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Grandpa Grumble
(Moominvalley in November*)
(...) Grandpa Grumble lied on the coach in the living room with his
nose buried in the best velvet pillow. Then he heard someone creeping
towards the kitchen. Some glass jingled. "So - they are making
a party" he thought. Complete silence fell again. Grandpa Grumble
got up and walked across the chilly floor towards the door leading
to the kitchen. Inside the kitchen it was dark as well but a stripe
of light could be seen under the pantry door. "So - he thought
- they have hidden in the pantry". He threw open the door - inside
there was Mymble sitting on a shelf and eating pickled cucumbers.
By her side stood two shining candles. - Ah, so you too got the same
idea - she said - You have got pickled cucumbers over here and cinnamon
biscuits over there. Those are gherkins, but you' d better not eat
them, they are too sharp for you. Grandpa Grumble immediately took
the jar with gherkins and began to eat. He didn't really like them,
but he kept eating anyway. After a moment Mymble said - Your stomach
is not going to suffer the gherkins. You will explode and fall dead
outright. - Nobody dies on holiday - answered Grandpa Grumble cheerfully
- What do they keep in that soup bowl? - Litter of conifer needles.
They stuff their stomachs with it before they go to their winter-sleep.
She lifted the cover and said - It looks like the ancestor has eaten
most of it. - what ancestor? - asked Grandpa Grumble switching furtively
to cucumbers. - The one from the tile-stove - explained Mymble - He
is three hundred years old and now he lies dormant as well. Grandpa
Grumble did not answer. He wasn't sure whether the fact that there
was someone older than him hurts his feelings or makes him happy.
The matter appeared very interesting, so he decided to wake up the
ancestor and get to know him better. - Listen - said Mymble - It's
no use to try. He is not going to wake up until April anyway. By the
way, you have already eaten half of the jar of cucumbers. Grandpa
Grumble blew out his cheeks, wrinkled his nose, then put some of the
cucumbers and cinnamon biscuits into his pocket and toddled back to
the living room(...)
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Too-tiki
(Moominland Midwinter, Tales from
Moominland)
(...) Too-tiki sat under the ice occupied with fishing. She was grateful
to the sea that from time to time its waters dropped to the point where
she could get down through the air-hole near the cabin and settle on
a stone with a fishing pole in her hand. There was a nice green ceiling
of ice above her and there was the sea at her feet. The black floor
and the green ceiling stretched themselves boundlessly until they vanished
in darkness far away. By Too-tiki's side lied four little fish. One
more would make a nice fish soup. Suddenly she heard impatient footsteps
on the platform. Up there Moomintroll knocked on the cabin's door. He
had waited for a moment and then knocked again. Hoo! - cried Too-tiki
- I'm under the ice. The echo rose up beneath the icy ceiling: "Hoo!".
It slid back and forth repeating: 'Under the ice" over and over
again. After a moment Moomintroll's snout and then his ears decorated
with moping golden ribbons appeared in the air-hole. He took a glance
at the stiff little fish lying by Too-tiki's side and the black water
drifting with cold. He shivered - It didn't come! - he said. - What
didn't come? - asked Too-tiki. - The sun! - cried Moomintroll. "The
sun" repeated the echo. "The sun, the sun, the sun…"
it spread under the ice further and further, quieter and quieter. Too-tiki
took the fishing pole out of the water. - Don't rush like that - she
said - It would come on that day every year, so it will most defiantly
do it today as well. C'mon, move your snout so I could get out of here.
She scrambled up from the air hole and sat on the cabin stairs. She
smelled the air and strained her ears. - Just a little more - she said
- sit down here and wait(...)
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The Groke
(...)The Groke sat on the beach and
waited, Moomintroll went and met her without bringing the lamp; he stopped
by the boat and looked at her. There was nothing he could do for her.
He could hear the island's heart beating anxiously deep beneath the
ground, the stones whispering piteously and the trees that were running
away from the sea and there was nothing he could do about it as well.
