Actors Kalevi Honkanen, Matti Viironen and Seppo Mäki have all voiced and puppeteered the character of Riku from the dog puppet trio Karvakuonot. Honkanen played the role first (from 1978 to 1987), before Viironen took over (from 1989 to 2000). Mäki replaced Honkanen in two episodes of the series Karvakuonot (1978).
The exterior scenes were shot (on film) on location at Aulanko, Hämeenlinna in Finland. The team on location also included cinematographer Mauri Aalto and sound recordist Eino Lehtinen (both uncredited). The interior scenes in the cave were shot on video in the studio.
The story is based on a play "Prinssi Sulevi ja prinsessa Heljä" by a Finnish writer Anni Swan, originally included in the book "Lasten-näytelmiä" (WSOY, 1910). Subsequent editions were released with the name "Lastennäytelmiä I", and the book (with one additional play) was also later released with the name "Saituri-Matin jouluaatto ynnä muita lastennäytelmiä" (WSOY, 1948).