It was the time of shortage. Christmas was approaching. On Reiponkatu street, a boy was pushing a sledge with tubs of water. His mother was pulling the sledge in the front. - "I am making lutefisk for Christmas dinner, and I have to change the soaking water", mother said
It was the time of shortage. Christmas was approaching. On Reiponkatu, a boy was pushing a water sledge, and his mother was pulling it from the front. The sledge's skids grunted reluctantly in the freezing snow, and water splashed from the filled to the brim tubs, onto the boy's trousers, which were already frozen.
- What do we need so much water for? the boy fretted. The spring of Jaakoppi will dry up, when dozens of tubs of water are carried to every house. I'm certain it will dry up.
- No, it won't, laughed the mother.
- We have to change the soaking water for the lutefisk one more time, and then it's done. And we need water every day, for many things.
- The sledge has to be taken to Grandma's to be worked on. The skids are worn down to wood. And from the same trip you can bring us a Christmas tree, mother said.
- I'm leaving right after this to go to Grandma's in Mattilanperä, the boy said happily, pushing the heavy vehicle. It fought against him and slowly froze into a shapeless lump from all the water that overflowed the edge. They dragged the tubs of water to the entrance of their house and the boy sat down in front of the stove to dry his trousers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Additional Information (In Finnish)
Komppakujalta Katinhäntään - kirja
Naisten Ääni - Kerttu Kastelli
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