"Is everything all right?" "Yes." "Valo, wait!" "Valo!" "Valo!" "Valo!" "Father." "Get to work, boy." ""Pekka Ahola who was caught for rebellion" " ""will be sent to live in Viiritsa village for at least two years."" "Get to work, boy." ""Let him practise his trade in peace" " ""as long as he doesn't participate in rebellious activities."" "You will report to inspector Konstantin Kabanen once a week." ""Chimney sweep Pekka Ahola looks for work."" "Good." "A fine house." "Valo." "Do remember that we are being observed all the time." "Don't attract any unnecessary attention." "Morning." "Morning." "Go ahead, so you won't be late." "Have a nice first day at school." "A sweep is always needed, Pekka." "Valo..." "Ville!" "Where are you going?" "To school, Mr Konstantin." "I made it straight to the second grade." "So the emperor's sweep boy is going to school." "I am going to be a teacher." "Listen, boy." "You'll never be a teacher." "You will swing a sweep's brush, not a teacher's pointer." "Ville!" "Ville!" "Damn boy." "Ville!" "Ville." "Your father is looking for you and is angry." "When I grow up I'll show him who is who." "I'll tear his moustache off - and then I'll tear all his hair out one by one." "And in the end I'll rip his head from his body." "Does he beat you up?" "Why does he beat you up?" "You need to go to school." "I am going to be a soldier, cannon fodder for the Turks." "Catch me if you can." ""Oh my dear love, it is time for loving" " ""time for kissing, tasting the honey of your lips."" "Time for kissing." "Stop that." "Honey of your lips..." "Stop that thing." "Viktoria..." "My father will sue you." "My father will put you in jail." "That drunk." "Have a seat." "Good day, Father Vasili." "Today we'll have a new teacher." "Let's show her how hard working we are." "Take your arithmetic notebooks." "Aren't we having writing?" "Take your arithmetic notebooks." "Why aren't we having writing?" "Take your arithmetic notebooks." "What is this?" "What are you doing?" ""A child must not be harmed."" "Are you out of your mind?" "Answer me." "Children must not be hit." "Or be killed." "Boy, what are you talking about?" "Do you know where boys like you go?" "To Hatsina." "Father Vasili." "That boy is a new pupil." "He means good." "Julia Warpunen." "Do you want to be the first?" "Excuse me." "Maria Neuvonen." "What is happening?" "I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" "Dear Maria." "Here are your little lambs." "Good day, children." "Good day, teacher." "Sit down, please." "Does anyone know what cultivation of the soul is?" "Cultivation of the soul is reading." "It is about some form of legitimate pleasure." "Can I count on you that this will remain our own little secret?" "Today we'll start a novel by an English author Charles Dickens." "The novel is about the hard life of a little English schoolboy " "David Copperfield." "Make yourself comfortable." ""Chapter one." "I am born."" ""Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life" " ""or whether that station will be held by anybody else" " ""these pages must show."" ""To begin my life with the beginning of my life" " ""| record that I was born" " ""as I have been informed and believe" " ""on a Friday, at twelve o'clock at night."" ""|t was remarked that the clock began to strike" " ""and I began to cry, simultaneously."" ""|n consideration of the day and hour of my birth" " ""it was declared by the nurse and by some sage women" " ""who had taken a lively interest in me" " ""several months before there was any possibility" " ""of our becoming personally acquainted" " ""first, that I was destined to be unlucky in life."" "The teacher Creakle stepped in front of David and said - that if you are famous for your biting, then so am I - then he showed the boy David the birch." "What do you think of this tooth?" "Isn't it a sharp tooth?" "Doesn't it have point?" "Does it bite, eh, does it bite?" "Whilst asking he hit David on the back so he writhed with pain." "Go on." "The teacher watched his pupils like a cannibal watches his prisoners." "Cannon ball." "What is it?" "Cannibal." "A man-eater." "Cannon ball, damn it." "And then?" "No one learned anything because the teacher was so cruel." "You rascal!" "Why aren't you working?" "I warned you!" "Who's the