PAPPILAN TYTÖT
by Zacharias Topelius · from Lukemisia lapsille 6
Adapted Version
Once, there was a kind girl named Sophie. She lived in a small house. Her father was Pastor Bjork. Her mother was there too. Her sisters lived there.
Mother wanted her daughters to learn. She sent Petra and Julie to the city. They learned to paint and dance.
Sophie stayed home. She learned to cook and sew. She helped her family every day.
Mother was proud of Petra and Julie. She thought Sophie was not as good. This made Sophie sad.
One day, a Bishop was coming to visit. Mother worried about the food. "What can we cook?" she asked.
"We have pork and berries," said Sophie. "We have enough food." Mother told Sophie to stay in the kitchen.
Sophie cooked the pork. She worked hard. An old man came to the kitchen door. "Can I have some food?" he asked.
Sophie gave him food. She was kind. "My father is happy here," she said. "He does not want a bigger church."
The old man smiled and left. Soon, the Bishop arrived. Petra and Julie bowed to him. They showed him their skills. They showed him their painting. They showed him their dancing. The Bishop looked bored.
At dinner, the Bishop asked a question. "Where is your other daughter?" he asked. Mother said, "She is in the kitchen." "Please bring her here," said the Bishop.
Sophie came in. Her face was red. The Bishop smiled at her. "You are kind," he said. "You are a good cook."
The Bishop helped the family. He gave them more money. "Because Sophie is kind," he said. "Being kind is important."
The family was surprised. Petra and Julie learned a lesson. Mother saw Sophie's worth. They were all happy together.
Being kind and helpful is better than showing off. Kindness is the best thing. And they learned that kindness is the best thing.
Original Story
PAPPILAN TYTÖT.
Köyhästi, kaupungista ulohtaalla,
Björk pastor' eleskeli sisämaalla
Lapslaumoinensa. Hyvä, hurskas hän,
Toimeensa tyytyin köyhyydessähän.
Hän oli saanut muuten muijan oivan,
Vaan usein kuultihin sen kielen soivan,
Ett' täällä maalla, miten tunnetaan,
Niin paljon sivistystä puututaan.
Siks suuresti hän tuli riemuisaksi,
Kun kaupunkiin sai tytärtänsä kaksi,
Luo Blenda tätin, kouluun parhaimpaan,
Tapoja hienompia oppimaan.
He tuli siellä sangen näppäriksi:
Sai Petronella pikamaalariksi
Ja soitti spanjalaista kitaraa,
Näin papan mieltä koittain iloittaa.
Agathe-Julie hän versoi kuni kurkka
Vaan tanssi taidokkaasti myös masurkkaa
Ja osas ääntää: mon très cher ami,
Comment vous portez-vous aujourd'hui?
Näin taitoisiks kun tulivat ne kaksi,
Jäi kolmas, Sohvi, vallan tolvanaksi:
Hän keitti, leipoi, kutoi, neuloi vaan;
Taiteista häll' ei aavistustakaan.
Siks oli mamman tapa laususkella:
On koko suvun ylpeys Petronella
Ja myös Agathe-Julie; mut Sohvia
On kehno raukka niiden rinnalla.
No niin. Sai kerran puuha äkkipäätä;
Niin pyöri rouva nopeaan kuin näätä;
Parasta, mitä saatiin, laitettiin,
Kun vieraaks itse piispaa varrottiin.
— "Nyt mitä teen mä?" huokas mamma noissa
Puuhissa. "Vanha Kaisakin on poissa;
On härski voi, ei lainkaan munia;
Kuink' edes saisin pannukakkuja?
"Mi meistä mahtaa maailmassa tulla,
Kun päivällistä piispalle ei mulla?"
"Onp'", intti Sohvi, "porsaspaistia,
Mansikkoja ja rievää maitoa."
"On, totta, perää mietteelläsi tuolla",
Myöns äiti. "Vaan sä pysy kyökin puolla,
Kun siskos oivat kyvyin suuremmin
Ihastuttavat piispaa parhaimmin.
"Vaikk' kuntaan suurempaan ei mieli isä,
Niin saamme kyllä, luulen, vatiin lisää,
Jos piispa perheessämme äkkäjää
Sun siskos kuin kaks loistokynttilää."
Niin tehtiin myös. Agathe ja Petronella
Edessä peilin alkoi asetella
Parhaimpaan valoon suloisuuksiaan;
Kyökissä hyöri, pyöri Sohvi vaan.
Punaisna hänen juuri puuhaissansa
Ääressä lieden porsaspaistin kanssa.
