I hadn't known you're Finnish :))
Anyways, from a random reader's point of view, I'd expect the opening part to be longer and intriguing to make me crave for more if you know what I mean. The art of taking a reader into the manor of your fantasy is subtle but it makes the difference. Also, there's something that is said to be introduced by Hitchcock into cinematography but has thousands of year of tradition in literature - making a reader understand the background without having to tell them in a straightforward way as it makes one feel rather stupid (and eventually leave the novel or short story for something that wouldn't treat them as a dummie).
I know what you mean, "show, don't tell", but I don't really see how it applies. The short opening, yes, while it can be read as a short short story by itself, is an open ended one. Hence "Part 1", but to tell more would be telling.
:)
I was thinking about what it could be that I would be "telling" in this story, and it did come to me, that you meant the two paragraphs about ploughing and Sami's inheritance. Yes, I see they may be a bit too detailed, but since they are going to be part of the larger story, they kind of have to be told. I will think about this and amend my script.
Thanks for noticing this.
You're welcome :) you know, it is always easy to notice somebody else's flaws, yet it doesn't mean I know how to improve it or write it better myself ;)
It's alright, I think I know it myself, how to rewrite it and make it better.
“Good work, girl. We are all done for today. Here, have some oats”, said Sami calmingly patting the chestnut mare trembling with fatigue. “It sure was tough today. How on earth were there so many rocks in the field, and those roots were insane! I'm surprised we survived.”
I've yet to think about how to incorporate the inheritance into the dialogue, or otherwise describe what had happened, but I think I'll find a way eventually.