man in the tower?" "Oh, Nikolai?" "He's a secret police and everyone's afraid of him." "When I grow up I'll be like him - and then everybody will fear me." "Even Nikolai." "Good day." "Julia, good day." "Could I have a diary?" "Blue..." "Or brown?" "Blue." "Five pennies." "Here you are." "Thank you." "What do you think?" "Thank you." "This is fine." "I'll write every day - about everything that happens here." "Ville!" "Promise me you won't tell anyone about this." "I swear I'll dedicate my whole life - to fight against evil." "Are you going to be a soldier, too?" "No, I will not live by the sword." "I'm going to be a cultivator of the soul." "I swear too that I'll dedicate my whole life - to the fight against evil." "I'm going to be a rainmaker." "I swear the day will come - that heaven shall grieve for the evil deeds of the cannonballs." "Even Nikolai will weep." "Today I shall start - by telling you about what happened on a Sunday - not that long ago." "It was a hard year, the crops had failed - and people were starving." "People wrote a letter to their emperor - asking for food." "Many people delivered the letter." "When they arrived - weapons started cracking suddenly." "People dropped dead." "Right next to each other." "Men, women, even children." "Only a few survived." "That day is called Bloody Sunday." "I was there." "And my friend Matti died." "What are you drawing now?" "Why, this is Nikolai." "Valo, what did we talk about?" "Don't attract any unnecessary attention." "No one else will see it but teacher Maria." "What sort of task is this?" "We must draw something that scares us." "And there is our Konstantin, isn't he?" "Father!" "You are too soft with your son, Pekka." "Sign it." "Still two more years of this surveillance." "Only two years, Konstantin." "Farewell." "Bye bye." "What's the matter, Valo?" "Father got upset with my drawing." "What drawing?" "This." "It is Nikolai you are afraid of." "It is better that I take care of it, so no one's feelings will be hurt." "Thank you for your good work today." "It has been nice to get to know you." "Maria." "What's the matter with you?" "What do you mean matter?" "Because you listen to us, children." "Have you heard about the new teacher - who has just started?" "Mrs Vasili." "The children are reading an obscene, immoral book." "Really?" "I have heard quite different stories." "Well, interesting." "What kind of stories has tradesman Jurgensson heard?" "They are talking about the peace." "Who are we talking about?" "Nobody." "The clergyman's wife is just telling some news." "No, I am actually talking about the locals." "That new teacher is putting dangerous thoughts - into the heads of innocent children." "Townsfolk, hooligans." "Rabble-rousers." "Isn't nurse Katariina Kusmin enough?" ""Wasps stung David so that he jumped in the air."" ""At the same time a sea gull poo-pooed on the nape of his neck."" ""David took a stick and said to the sea gull:"" ""'Shall I hit, ha, shall I?" "' And David did hit the sea gull" " ""so hard on the nape of its neck that he threw up."" ""A golden egg appeared."" "Come and take a look." "My topic is happiness." "But what is it?" "The clergyman's wife rejoices in money." "But is she happy?" "She doesn't like children." "But she doesn't know that children read a lot." "And she doesn't rejoice over it." "Thus, is happiness for her mere money?" "Hide yourselves." "Quickly." "Out, everybody out right now!" "Out, out." "Hurry up." "Come on, hurry up." "That you cannot do." "Valo, you are a good boy." "Maria..." "Maria!" "Is Valo dead?" "Valo is running a high fever." "Is he going to die?" "No, he isn't." "Does Valo get well soon?" "Yes, he does." "Mother." "It's me, Katariina." "Hello, Valo." "Father, why is it so cold here?" "Has something happened to the boy earlier?" "Bloody Sunday." "Valo lost a friend." "The heaven grieves for that day." "Isn't it all the same whether I get well or die?" "Valo, I know this is difficult but we can't afford more trouble." "Nikolai is just waiting for us to do something he can nail us for." "And there is no more school." "That you must accept." "I am going to be a teacher." "I have made up my mind and promised Maria." "School makes you nervous." "That's not good." "Well, if I am not fit for practical work, go ahead