Agricola and the Fox

It is the year 1555. Mikael Agricola, last Bishop of Finland and translator of the Bible into Finnish, is desperate about the poverty of his country, with even the Cathedral’s copper roof having been taken away to serve “better” purposes. Gustav Vasa, King of Sweden has dispossessed Finland of everything he could, and still he grumbles about not having enough money. Half a year later the King returns from Vyborg, his war against Russia unsuccessful. He sends Agricola to Moscow to negotiate peace with Ivan The Terrible – only called that by some ignorant few. And indeed, in Moscow Agricola realises that he has more respect for the Czar than for his King, and is forced to accept the unfavourable peace proposed by Ivan. On the way back, Agricola dies on the frozen Death Lake. In his delirium he is haunted by Gustav Vasa requesting his inheritance. At Agricola’s funeral, his family’s extinction is prophesied while the family of Paul Juusteen, Agricola’s friend and colleague who says he provided most of Agricola’s Bible translation, is said to prosper for many generations to come. Agricola’s death seems as futile as that of the innocent fox cub he killed as a young boy in Vyborg. (Tinfo)