My Own Fairy Tales

The Farm in the Forest

Once upon a time out in the countryside of Finland, there lived a poor widowed farmer with his three sons and daughter. His wife died some time ago and his sons and daughter did everything they could to help their father around the house and farm. The sons Julius, Gideon and Teemu helped in the field, helped cutting wood and helped round the house. The daughter Aliina who was also the youngest helped out with some house work and help care for her father's only animals, an old cow, three old hens and an old donkey. Even though he was poor the farmer was happy with his sons and daughter.

Unfortunately times were hard for the farmer; wheat stopped growing in his field and his cow and three hens, stopped giving milk and eggs for sale. Even his donkey was getting too old to help with the work. This was bad because the farmer wouldn't be able to earn money for his family.

"My children," said the farmer, one day, "I'm afraid our farm is failing us. Our field has become barren and our cow and hens have become too old to give us any milk and eggs".

"Isn't there anything we can do father?" asked Julius.

"I'm afraid I have no choice, but to sell the cow, the hens and even the donkey at the market," sighed the farmer "and I will have to sell our farm".

"Oh no father," said Gideon "you said this farm has been our family's farm ever since your grandfather's time. And all the memories of our mother are here".

"I know my son," said the farmer, unhappily, "but we will not be able to live if we stay here. So my sons I need you three to take the cow, hens and donkey with you to the market tomorrow and sell them".

"Yes father" replied the sons.

Aliina felt sad the animals had to be sold because they were her friends, but she understood her family needed the money. She asked her father if she could go with her brothers to market. The farmer wasn't sure about that because it was a bit far away to market and Aliina was only nine years old. But her brothers told him it was okay and they would take care of her, so the farmer agreed.

The next day the brothers and sister went off to the market to sell the animals. Aliina rode on the donkey's back all the way there. Later that day the brothers and sister started returning home with some money. As the cow and hens were old they were sold to people who wanted to eat them and the old donkey was sold to a tanner for its skin.

"I wish we didn't have to sell the animals" said Aliina. She was sad when she had to say goodbye to them.

"Sorry Aliina," said Julius "but it was the only way for us to earn money". Aliina did understand but she still felt upset. She also felt upset that they would be leaving the farm and live and work somewhere else because she didn't really want to leave the farm.

On the way home the weather changed with heavy rain and strong winds. The weather was so terrible the brothers and sister ran into the forest to try and find some shelter. While running through the trees they found a house and ran to the door.

Julius knocked on the door. "Please excuse me," he called out "but can my brothers, sister and I please come in for shelter?"

An old man came to answer the door. "What do you people want?" he asked.

"Sorry to disturb you sir," said Julius "but can my brothers, sister and I stay here till the bad weather goes away?"

The old man let them in and led them to his fireplace to warm up. Then he produced a meal of meat soup and bread for the brothers and sister. The brothers and sister were hungry and sat down to eat their meal, thanking the old man in the process. By then the weather still didn't clear up, so the old man had the brothers and sister stay the night because it was too late for them to return home.