and kill me." "Read me, what happened to the boy David." "Father thinks I should take up chimney sweeping." "Black Pete and Little Black Pete." "Well, read." "Read yourself - 3S YOU 3T8 SO C|" "GVGIZ" "I can't read." "You know I can't read." "Could you help me to build a small school?" "A school?" "We will see about it in the morning." "Ville!" "Guess what?" "This will be your school." "What?" "What does it say?" "Do you want to learn to read?" "Learn to read." "I knew it." "It doesn't say so." "What does it say then?" ""A school opened in the carriage shed of the house of Aho|a."" ""A warm welcome to everyone eager to learn."" ""Bring your own pens if you have them."" "It says so?" "Yes." "I want to!" "Viktoria!" "Who knows how to read?" "Who knows the letters?" "Raija." "I know "one"." "Stupid." "It's not a letter." "It is a number." "Who knows anything else?" "Raija." "I can smoke." "Blockhead." "You aren't allowed to smoke at school." "Let's start smoking." "Quiet!" "Shut up." "Will teachers start to hit us now?" "No one hits children in this school." "In this school we learn what is bad and what is good." "Yeah, let's learn what is bad." "And let's smoke!" "Hello." "Friends call me Katariina." "Maria is my friend." "I'm here to help." "We don't need help from adults." "What about Maria?" "Maria is sorry she had to leave." "Where is Maria?" "She was moved to another school." "Is Maria a rebel?" "You are all more rebellious." "Are you going to tell on us?" "Of course not." "But do be careful." "Police can pick on children too." "If you need help, do come and ask." "What did she really want?" "Why was Katariina Kusmina expelled to Viiritsa?" "Katariina's husband Ustim was the emperor's doctor - and he saw a lot and wrote it all down." "Many people would like to read those notes." "Why were they dangerous?" "For the same reason as your diaries." "Diaries?" "Promise me you won't write of the evil deeds of those in power." "They don't like it." "It is the secret law of this country." "Even everyday matters are dangerous if they are written or drawn down." "But you must draw, mustn't you?" "And you must write secret letters, musn't you?" "Julia is right." "If we can't afford to buy books, we must write them ourself." "Let's steal a couple of Bibles from the parsonage." "Good day." "What are you standing there for?" "Let's make paintings and sell them all." "Who has written all these?" "Different authors." "Here, for example, is Leo Tolstoi." ""Anna Karenina", a moving love drama." "And here is a nature book." "Here you are." "The clergyman's wife claims that our school is illegal." "I see." "Will we land up in jail?" "I don't think so." "What about Hatsina?" "I don't think so either." "What is it?" "Hatsina is a prison for children." "ls our school illegal?" "Perhaps you need a license for your school." "Law for children's initiative." "Law for having a school." "Law..." "In this case..." "Shall be arrested." "Act in your own name and call your school a club or playschool." "Even a dumb person does not pay attention to it." "Good day, children." "Good day, Katariina." "Today it is..." "Villa's turn." "Katariina." "Yes.7" "There is a man at the door." "Please, hold on a moment." ""An art exhibition in the playschool." "Welcome."" "Welcome, dear parents." "At the front sit the pupils, at the back the teachers." "They take notes." "The aim is to become a good teacher." "Excuse me, but what amuses you?" "That seriousness of yours." "It feels like listening to an old man, not a young lad." "Carry on." "We need some textbooks." "We are hoping for a small reward for the art exhibition." "This is mine." "You can buy it." "The road goes there and the road goes here and the road goes..." "Please be seated." "Shut up, you rogue." "The road goes there and the road goes here..." "According to paragraph 321 - a fine can be imposed for disturbances in public places." "Sit down!" "Come over here." "Dear audience." "My topic is the terrible sickness called the lust of the spirit." "There is no disease more awful on earth." "The end of life crabs the tongue from the mouth of a person - who has this illness with tongs of fire." "Then the brain starts to boil and burn." "Finally the whole body turns to ashes." "The pain of this terrifying death