Warmth
Emil was worried. Disembarking the small ship, he looked around the small crowd at the pier. He had sent his arrival details to Lalli, but he still wasn’t sure his friend would be there to meet him. Lalli had been weird all summer. Emil had sent him several wordy letters but had only received a couple back. If it counts as a letter, when it’s a scrap of paper saying “Thank you for letter. Working much. Meet later. Butter good, Lalli”.
Nevertheless, when Emil had booked his ticket, he had sent Lalli his timetable like they had agreed in the spring. He assumed the plan was for Lalli to meet him at Saimaa, but what if he had changed his mind? Surrounded by several tall people, Emil didn’t see a familiar face anywhere and started to feel uncomfortable. But then he heard a voice calling for him “Emil, why you not come?” Looking around he saw Lalli sitting in a rowboat at the next pier. Relieved, Emil scuttled over the ropes and pollards to the rowboat pier and landed himself and his bag in Lalli’s boat. “There you are! I was almost worried! Why didn’t you come meet me at the arrival pier?” “We go in boat, I wait here, finally you come. We go now. Take oars.” Lalli spoke curtly, but he was smiling warmly to Emil. Just the smile that melted his heart, in every rare occasion he got to witness it.
The boat was a light, swift craft, a lot smaller than the large rowboat they had in travelled together with the crew two years ago. It was easy to row alone, as Lalli steered. Soon they fell into a familiar rhythm. Emil might have preferred to travel in a ship with a motor, but this wasn’t too bad. Especially in such wonderful weather. And company. “So where are we going?” “Home”. Right. Not the time for conversation. Emil would have liked to hug Lalli as a greeting, but on the other hand it was nice to be on their way, now that they were finally together again. Late summer sunshine and a light breeze made the weather enjoyably warm, and the lake and islands were pretty and deceptively peaceful. The creaking of the oars, dripping water and occasional birdsong from the islands added to the peaceful ambiance.
They spent the night on a small island with just a few trees. They built a fire and cooked some food. Emil chatted about his cleanser campaign of the summer, even though he had told most of it in the letters. Lalli still gave very short answers, but he sat down on the same rock as Emil. To Emil’s relief, Lalli had brought a tarp so they didn’t need to sleep under the sky. Although the night was still warm enough, the pile of leaves was still more like a proper bed when there was a roof above. And with Lalli curled next to him, the bed felt luxurious.
Next day the weather took a turn for the worse and a cold easterly wind turned the lake into a maze of waves. It wasn’t anything like a proper storm, but rowing was a lot harder now and Lalli was looking decidedly miserable with the heaving. Emil was worried, although more for Lalli’s comfort than actual safety issues. He also had grown up next to a lake and was fully capable of rowing such a light craft even in chopped waters and cool rain. “Should we stop? Is this ok? Are we safe?” “No stop! Me fine. Row. I want go home.” So, they continued.
After another day on the lake, much less comfortable than the previous one, they arrived at a shore that looked somewhat familiar. “Where are we?” “Stupid. Home. I say already!” Upon second inspection Emil realized he had been here, although the island looked different. Gone where the small trees covering the slope up from the pier, but there were no houses either. The pier had been repaired and the shore wall strengthened. There were several boats at the beach, pulled high and tied fast.
“So, Toivosaari! Rebuilding has started, I guess? Do you live here now? I didn’t know!” “Yes. Come now.” Lalli grabbed Emil by the arm and led him up the path into the island. There was clearly building going on in the village area. Piles of new timbers were waiting to be used, and three of the old foundations had the first few tiers of new logs in place. Current accommodations for the people working on the building sites appeared to include a selection of tents, lean-tos and huts of light construction. Crews of a few people were working at each of the new houses. Passing by, Lalli got greetings, waves and smiles. His responses were nearly non-existent, but it was clear these people considered him one of their own and even liked him. “Ai nytkö ystäväsi tuli?” “Onko tuo se ruotsalainen?” [1] people were also asking questions, but Lalli just led Emil through. The weather was outright bad now, with cold rain soaking Emil’s hair and finding its way down his neck. As soon as he had stopped rowing he was freezing.
