Killa the Giant Killankallio * Killa’s Rocks Pirkkala Harjavalta Finland

Near Pirkkala school we have big big rocks called Killankallio, the Killa’s Rocks. Now you hear a story from these woods

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

giants trolls gnomeselves

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 founder of 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 angry, for no one had asked him for permission to excavate!

In the beginning the Giant was able to keep the men away, but finally he could no longer defend his home. There were far too many people.

Time passed… …and finally there were enough stones for the church, and they started to build it.

The stones were skilfully put into their places, some mortar was added in between and the construction looked and felt strong.

But every morning the builders of the church were faced with the same, unpleasant surprise: the stones lay topsy-turvy on the church yard!

What on earth was going on? More builders kept coming, but the same destruction repeated itself every night. The work did not progress at all.

Finally there was a night patrol set to the church yard, and they were the ones to see it: in the dim hours of early morning a large figure crept from the woods: Killa the Giant.

In the morning mist he tore and ripped the stones apart, and hurled them all over the church yard!

The next morning the builders gathered the stones again, made several tubs of mortar and, with a huge effort, managed to get their work done once again.

The church was beginning to take shape, and handsome it looked!

Since the people had had to rebuild the church over and over again, the builders had had time to discuss as well: They decided to drive the Giant away.

The very same afternoon they sent their delegate to tell the Giant that this was the end of living in harmony; The Giant would have to leave Pirkkala at once!

The Giant got angry at the plan the little people had made. He got so angry that tore a big block out of Killa’s Rocks, and threw it towards the church with enormous force.

But the Giant had never thrown a single thing before and therefore he appeared to be a very lousy thrower.

The block of stone flew in a large curve to the other side of the river where a young maid was ploughing the field with two oxen.

Unfortunately the girl with her oxen was hit by the rock that came from the sky.

The Giant got extremely sad, for he had not wanted to hurt anyone, not really.

Breaking the church had just been a rough game, and fear of Killa’s Rocks disappearing.

The Giant strode away from Pirkkala, sad, because of the accident he had caused.

With long steps he went West, across the Gulf of Bothnia to the neighbouring country called Birka, nowadays known as Sweden.

There he lived alone, quite heavy-hearted, in a remote valley, a brook murmuring next to his cave.

The inhabitants of Pirkkala got their church repaired, built their village, lived and prospered.

They lived their lives happily ever after, without giving much thought to the poor, unlucky maid.

The End.