closes so slowly - that the one who has this illness has time to do many evil deeds." "With his hot fists he beats his wife and children - and if he gets a knife, he can even kill." "It would be good if the drunkards killed each other- so their number would reduce quickly." "Thank you." "Ten, twenty pennies, thirty pennies - forty pennies, forty-five pennies, eighty-five pennies." "A decent man." "A fine speech." "A great speech." "That's nothing." "So I sing thee maiden" "Like my..." "Pekka!" "Pekka Ahola, come out!" "Why is there something like that written in your yard?" "Who are you to forbid that?" "I am the chief of this village." "That's child's play, Konstantin." "Scribbling for their own joy." "Keep your son under control." "Spare the rod and spoil the child." "Let's go for a drink." "Not now, another time." "lfl were as mighty as I would like to be, I would take..." "D-r-u-n-k-G-fl." ""Drunken."" "Valo, I can read!" "N-o-t f-o-r..." "D-r-u-n-k-s." ""Not for drunks!"" "Come on, Ville!" "Look, this has colour pictures." "S-e-p-a-r-a-t-o-r." "Separator." "God damn it!" "I am ashamed of you, father!" "You pitiful wretched stool-pigeon!" "Nikolai's henchman!" "Come here." "I'll teach you some respect." "Respect must be gained." "Hit me." "Go ahead and hit me, that's all you can do." "You can beat me, even kill me, but that doesn't trouble me anymore." "I can already read - and that's something you can never take away from me." "I am the only chief in this village." "I am the only boss in this town." "I am the only chief in this village - and you snotty little brats can..." "What's this hullabaloo?" "So off you go, so!" "And this riot ends here!" "Without my permission - have you scraped together a school, eh!" "He") us!" "That man has no soul!" "This school is illegal." "Katariina Kusmina is grounded for one month - and the father of Valo Ahola " "Pekka Ahola is hereby given a stern warning." "And if anybody tries to open the school - he will be punished." "Dear madam, the child cries." "It does not matter." "Baby gets used to it." "Valo, in this trade you see so many things." "Don't bother your head about that." "The rooms were filled with cigarette smoke." "I said, excuse me, but the child is crying - and she answered that it doesn't matter, the baby gets used to it." "And the woman just flicks through a fashion magazine?" "Yes." "Why doesn't somebody do something?" "No one dares." "But you dare." "Valo has an idea." "He has a plan." "Good." "Then N." "Then up." "Good." "Then R." "Good." "Then E." "One, two, three." ""...ridges of fences and sieves mist on trees and bushes."" ""Sun goldens the church..."" ""As a child I was lively and unruly."" ""| used to run in the fields and in the woods" " ""and no one kept an eye me."" ""Father always had plenty of work"" ""darling mother had enough to do with the housekeeping."" "The playschool lives!" "Many have already learnt to read." "Let's take the playschool to town." "And to the whole world." "Damn snotty brats!" "Hide yourselves!" "I warned you." "Where did they go?" "Come here!" "Yes, I will catch you!" "Hello." "Farewell, Ville." "Farewell, Julia." "Farewell, Valo." "Farewell, Julia." "I swear I am going to be a storm maker- and fight against evil." "I swear someday heaven will grieve and Nikolai..." "Nikolai, don't do this!" "Valo, father packed the writing materials." "You can draw." "It's alright." "Everything is going to be alright." "Valo." "Valo, don't go there." "Valo, don't go there." "Valo, don't go there!" "Valo!" "Damn bull-head." "It was this close that you are not sitting in Hatsina, too." "Help us." "Has that girl lost her reason?" "Certainly not." "You should listen." "Are you threatening me?" "You should listen." "Do you want to keep your post?" "My father will write about you and the bottle to Viiritsa News - unless you help us." "Nobody returns from Hatsina." "So do you want to keep your post?" "Get out!" "All of you!" "I've got it." "Well done, Ville." ""The holder of this pass" " ""has the permission granted by Viiritsa police" " ""to pass his Majesty's road blocks without hinderance" " ""when trespassing is not expressly forbidden."" ""Permission granted by inspector Konstantin Kabanen."" "What is he accused of?" "Hasn't paid his taxes." "Three years." "I