the farmer, the devil and the sauna

Many Finnish folk tales tell of the benefits of the sauna, especially the spiritual ones. Here is an old tale that is told to children, encouraging them to bathe regularly in the sauna.

There was once a farmer with the utmost passion for the sauna. In fact, he bathed so often that, in time, he could endure the highest heat the sauna had to offer. The hotter the sauna, the more he enjoyed it.

It became known around the land that this farmer enjoyed more heat than any sauna could produce. Eventually, word reached the Devil himself and he made a special trip up to the surface of the earth to meet this farmer.

"I hear you like the heat of a sauna," said the Devil.

"Aye," replied the farmer, "that I do."

"Well then, let me take you to a place where it is so hot, you'll be begging me to stop it."

Excited by the Devil's promise of heat, the farmer went willingly. Upon passing through the gates of Hell, the Devil shouted to his imps to throw more wood and coal on the giant fire.

"More heat!" yelled the grinning Devil. "We have a friend here who loves the heat."

The farmer smiled and bowed to the Devil, thanking him for his generosity.

Soon, all of Hell was afire. It was so hot that on the earth's surface, old volcanoes erupted and the polar ice caps began to melt.

But the farmer simply smiled. This great heat was just wonderful for him! The Devil was not enjoying this fact at all, so he pushed his imps even harder.

"More heat!" the Devil screamed fretfully. "More heat for this dumb farmer!"

By this time, everyone in Hell had gathered around the farmer and watched him in awe. Then, glancing at the Devil, they whispered among themselves and chuckled. "More heat, more heat, more heat!"

The Devil was burning with embarrassment; the Devil's Hell was Heaven for the farmer. The farmer just smiled, again thanking the Devil for such a splendid time.

Finally, in a fit of exasperation, the Devil screamed, "Out with you! I never want to see you down here again."

So, the farmer returned to his farm, sad to lose the wonderful heat of Hell, but pleased to know his fate was secure. Word spread across the land about what he had done, and it is told to this very day to all children that want to avoid Hell, thus going to Heaven, by going to the sauna.