KAINO Kiia Heikkilä, Vilma Kärkkäinen, Sanna Vartiainen & Kit Yrjänä
Copyrights © 2022 Kiia Heikkilä, Vilma Kärkkäinen, Sanna Vartiainen & Kit Yrjänä Project manager: Kiia Heikkilä Covers: Kiia Heikkilä Illustrations: Vilma Kärkkäinen, Sanna Vartiainen & Kit Yrjänä Story: Vilma Kärkkäinen & Kit Yrjänä Original idea: Joona Aartola Translation: Joona Aartola, Vilma Kärkkäinen & Sanna Vartiainen Tutor: Karoliina Niemelä Publisher: OAMK
KAINO
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Once upon a time in a secluded forest lived a bit older rabbit couple, Kikko and Mumma. They had a little rabbit baby, Kaino. Kikko and Mumma loved Kaino very much. Because the rabbit couple were growing old, they also wished for Kaino to start taking care of them and the house as Kaino grew up.
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Kaino had many friends, the closest being an otter named Lumme. Kaino dearly enjoyed playing with their friends and they met each other rather often.
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While Kaino was playing, Kikko and Mumma would start assigning little chores for them: - Help Mumma wipe the dust. After that you can go and play, Mumma said and Kaino helped. - Help me carry the wood inside. After that you can play ‘till dawn if you wish, Kikko said and Kaino carried. - Do your chores right away and no worries will weigh on your mind, the parents taught Kaino – a lesson Kaino sure learned. 10
Springs passed and Kaino grew, but so did the number of chores. Sweep the floor, wipe the dust, wash the dishes, get the mail, clean the windows, chop the carrots, take out the trash…
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When Kaino’s friends asked Kaino out to play, their answer was: - I’m going to finish housework first, then I can ease my mind. So the friends met less and less.
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Winters came and went. Kikko’s and Mumma’s furs had become white as snow, and they could no longer manage to do any household chores. The number of Kaino’s chores kept growing and growing. Alongside cooking, cleaning and gardening, they also helped their dear parents get out of bed, brush their fur, put on their slippers and go on walks.
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Eventually Kaino no longer had time to play with their friends. Only Lumme visited them from time to time and entertained Kaino with their fun stories while Kaino did their neverending pile of chores.
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One beautiful day Lumme decided to try their luck and ask Kaino out for a picnic. Kaino, who had been doing chores all morning long, hesitated. They had swept the floors, dusted the rugs, done the laundry and baked a carrot cake. The only chore left was to wash a large cooking pot. Pondering their options, Kaino gazed at the pot.
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- Well, maybe I could go for a bit. I will only run some water in the pot so it can soak while I’m away. I will wash it the first thing once I return, the young rabbit said. The pot being left to soak, Kaino and Lumme left for the picnic where the rest of their friends already waited.
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Kaino enjoyed the picnic very much. They ate and drank, played and sang together. Before Kaino could even come to notice, the sun was already setting.
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Kaino hurried their way home to get the pot washed but before they could say a word, Mumma asked them to fold the clothes. So the dishes had to wait. - Tomorrow I will wash the pot, Kaino thought getting ready for bed.
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Tomorrow came, but Kaino didn’t make it to the dishes before Kikko asked them to carry some wood for the fireplace. - I will get the wood and then wash the pot, Kaino pondered, but then they had to beat the rugs. 24
- After beating the rugs, I will wash the pot, Kaino said. Little did they know: they would be sweeping the floor instead. - Once the floor is sparkling, I will have time to wash the pot! But still Kaino couldn’t get the job done because there was always something equally important to do.
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So the pot, while weighing on Kaino’s mind, was left unwashed. There were simply too many chores to do alone. - I will do the housework, so Kikko and Mumma wouldn’t have to worry.
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Years passed, chores built up and Kaino’s parents got more and more tired. One autumn night the inevitable happened and Kikko and Mumma were to be set to their eternal sleep.
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No more was there the sight of Kikko reading newspapers nor the sound of Mumma’s knitting needles clanking. 29
The house seemed empty and Kaino felt truly alone. Grief stabbed their heart, but Kaino wiped tears off the cheeks and thought: - I should wipe the dust. What would Kikko and Mumma say if they saw that the chores weren’t done.
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So once again Kaino started to work. Wiping the dust, Kaino remembered the unwashed pot and was quickly stunned by crushing guilt.
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- The pot...
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Behind the Story ”Kaino” is a fairy tale about a young rabbit, who lives with their parents. Over the years, Kaino is raised to take care of the house and handle all the housework from cooking to gardening. In the end, Kaino becomes the caregiver for their parents, as they grow old and can’t take care of themselves anymore. When Kaino’s parents inevitably pass away, Kaino feels as if the rug has been pulled from under them. Guilt weighs on them, since Kaino has always been taught that “If you do your chores right away, no worries will weigh on your mind”. Kaino was in such a hurry with other chores that one pot was left unwashed and therefore they wonder whether the death of their late parents was Kaino’s fault. Even though Kaino’s story is fictional, there is a genuine concern underlying about what happens when a child is placed with too much responsibility at a young age. What might this cause to a child’s – or in this case, a young rabbit’s – mental development and well-being? Unfortunately, Kaino’s story might be reality for more and more children and young people in the future because the population is aging meanwhile the public care services for the elderly and health care is deteriorating and becoming more expensive. Kaino’s story does not offer a solution to this societal issue, but the purpose is to evoke feelings and thoughts on this subject and children’s rights. What kind of future do we want to offer them? We hope that all children will have the opportunity to be children.
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Once upon a life an old couple of rabbits, called Kikko and Mumma, lived in the sheltering shade of the forest. To their family they welcome a small baby rabbit they lovingly call Kaino. From the early days, Kaino is raised to help around the house. In a big house the chores are many: the days are filled with sweeping the floors, wiping dust, taking care of the garden and cooking. And as the time goes by, the amount of chores only increases, and Kaino is overwhelmed by the tasks. How could Kaino manage all this work and what about the fun times and games with the friends around the forest?