sentence the collector of water rates Sallinen - to prison for 3 years." "The accused Heikki Hiinninen..." "What is he accused of?" "Of stealing." "Caught five times." "Give him a good trashing!" "Already given." "Silence." "Needs re-educating." "I sentence you to five years in Hatsina." "Do you have anything to say?" "No." "Next." "The accused Valo Ahola." "Valo." "What is he accused of?" "Valo Ahola foments a revolt among other children." "Claims to play school, isn't that so?" "But acts for his rebellious father- and his patron Katarina Kusmina as a messenger." "The school is a front." "I demand seven years in Hatsina for repeatedly resisting adults." "I want to represent this young man." "I am a lawyer and I can't accept this kind of procedure." "Silence." "There is no law regulating children's hobbies - if they are not organized by adults." "Is the problem with hearing or understanding?" "Son of Ahola, Valo." "I sentence you to Hatsina for five years." "Five years?" "Do you have anything to say?" "Your honour." "Do you believe in wrong and right?" "I believe in justice." "Why did you found this school?" "Children want to learn new things." "What's wrong with that?" "Rap the table with the gavel." "I make the questions, you answer them." "Is it true that you encourage children to disobedience?" "Must a child obey if he is treated wrong?" "That is rebellion." "So you urge children to rise up against adults." "Only if the adults are unfair to the child." "And you admit you foment children to a revolt." "Well, that's one point of view." "All right." "All right." "Now you get ten years in Hatsina to grow up." "Ville!" "Your honour, read these and you will understand." "Who wrote these?" "|." "I write every day." "Read it aloud." ""Dear diary."" ""Adults are used to living amidst the evil of life" " ""and don't notice the injustice around them anymore."" ""That keeps them from understanding children."" ""They even disturb our activities with their stupid deeds."" "Judge, end this foolishness." "Who is in charge in this court, you or me?" "Go on." ""They even disturb our activities with their stupid deeds" " ""those wild beasts."" ""Even today a furious mother" " ""dragged her child away from the school, eyes flaming with anger."" ""How can a child grow wise if even mothers are like that?"" "And who are you?" "Wilhelm Kabanen." "And I wasn't sent here by my father." "Go on, Wilhelm Kabanen." "Your honour." "Dear audience." "When I first met Valo Ahola " "I was just an ordinary snotty brat - who used to steal money from people's pockets at the station." "I was becoming cannon fodder for the Turks - frankly nothing much of a man." "Valo Ahola changed the direction of my life." "Valo taught me to read and to respect life." "I could read for the judge because I intend to fight the evil." "Is there any place better for that than court?" "Look at this young man." "Study his face." "Is he evil?" "Is he?" "By no means." "We at the playschool need the wisdom of his heart." "Tens, hundreds, thousands of children are waiting for him." "Would it be right to deny him his valuable calling?" "Thank you." "Valo." "Valo Ahola shall be released." "May the playschool open its doors." "I also order the circumstances in Hatsina to be investigated." "Damn!" "You have no right to do this." "What kind of emperor do you think you are?" "I will have you sent to Siberia." "I sentence you out of office." "Wait here." "Ville." "I am proud of you." "Hello!" "Hello!" "Today we'll start a novel by an English author Charles Dickens." ""David Copperfield"." ""Chapter one." "I am born."" ""Whether I shall turn out to be the hero of my own life" " ""or whether that station will be held by anybody else" " ""these pages must show."" ""To begin my life with the beginning of my life" " ""| record that I was born on a Friday, at 12 o'clock at night."" ""|t was remarked that the clock began to strike" " ""and I began to cry, simultaneously."" ""|n consideration of the day and hour of my birth" " ""it was declared by the nurse and by some sage women" " ""first, that I was destined to be unlucky in life" " ""and secondly, I was privileged to see ghosts and spirits" " ""both these gifts inevitably attaching, as they believe" " ""to all unlucky infants of either gender...""