[7] North Finnish province of Kainuu; the croft of Topi and his family It is late autumn; a bear, symbol of the threat of brutal nature, is heard nearby; it has carried off one of their sheep.

As Topi promises to slay the bear, he argues with his wife, both feel trapped by their poor life and realise that they have barely any food remaining for the family.

Topi returns and gets Kunilla to read to him from a socialist newspaper, and talks about ‘an election’, a possible way of release from their toil and poverty without understanding the importance of it.

Riika reads from a socialist tract; all will be voting in the election but Topi, having only ever held axes and spades in his hands, wonders how he will make his mark — a red line — on the ballot paper.

As they are discussing the future, dogs start barking, aware that the bear is turning in his sleep, but the people can't sense this.

Later in the spring Topi is at the logging camp; Riika anxiously clears fresh tracks in the snow for him every day, hoping for his return.

Topi goes to fight it, but he is killed and Riika finds him dead, and cries out in horror over his corpse, with blood pouring out of his throat, in a red line.