Killa the GiantKilla the Giant

Killankallio * Killa’s Killankallio * Killa’s Rocks Pirkkala Rocks Pirkkala

HarjavaltaHarjavaltaFinlandFinland

Near Pirkkala school Near Pirkkala school we have big big rocks we have big big rocks

called Killankallio, called Killankallio, the Killa’s Rocks. the Killa’s Rocks.

Now you hear a story Now you hear a story from these woodsfrom these woods

Once upon a time, in a land far, far north, lived people who believed in gnomes, elves, trolls and giants.

giantsgiants

trollstrolls

gnomesgnomes elveselves

Gnomes lived under the woods and appeared once in a while to scare people, so they believed.

People thought that they saw elves in old buildings: barn-elves in barns, and sauna-elves in saunas, naturally.

By blaming the trolls they were able to sort out many strange events: -it was the trolls, who had emptied the porridge pot, -it was the trolls who had torn the fishnets, -it was the trolls that had made noise…

In this land far away, there was a town

with a strange name: Harjavalta.

How it had got its name, nobody knew.

Anyhow, one of the villages was called Pirkkala after the name of

the neighbouring county, Birka.

The ancient founderof the village

had come from there.

What was extraordinary about this village,

was that its inhabitants and an infamous Giant

Killa had been able to live in harmony with each

other for years and years.

One day the people decided to build a church

to the new religion and its Lord, Jesus

Christ, who was a much kinder

God than the gnomes and

the trolls.

The church was supposed

to be handsome and strong,

lasting through the centuries.

It had to be built of stone!

Where could the stone be brought from,

the people wondered?

Then someone thought of it:

from Killa’s Rocks the home of Killa the

Giant!

Killa the Giant got Killa the Giant got angry,angry,

for no one had for no one had

asked him asked him

for permission for permission

to excavate!to excavate!

In the beginning In the beginning the Giant was able the Giant was able

to keep the men away, to keep the men away, but finally he could no but finally he could no

longer longer defend his home. defend his home.

There were far too many There were far too many people. people.

Time passed…Time passed…

…and finally …and finally there were enough there were enough

stones stones for the church, for the church,

and they started to build and they started to build it.it.

The stones The stones were skilfully put were skilfully put into their places, into their places,

some mortar was added some mortar was added in between in between

and the construction and the construction looked and felt strong.looked and felt strong.

But every morning But every morning the builders of the the builders of the

church were faced with church were faced with the same, unpleasant the same, unpleasant

surprise: surprise: the stones lay the stones lay

topsy-turvy topsy-turvy on the church yard!on the church yard!

What on earth was going What on earth was going on? on?

More builders kept coming, More builders kept coming, but the same destruction but the same destruction

repeated itself repeated itself every night. every night.

The work did not The work did not progress at all.progress at all.

Finally there was Finally there was a night patrol a night patrol

set to the church yard, set to the church yard, and they were the ones and they were the ones

to see it: to see it: in the dim hours of early in the dim hours of early morning a large figure morning a large figure crept from the woods: crept from the woods:

Killa the Giant.Killa the Giant.

In the morning mist In the morning mist he tore and ripped he tore and ripped the stones apart, the stones apart,

and hurled them all over and hurled them all over the church yard!the church yard!

The next morning The next morning the builders gathered the builders gathered

the stones again, the stones again, made several tubs of made several tubs of

mortar and, with a huge mortar and, with a huge effort, managed to get effort, managed to get their work done once their work done once

again.again.

The church The church was beginning to take was beginning to take

shape, shape,

and handsome it looked!and handsome it looked!

Since the people Since the people had had to rebuild the had had to rebuild the church over and over church over and over

again, again, the builders had had the builders had had

time to discuss as well: time to discuss as well: They decided to drive They decided to drive

the Giant away.the Giant away.

The very same afternoon The very same afternoon

they sent their delegate they sent their delegate to tell the Giant to tell the Giant

that this was the end that this was the end of living in harmony; of living in harmony;

The Giant would have to The Giant would have to leave Pirkkala at once!leave Pirkkala at once!

The Giant got angry The Giant got angry at the plan at the plan

the little people had the little people had made. made.

He got so angry He got so angry that tore a big block that tore a big block out of Killa’s Rocks,out of Killa’s Rocks,

and threw it towards the and threw it towards the church with enormous church with enormous

force.force.

But the Giant had never But the Giant had never thrown a single thing thrown a single thing

before and therefore he before and therefore he appeared appeared

to be a very lousy to be a very lousy thrower.thrower.

The block of stone The block of stone flew in a large curve flew in a large curve

to the other side of the to the other side of the river where a young river where a young

maid maid was ploughing the field was ploughing the field

with two oxen.with two oxen.

Unfortunately Unfortunately the girl with her oxen the girl with her oxen

was hit by the rock was hit by the rock that came from the sky.that came from the sky.

The Giant The Giant got extremely sad, got extremely sad,

for he had not wanted for he had not wanted to hurt anyone, to hurt anyone,

not really.not really.

Breaking the church Breaking the church had just been a rough had just been a rough

game, and fear of Killa’s game, and fear of Killa’s Rocks disappearing.Rocks disappearing.

The Giant The Giant strode away from strode away from

Pirkkala, sad, because of Pirkkala, sad, because of the accident he had the accident he had

caused.caused.

With long steps he went With long steps he went West, across the Gulf of West, across the Gulf of

Bothnia Bothnia to the neighbouring to the neighbouring

country called Birka, country called Birka, nowadays known as nowadays known as

Sweden. Sweden.

There he lived alone, There he lived alone, quite heavy-hearted, quite heavy-hearted, in a remote valley, in a remote valley, a brook murmuring a brook murmuring

next to his cave.next to his cave.

The inhabitants of The inhabitants of Pirkkala got their church Pirkkala got their church

repaired, repaired, built their village, built their village,

lived and prospered. lived and prospered.

They lived their lives They lived their lives happily ever after, happily ever after,

without giving much without giving much thought to the poor, thought to the poor,

unlucky maid.unlucky maid.

The End. The End.