Walking along the paths that were again showing around the village they soon approached shore again. On this side there was a small cabin with a big chimney. A large area had been cleared around the cabin, standing very close to the water’s edge. On a tiny porch in front of the cabin, a familiar figure was sitting and peering through the rain towards the village and the arriving boys. When they approached, Lalli and Onni gave each other a short wave. “Ai siinähän te olette. Moi Emil!” “Moi Onni. Onko sauna lämmin?” ”On, senkun menette vaan. Oliko järvellä kylmä?” ”Oli.” ”Padassa ja saavissa on vettä valmiina.” ”Kiitti.” [2]
Emil managed to get in a ”O, hej Onni!” before Lalli walked him without further ado past Onni and through the cabin’s door. The room inside was small and clearly heavily inhabited. On the right-hand side was a small window, overlooking the lakes. A very small table, almost covered by a couple of plates and a small pile of books, and two rough stools were placed next to the window, where a lantern was also ready for the night. At the other end of the room was a bunk with some furs and blankets on as well as under it. Along the walls there were pegs, on which a variable collection of sacks, bags and equipment was hanging. Opposite the porch door was another door leading into the rest of the interior.
Only when Lalli started briskly undressing, Emil realized what the cabin was. “Oh, you have a sauna!” Lalli gave him a slow look. “Sauna. Yes. Come.” “Do you guys live here? In this room?” “Sleep here now. Clothes off now! You slow, stupid!” Lalli was already naked and opened the inner door. Blessed warmth filled the small room and Emil didn’t need further persuasion. He undressed quickly and followed Lalli. When Emil stepped in, Lalli gestured at him and at the stove “Tässä on ystäväni Emil. Hän saunoo minun kanssani. Anna meille hyvä löyly.” [3] Lalli asked of the saunatonttu. To Emil he said “Remember, be nice, be silent”.
The other room was about the same size as the first. The timber walls gave off a strong but pleasant woodland smell. Another small window on the right allowed in a little light. There was a large metal stove, enclosed by a section of dark stone wall, also on the right. Opposite from them, large benches of light-colored wood were raised all along the back wall. On the benches and the steps leading to them were several wooden buckets and a couple of scoops. A large wooden tub to the left was about two thirds full of water.
Lalli ladled some water into a bucket and climbed to the top bench. Emil had of course been to a sauna, but he remembered how last time Onni had thrown so much water on the stove that he had had to leave the room. Even before Reynir did! Emil sat down on the lower bench first, but when Lalli tapped the top bench with his hand, Emil climbed up with him. Lalli threw in some water. The moist heat was much friendlier than what Emil remembered. It was outright lovely, sitting on the smooth wood surrounded by the smells of wood, smoke, water and cleanliness. The flames’ humming in the stove was occasionally drowned by the wind in the rafters and sporadic snaps and cracks of the new timbers settling in the heat. Soon Emil relaxed and leaned against the back wall. His back prickled a little with the heat and rougher surface of the wall, but soon he settled. The sweet gentle heat of the löyly covered him and warmed him all down to his bones. He sighed contentedly, exactly at the same time as Lalli did too.
The silent twilight was so relaxing that soon Emil was almost starting to nod off. Lalli grabbed his arm and whispered. “Come. Swim.” “What! No! It’s cold out there!” Emil yelped. “Shhhhh! Stupid. Silent in sauna always! Come now!” and Lalli dragged Emil out of the sauna, out of the cabin and directly to the shore, where he jumped to the rocks and then dived gracefully into the lake.
Emil was standing on the rocks, freezing in the wind and contemplating the craziness of Finns. Lalli yelled at him: “Come now! Nice water!” “I’m not coming! It’s cold! I’m freezing already!” Lalli turned towards him and without warning splashed water on him. “Eeek! It IS cold! Why would you do that? I was so nice and warm and now you ruined…” Lalli jumped up, grabbed Emil by both hands and pulled him into the lake. “Wash, silly. After, sauna better.” Sighing mightily Emil dipped into the water. It was cold, but it was also kind of pleasant, since he was still internally warm from the sauna.
