It is the year 1915, and five Finnish men ski to Sweden via the Gulf of Bothnia to get military training in Germany. Among the men are Martti and Kalpa from the 27th Army Ranger Battalion. In the reserve, the troops spend their free time in a café called the Golden Anchor, owned by Sonja Strand. Sonja's captain serves in the Russian army, and Sonja has a relationship with Baron von Lichtenstein, who exploits Sonja who spies on Russia using Jew Isaac as her messenger.

Set in North Karelia, when Antti Ihalainen's house runs out of matches, he goes to borrow some from a neighbor. On the road, he meets a rich widower, Jussi Vatanen, who asks Ihalai to be his speaker and friend on an engagement trip to the city of Jo. The hosts from Lieper are snorting drunkenly from behind their shoulders.

Lazy but resourceful storyteller Lapatossu solves problems at the railway construction site with his seemingly simple friend Vinski.

Set during the recession of the early 1930s, Reino, an engineer who has been laid off from a shipyard, is not considered suitable as a son-in-law for a factory owner. Reino, who has lost his beloved Maire, finds happiness when he befriends Hillin-Jussi, an unemployed rogue.

Eetu, a wealthy homeowner, attempts to seduce Leena Kosken. But when austere log boy Erkki meets her at midsummer dances, Leena falls in love with him instead. Jealous, Eetu turns the men of the village against Erkki and the Tukki people.

In 1850s Southern Ostrobothnia, the new county police chief angers the peasants with his arrogance, dishonesty and violent methods. Jussi, a young farmer, dares to stand up to the police chief. His courage makes on impression on the maidservant Liisa.

Inspired by Olympic fever, the Karamellitehdas candy factory challenges Saron Suklaa to a wooden spoon competition. Factory owner Aukusti mistakenly believes that Lapatossu and Vinski are athletes and hires them for his company's team. The resourceful rogues help the Saron family in every way they can.