- Priest Petrelius refuses to accept the marriage proposals of his daughter Karoliina and Paavo Paulinpoika. Paavo enlists in the King's forces and is wounded. On his return, he finds his village and his beloved at the mercy of the Russians.
- The historical film Isoviha (1939), directed by Kalle Kaarna and based on a novel and screenplay by Jyrki Mikkonen, is set in a Savoy village in the early 17th century. In the story, the parish priest Petrelius refuses to accept the marriage proposals of his young daughter Karoliina and Paavo Paulinpoika. Paavo, who enlists in the King's forces, is wounded in the Battle of Poltava. On his return to Finland, he finds his village and his beloved at the mercy of the Russians, besieged by Cossack Captain Voronoff.
- The Savoy village of Kurmitska is in the early summer of 1700. The parish priest Petrelius announces that King Charles XII needs people for his military expedition to Estonia against the "Muscovites, the archenemies". The vicar's daughter Karoliina becomes involved with Paavo, son of Paavali. The young couple intends to get together, but the vicar rejects Paavo's proposal on the grounds that he is the younger son of his household and cannot provide a satisfactory life for Karoliina. "You're young, you can wait," he consoles Paavo, and plans to send his daughter to live with relatives in Turku. To show he can do something, Paavo decides to enlist in the king's forces. The young people bid him a fond farewell and Karoliina promises to wait for him 'until the end of her life'.
In the autumn of 1700, the victorious Battle of Narva is fought. Karoliina prays for Paavo's return. At Pultava in 1709, Charles' army is defeated, Paavo is wounded, and he deliriously pines for Karolina. The Finnish remnants of the scattered troops decide to return home. Karoliina hears of the return of a soldier called Kalmukki-Kalle. He tells her that Paavo has sent his regards to her and is probably alive. The parish priest, on the other hand, declares Paavo dead from the pulpit because his entire regiment has fallen. "It's not true, I'll never forget him," Karoliina tells her father.
In the winter, there is fare where Karoliina teaches the children to read and the vicar interrogates the adults; Kalle has difficulty learning the letters, but she assures that Paavo is alive. In the middle of the event, a message arrives that thousands of Cossacks have swarmed across the border, killing and destroying. The army retreats in the face of overwhelming odds and the king appear to have abandoned his country. "We must prepare for the worst," says the vicar.
As summer 1713 approaches, the Cossacks approach the church village of Kurmitsa. Karoliina, walking in the woods, attracts the attention of the Cossack chief, Captain Voronoff: he harasses her at first, but apologizes, understanding her to be a 'lady of the manor'. Karoliina manages to snatch Voronoff's pistol and escape on his horse. Meanwhile, the Cossacks have reached the village and ride into the crowded church, spilling blood and driving the people away. The vicar is wounded by a bullet in the chest, dozens are killed. Karoliina finds her father but is attacked by drunken Cossacks until Voronoff rushes in, shooting one of his men and whipping the others.
Meanwhile, Paavo, recovering from his wounds, is on his way back to his home village nearby: but he runs into the Cossacks and is brought back to his home village as a prisoner. During Voronoff's interrogation, Paavo confides that a strong force of Finns is advancing towards the village a day's journey away. While Voronoff dines with a desperate Karoliina, Paavo manages to wriggle free from the ropes and arm himself with the weapons of the guards he has stunned. Paavo surprises Voronoff, but in his hesitation misses the opportunity to shoot the man when he resorts to a diversion and avoids the shot by throwing the table against the window.
However, Paavo manages to get Karoliina to go with him and they flee the village with the Cossacks behind them. Soon they are pinned down in defensive positions as Paavo fires and Karoliina charges until Voronoff orders the Cossacks to cease fire: he wants her alive. Voronoff and Paavo, mounted and armed with swords, engage in a duel, in which Paavo emerges victorious. The young men may at last embrace each other. At the same time, a signal from Rantasalmi's company is heard, scaring the surviving Cossacks into the flight: instead of the help everyone expects, it is only Kalmukki-Kalle, who proudly tells Paavo and Karolina about his prank.
The church bells ring, the villagers return to their homes. Paavo and Karoliina rejoice over the recovering vicar's sickbed. The threat of the Cossacks seems to have receded for now: Paavo urges the villagers to get on with their daily routines but warns them to be ready to take up arms at any moment.
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