After a bit of splashing the boys returned to the sauna. Lalli was right, it felt even better now to sit and let the heat of the löyly settle back in. In the end they went to the lake two more times in the increasing rain. But for Emil probably the best moment was when Lalli took another bucket and mixed some cool water with hot from the boiler integrated to the stove and handed it to him with a bathing mitten and some nice soap smelling like birch and summer flowers. “Wash. Smell good.” Lalli just poured some warm water on himself and sat on the lower bench waiting for Emil to be ready. When Emil was finished, Lalli quickly checked everything was nice and tidy, and poured some löyly for the saunatonttu before they left.
Exiting the sauna after the wash, the boys found clean linen towels in the pegs of the outer room. Onni called from the outside “Laitoin teidän märät vaatteet kuivumaan” [4] and Lalli translated ”Onni take care of clothes”. He dug around in the bags on the wall and produced two sweaters. The one he gave Emil was probably Onni’s, as it was far too large, but it was clean and soft and warm. Lalli opened the outer door and spoke to Onni “Me ollaan valmiita. Onko mitään ruokaa?” [5] Onni stepped in and started to put food on the small table. He gave each of the boys a mug of hot nettle tea.
Lalli and Emil sat among the blankets on the bunk, sipping the tea. Wrapped in the sweaters and with the heat from the sauna, it was nice and cosy even with the howling wind outside now growing into a storm. The pouring rain was drumming the roof and occasionally a whirl of the wind made it patter against the window. Luckily, they were here now, instead of still out on the lake.
“So, you decided to build a sauna then. Why is that?” “Sauna first. Always start with sauna. Then, build house for us.” “You are planning to live together with Onni?” “No, stupid. Onni’s house there” Lalli pointed towards the back of the sauna, “and our house here. We build together. We help Onni, Onni help us. Others help too.” “We? Who are you talking about?” Emil was surprised and a bit worried. Again, Lalli gave him a Look. “You are stupid. Why you so so stupid?” “Now you are being unfair! I don’t know people here at all! And you didn’t really tell me anything in your letters!”. “Emil, you are stupid! Our house. You and me!” more quietly Lalli added “Our home. If you want.” Again, Emil was overcome with warmth, this time coming from the inside. “Of course. Our home!”.
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NOTES:
Translations for the Finnish
1: “Oh, did your friend arrive just now?” “Is that the Swede?”
2: “There you are. Hi Emil!” “Hi Onni. Is the sauna warm? (= ready for bathing)” ”Yeah, you can just go in. Was it cold on the lake?” “Yes” “There is water waiting for you in the boiler and the tub” “Thanks”
3: “This is my friend Emil. He will bathe with me. Please give us good löyly.”
4: “I put your wet clothes to dry”
5: “We are ready. Is there any food?”
Sauna was an important and almost sacred place to the ancient Finns, and I have decided here that this custom has returned. Saunatonttu, the keeper or guardian spirit of the sauna, didn't like being disturbed and if the bathers behaved badly or were noisy, the tonttu might get angry and cause nuisance or even major trouble such as the guilty becoming ill. This custom has largely been ignored nowadays, but historically it was the most important way of respecting sauna. In this instance it’s especially important as it’s the first occasion for Emil to bathe here, and Lalli hopes this will become Emil’s home too. In other less important occasions they might not be quite as reverent.
In addition to the saunatonttu, the ancestors were thought to come bathe after the living members of the household had left, especially at major holidays such as midsummer and kekri. It was important to leave the sauna nice and tidy for these bathers.
The word "löyly" means the steam generated when water is poured on the hot stones on the sauna stove. The water actually lowers the temperature a bit, but the moisture brings it to the bathers and throwing in more water makes the sauna feel hotter. The word is used to mean the physical phenomenon, but also the overall experience, such that a sauna that is comfortable to be in and has optimum ventilation and temperature has "good löyly".
Building a sauna first is a common custom still for example when people are building a summer house. That way the family can stay on the property even before the house itself is finished. Most regular houses have the sauna inside so it gets built along with the rest of the house. Basically all one-family houses, detached houses etc have a sauna in Finland, and very many flats do too. For those who don't have a sauna at home there is often one available in the building or complex, where it's possible to make a reservation.
Important note on sauna bathing: you must never sleep in sauna when it's warmed up for bathing. This is the only way a properly prepared sauna can be dangerous to your health. If you start feeling drowsy, take a cooling shower if you don't have a nice lake or a snowbank at hand.
