Koskela the Finn. Eats iron and shits chains. - Väinö Linna

Jorma Kariluoto had paid his dues into the common pot of human idiocy.

As we all know, the Lord is almighty – he knows all and sees far. And so, one day, he let forest fire burn a good swath of state land, laying waste to acres of the dry, pine forest around the town of Joensuu. The people did everything in their power to put a stop to his work, as they always did, but he burned the forest undeterred, just as far as it suited him. He had his own plans.

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics won, but racing to the line for a strong second place came feisty little Finland.