Yks ukko oven avaa: "anteeksi,
Asuuko täällä herra pastori?"
Hän vastas: "asuu", työstään kääntymättä
(Se kerjäläinen on epäilemättä);
"Nyt kiire on, kun piispaa varrotaan,
Vaan istukaa; myös teille palan saan."
"No, kiitos! Onhan täällä suurenmoista!" —
"Me muuten puurosta ja perunoista
Elämme; vaan nyt suurten herrojen
Suu voidellaan, niin… arvannette sen."
"Sen arvaan", vastas ukko. "Miks'ei isä
Hae paikkaa, jossa saisi viljaa lisää?"
"Ei", virkkoi tyttö, "isä halua
Ruistymryrihin vaihtaa sieluja."
"Vai niin." Ja ukko lähti pois ja kiitti.
Vaan Sohvi, surren, tokko porsas riitti,
Taaksensa ollenkaan ei katsonut.
Nyt sanottiin: on piispa saapunut.
Kauniina päivänä hän huviksensa
Haan halki oli käynyt hiljallensa;
Kursaillen häntä tervehtelivät
Nyt pappa, mamma, "loistokynttilät".
Agathe hän Ranskan malliin niiaeli,
Ja Petronella myöskin kilvoitteli.
Niin oli kaikki hienohenkistä,
Ett' aivan alkoi piispa väsyä.
"Saaks olla musiikkia?" mamma anoi:
Vaan silloin piika pöydän valmiiks sanoi.
Istuttiin. Silloin piispa kysäsi:
"Viel' on yks tytär teillä, pastori?"
"Vaan kyökiss' on hän." — "Hänen sisään suokaa
Myös tulla!" — "Anteeksi, hän laittaa ruokaa…"
"Mä pyydän kuitenkin!" — Ei apua;
Ei tohdi piispaa vastaan puhua.
Niin saapui Sohvi kaino, purppuroiva.
"On tytär teillä, pastor', uuras, oiva;
Toivoisin kyökissäni olevan
Niin kunnollisen porsaanpaistajan."
Punastui Sohvi vielä toisen verran;
Äänestä kyökki-ukoks piispa-herran
Hän tunsi, lauseen otti pilkaksi;
Kukinhan häntä luuli tyhmäksi.
Vaan piispa lausui lempeästi: "hyvä
On uuras käsi, perheess' ilmestyvä;
Parempi viel', ken tietää: ihanuus
Paras on kodin yksinkertaisuus.
"On hällä lämmin sydän, selvä mieli;
Pois täältä, sanoi hän, te ette mieli
Parempaan paikkaan; syyn hän myöskin ties;
Te tätä rakastatte, kunnon mies!
"Leipänne toki tulee paisumahan.
Par'aikaa hippakuntaa jaetahan:
Teill' lisään neljä kylää kuntaanne,
Teen kaksinkertaiseksi tulonne."
"Oi, kiitos!" — "Ei, ei mulle kiitostanne;
Vaan kiittäkäätte yksin Sohvianne.
Hän kyökissä soi mulle palasen;
Siis hälle näin mä kannan kiitoksen."
Herätti piispan puhe hämmästystä.
Agathe-Julie ol' läsnä pyörtymystä,
Ja viisas Petronella oppia
Nyt päätti paistamahan porsasta.
Olipa rouvan katse oikein nolo.
Vaan kyökissä nyt muuttui hauskaks olo,
Ja kolme kunnon lasta perhe tää
Sisäls', ei yhtään "loistokynttilää".
Story DNA
Moral
True worth and kindness, demonstrated through practical skills and a good heart, are more valuable than superficial accomplishments and outward appearances.
Plot Summary
Pastor Björk's wife sends their two eldest daughters, Petronella and Agathe-Julie, to the city for refined education, while the youngest, Sohvi, remains home, mastering practical skills like cooking and sewing. The mother praises the elder daughters and dismisses Sohvi as a 'wretch.' When the Bishop announces a visit, the mother and elder sisters focus on impressing him with their superficial talents, while Sohvi is relegated to the kitchen. There, she unknowingly shows kindness and honesty to the disguised Bishop, who later reveals himself at dinner. He praises Sohvi's true worth and her father's integrity, granting the pastor a promotion, much to the astonishment and humbling of the family.
Themes
Emotional Arc
underestimation to recognition
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Zacharias Topelius was a prominent Finnish-Swedish author known for his fairy tales and historical novels, often imbued with moral lessons and a sense of Finnish national identity. This story reflects common societal values and class distinctions of 19th-century Finland.
