Fox tricks the Bear into fishing with its tail, resulting in the Bear losing its tail in the ice.
- The Fox rides on the Bear's back, pretending to be a burden while actually guiding it.
- The Bear, Wolf, and Fox attempt farming together, with the Fox manipulating the division of labor and harvest to its advantage.
- Animals face a 'doomsday' scenario, leading to them eating each other, or encountering a dead man, often with the Fox orchestrating events.
- The Wolf and Fox fall into a pit, and the Fox tricks the Wolf into helping it escape, leaving the Wolf behind.
- The Fox and Hare engage in a running contest, or the Fox gives the Hare a ride, often with a trick involved.
- The Wolf complains about the Fox's cunning, but the Fox always finds a way to evade punishment.
- Other animals like the Raven, Jay, and Wren have their own short stories, often explaining natural phenomena or animal characteristics.
- The Hare demonstrates its power or wisdom, sometimes contemplating suicide but ultimately showing cleverness.
- The Mouse and Frog, or Mouse as a tailor for the Cat, illustrate unexpected alliances or roles.
- The Bear's desire for meat leads to it being tricked or outsmarted by smaller animals.
- The Pig's wisdom is highlighted in a contest of seeing the sunrise, where it outsmarts the Wolf.
- The Wolf visits the Pig, Ram, Hare, and Rooster, attempting to find a meal but being consistently outwitted.
- The Fox acts as a judge in disputes, often manipulating the outcome for its own benefit.
- The collection concludes with a 'final tale' that may summarize themes or offer a last animal interaction.
