A Rite of Passage for any Maiden

Today I made my first loaf of traditional Finnish bread: Pulla. It was hard work. I had to pop cardamum seeds and grind them, knead the dough twice, and take my kneading board down to the sea to wash it between risings. That was noon today-- I can't BELIEVE I haven't had any suitors yet!! Don't they know? Haven't they HEARD? Why haven't they flooded onto the stoop from the forest, scooped me up, and parked me hearthside to bake my days away? I MADE MY FIRST PULLA!

Oh I know why. Silly me. I forgot my lucky fertility shinguards.


There we go. It'll be any minute now...