Plot Beats (13)
- Pastor Björk and his pious wife live humbly in the countryside with their children.
- The wife, desiring sophistication, sends the two eldest daughters, Petronella and Agathe-Julie, to the city to learn refined arts and manners.
- Petronella becomes a painter and guitarist, and Agathe-Julie learns dancing and French, while the youngest daughter, Sohvi, stays home and masters cooking, baking, weaving, and sewing.
- The mother praises the elder daughters as the family's pride and considers Sohvi a 'poor wretch' in comparison.
- The family receives news that the Bishop will visit, causing a frantic preparation, with the mother lamenting their lack of provisions.
- Sohvi assures her mother they have enough for a good meal, including roast pork, berries, and milk.
- The mother instructs Sohvi to stay in the kitchen, believing the elder sisters' talents will impress the Bishop and secure a promotion for the pastor.
- While Sohvi is busy cooking the roast pork, an old man (the Bishop in disguise) enters the kitchen, and Sohvi, without looking up, kindly offers him food and speaks honestly about her father's contentment with his humble parish.
- The Bishop arrives, and the elder sisters greet him with elaborate bows and artistic displays, which bore him.
- At dinner, the Bishop asks about the third daughter, Sohvi, and insists she join them despite the mother's protests.
- Sohvi enters, blushing, and the Bishop praises her as a diligent and excellent cook, recognizing her from their earlier encounter.
- The Bishop announces that he will double the pastor's income and add four villages to his parish, attributing the promotion directly to Sohvi's kindness and her father's integrity, which Sohvi had articulated.
- The family is stunned; the elder sisters are ashamed, and the mother's perspective on her daughters' worth is completely changed, recognizing Sohvi's true value.
Characters
Sohvi
Of average height and sturdy build, accustomed to physical labor. Her hands are likely calloused from work, and her complexion is healthy, perhaps a bit flushed from working by the stove.
Attire: A practical, simple linen or homespun wool dress in muted colors like grey, brown, or undyed cream, possibly with a plain apron over it. Her clothing is clean but shows signs of wear from daily chores, reflecting her family's modest means. She might wear sturdy, low-heeled leather shoes or wooden clogs.
Wants: To serve her family and ensure their well-being through practical work. She wants to contribute meaningfully to her household.
Flaw: Lack of self-confidence and a tendency to undervalue her own practical skills due to her family's emphasis on 'finer' accomplishments. She is easily embarrassed.
Initially undervalued and considered 'tolvanaksi' (a simpleton) by her mother and sisters, she is ultimately recognized and praised by the Bishop for her true worth and practical virtues, leading to her family's improved circumstances and a shift in their perception of her.
Industrious, humble, kind, practical, and loyal. She is dedicated to her family and her duties, preferring useful work over superficial accomplishments. She is also perceptive and honest, as shown in her conversation with the disguised Bishop.
The Bishop
An older man, likely of average height but with a dignified presence. His build is probably lean or slightly robust, reflecting a life of intellectual pursuits rather than manual labor. He has a kind but discerning gaze.
Attire: Initially disguised as a 'ukko' (old man/beggar), he would wear simple, worn, dark woolen clothing, perhaps a plain cap. When revealed as the Bishop, he would be dressed in formal, dignified clerical attire appropriate for a Finnish bishop of the 19th century: a dark cassock, possibly with a white clerical collar, and a pectoral cross. His outer garments might include a dark, well-tailored overcoat.
Wants: To assess the character and worth of the people in his diocese, particularly the clergy and their families, and to reward true merit. He seeks to ensure justice and well-being within his ecclesiastical district.
Flaw: None explicitly shown; he acts as a figure of wisdom and justice.
He serves as the catalyst for the story's resolution, revealing Sohvi's worth and improving the Pastor's family's fortunes. He doesn't change himself but brings about change in others.
Wise, perceptive, kind, just, and humble. He values genuine virtue and hard work over superficial accomplishments and social graces. He is observant and tests people's character.
Pastor Björk
A man of modest stature, perhaps a bit thin from a life of humble means. His face shows the marks of piety and quiet contentment, but also the worries of providing for a large family.
Attire: Simple, dark, and well-worn clerical attire, likely a black or dark grey frock coat over a plain shirt, reflecting his humble status as a rural pastor. His clothing is clean but not new, made of sturdy wool or linen.
Wants: To serve his congregation faithfully and provide for his family, prioritizing spiritual over material wealth. He wants to maintain his integrity as a pastor.
