THIS STORY WAS VERIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:
     This was sent back to me in answer to my question as to the validity of the article. This communication was with Kari Kanasaari, a second cousin, once removed. His Great Grandmother was Otto Herrala’s sister, Hilma. Oulainen, where Otto Herrala was from, is about fifteen miles to the west of the swamp.
     "The swamp where Pieta´s sister died is found easily on GoogleMaps. Just search for Haaponeva Haapavesi, Finland, and You will see location of the swamp.They walked to Mieluskylä over the Haaponeva-swamp.
Tellervo Kari (Author of the article) still lives in the same area where Pieta´s mom and her family owned land and property. She is 80 years now.
In old days, ranches were also used as surnames. Kukkura was the name of the ranch which was owned by Pietas family. For this reason Pietas mom was called a "Kukkuran Mummu - Old lady of Kukkura" even though her surname was not Kukkura at all.
My father, (Kari Kanasaari’s father) made a telephone call to Mrs. Tellervo Kari. She was a quite surprised and happy when she heard that there are interested people around world about her newspaper article. She told my father that story is absolutely true, and Pietas daughter Anna Mäyrä had told her that."


The English Translation Of This Story Follows:
(Finnish article from the newpaper is at the bottom.)

     From "The Reader"

     The Legacy Of The Famine Year

     Breadcrumbs: This happened to a family that I know.
     I went to visit a family that had been orphaned. Present was also the grandmother Anna. I knew the mother of Mari (the mother in the family) from my school days. She was known as a person who remembered many old stories and willingly shared them. A new generation heard many different kinds of stories.
     I listened to her willingly. There was one story that stayed in my mind, that stuck like fire. It was about her Grandmother Kukkura’s life. I have contacted the younger generation of relatives, but no one can remember hearing this. Why did I, a complete stranger, get to hear this? Even I cannot be quiet anymore, and I relate this to you now.
     During those great famine years, bread was scarce. Even during that time, society tried to help. Dairies were established, where people who were weak from hunger came. They tried to take care of them and give them something to eat. Every village, even Mieluskoski, had such a place.
     The mother went to a place called Juska, which was far away, on the other side of the swampy land, to get help. Mother had to travel through the big Haaponeva Swamp via the road of that time, a boardwalk. After many kilometers, she was exhausted. One of her girls was so exhausted that she fell into eternal sleep, into the swampy moss. The mother did not have the strength to carry her and had to leave her child there.
     On the floor of the dairy, the sick and the hungry laid down side by side. The mother and daughter got a place there also. They had been there a few days. Then the mother spoke to her daughter seriously. She said: If you are offered cough medicine, remember, don’t take that. The daughter had to swear never to take cough medicine, because you don’t have a cough. The mother had noticed that the caretaker dispensed cough medicine in the evening, and in the morning, those people who had taken it, were dead.
     The daughter Beata, who was called Pieta, recovered and she had a rich life as someone who helped people and animals. I was able to go to her deathbed at Kangas’ house. The teacher brought us grade-schoolers there to sing to the lady who had reached a high age (human as an angel).
     The years of famine had left their marks on her, which were always on her mind. She had experienced the song of angels, which made the trees bow. Many relatives told of this.
     Honoring food had been preserved throughout her life. If breadcrumbs fell to the table, she wiped them into her hand and put them into her mouth. Even I realized that I do this many times. This is Grandmother Pieta’s legacy.
By Tellervo Kari

ORIGINAL FINNSH DOCUMENT, YEAR 2011, BY: TELLERVO KARI



Swamp Story