Flaw: His passivity in family dynamics, allowing his wife's vanity to overshadow his own values regarding his daughters' education.
He remains largely consistent in his character, but his family's circumstances improve due to Sohvi's actions, validating his own quiet virtues.
Good, pious, content with his poverty, and devoted to his spiritual duties. He is a loving father but somewhat passive in family matters, allowing his wife to dictate social aspirations.
Pastor's Wife
Likely a woman of average height, perhaps a bit more robust than her husband, with a bustling energy. Her appearance suggests a desire for social standing despite her humble circumstances.
Attire: A respectable but somewhat dated or provincial dress, made of good quality but not luxurious fabric, in a dark or muted color. She would likely wear a clean, starched apron when working in the house, but quickly change into her 'best' dress for guests, perhaps with a small lace collar or brooch, trying to project an image of refinement.
Wants: To improve her family's social standing and secure a better future for her daughters, particularly through marriage or advantageous connections. She wants to be seen as cultured and refined.
Flaw: Her vanity and obsession with superficial social graces, which blind her to true worth and cause her to undervalue Sohvi.
She experiences a moment of 'nolo' (embarrassment/shame) when the Bishop praises Sohvi, suggesting a potential shift in her understanding of what truly constitutes worth, though the story doesn't explicitly show a full transformation.
Vain, socially ambitious, anxious about appearances, and somewhat critical of those who don't meet her standards of 'refinement'. She is a loving mother but misguided in her priorities.
Petronella
Likely slender and graceful, having been trained in 'fine arts'. Her appearance is carefully cultivated to be aesthetically pleasing.
Attire: A fashionable dress of the era, perhaps in a lighter color or with more embellishments than her mother's, made of finer fabric like polished cotton or light wool. She would wear a small, decorative apron if performing, but otherwise, her clothes are for show. She might have delicate shoes.
Wants: To impress others with her artistic talents and secure social approval. She wants to be seen as cultured and refined.
Flaw: Her vanity and lack of practical skills. She is easily flustered when her carefully constructed image is challenged.
She is initially praised but ultimately humbled by the Bishop's recognition of Sohvi. She decides to learn to roast pork, indicating a potential shift towards valuing practical skills, though her motivation might still be competitive.
Artistic, vain, superficial, and competitive. She is proud of her accomplishments and seeks admiration.
Agathe-Julie
Described as growing 'kuni kurkka' (like a cucumber), implying she is tall and perhaps a bit awkward or gangly, but she has learned to move gracefully through dance.
Attire: A stylish dress, perhaps in a pastel color, with a full skirt suitable for dancing. Made of fine fabric, possibly with ribbons or bows. She would wear delicate dancing slippers.
Wants: To impress others with her refined manners and artistic skills, particularly her dancing and language abilities. She wants to be seen as sophisticated.
Flaw: Her superficiality and lack of practical skills. She is easily overwhelmed when her social facade is challenged.
She is initially praised but ultimately humbled by the Bishop's recognition of Sohvi. She is 'läsnä pyörtymystä' (close to fainting), indicating her shock and embarrassment, but no explicit change in her character is stated.
Cultured, vain, and focused on social accomplishments. She is proud of her ability to speak French and dance the mazurka.
Locations
Pastor Björk's Rural Parsonage
A humble, somewhat poor parsonage located outside the city in the Finnish countryside. It is a traditional Finnish wooden house, likely painted red or ochre, with a simple, functional interior. The kitchen is the heart of the home, with a large hearth for cooking.
Mood: Initially bustling and anxious due to the impending visit, then shifting to warm and appreciative.
The main setting for the entire story, where the family prepares for the Bishop's visit and where the Bishop ultimately reveals his decision.
The Parsonage Kitchen
The functional heart of the parsonage, dominated by a large hearth. It is a place of constant activity, filled with the smells of cooking and the sounds of preparation. It is where Sohvi diligently works, her face flushed from the heat of the oven.
Mood: Initially frantic and stressed, then becoming a place of quiet industry and later, unexpected recognition.
Sohvi prepares the meal for the Bishop, and it's here that she first encounters the Bishop disguised as an old man, offering him food and speaking honestly about her family.
Field leading to the Parsonage
A pleasant, open field or meadow that the Bishop walks through to reach the parsonage. It suggests a tranquil, natural approach to the humble home.
Mood: Peaceful and reflective, providing a contrast to the indoor anxieties.
The Bishop's chosen route to the parsonage, where he can observe the surroundings and perhaps reflect before his official visit.