Suddenly the Groke began to sing. She began her chant of joy and waving
her skirts she swung to and fro as if she was trying to show in all
possible ways that she was happy about Moomintroll coming. Moomintroll
took a step forward, excessively surprised. There was absolutely no
doubt that the Groke was glad to see him. The absence of the hurricane
lamp didn't trouble her, she was glad that he had come to meet her.
Moomintroll had been standing still until the Groke finished her dance
and then watched her going away along the sea shore. When she recede
from his view, he went forward and touched the sand where the Groke
had been standing; it wasn't frozen at all, but the same as usual. Moomintroll
listened carefully but all he could hear was the roar of the waves.
It was like the island suddenly fell to deep sleep. Moomintroll returned
home. The rest of the family was asleep already and the remainders of
the embers were glowing in the stove. He scrambled into his bed and
curled up into a ball. - What did she say? - whispered the little My.
- She was glad - Moomintroll whispered back - She didn't notice any
difference(...)
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Fillyjonk
(Tales from Moominland,
Moominvalley in November, Moominsummer madness and occasionally in some
other books)
(...) The storm rumbled on composedly and sedately. But all the disturbing
noises disappeared, all the sounds of howling, cracking, crumbling to
pieces, falling down with racket and getting torn. Thus, the danger
was inside the house not outside. Fillyjonk carefully breathed the acid
smell of seaweeds and opened her eyes. The darkness wasn't as thicka
s there, inside the living room. She coul see the welter of the waves
and the strip of light from the lighthouse moving slowly among the night.
It passed her by in a half-circle, sweeped the sandy dunes sank out
of sight and then came back again. Round and round went that light with
utmost composure keeping a sharp eye on the storm. "I have never
been outside on my own at night - noted Fillyjonk - If only Mother knew..."
She started to crawl against the wind down to the shore, trying to get
as far as possible from the Hemulen's house. She still clinged to the
porcelain-puss, the thought of having something to protect her gave
her comfort. She noticed that the sea was all white and navy blue by
now. The crests of the waves rushed forward towards the beach and were
carried above it like a smoke. That smoke had a salty taste. Something
shattered inside the house behind her. But she didn't turn around. She
curled up under a big rock and with her eyes wide opened she gazed straight
into the night. She wasn't cold any more. The strangest thing was that
suddenly she felt completely safe. It was a remarkable feeling and Fillyjonk
considered it to be very nice. Why should she be uneasy, anyway? After
all, the disaster had finally arrived(...)
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Emma
(Moomnsummer madness)
(...) - Look! Everybody turned around and looked. From
a shady corner a shadow emerged. Something gray and wrinkled with half
shut eyes and bristled whiskers came out shuffling its feet. The newcomer
it looked at them hostilely. - My name is Emma - said the old theatrical
rat in a haughty voice - I just wish to admit that I hate gruel. And
it's just about the third day you're eating gruel. - We're having porridge
tomorrow - answered Moominmamma shyly. - I hate porridge! - replied
Emma. - Perhaps you would like to sit down Ma'am? - proposed Moominpappa
- We thought the house was deserted and thus… - House! - interrupted
Emma and snorted with contempt - This is no house! She came hobbling
along towards the table but didn't sit down. - Is she angry with me?
- whispered Misabel. - Depends on what you did to her - said Mymble.
- Nothing -mumbled Misabel leaning over her plate - I just can feel
it. All the time I have this feeling that someone is angry with me.
If I was the nicest Misabel in the world things would probably look
different... - Well, but since you're not... answered Mymble not bothering
to intermit her meal. - Has your family survived? - asked Moominmamma
with sympathy. But Emma didn't answer. She was looking at the table.
With her gaze fixed on the cheese she reached out for it and put it
into her pocket. Then her eyes wandered further and stopped at the pancake.
- It's our pancake! - cried Little My, then took a leap and landed on
the pancake. - Aw, that wasn't nice - said Mymble. She took her sister
off the pancake, then shook it up a little and hid it under the table-cloth.(...) |
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Misabel
(Moominsummer madness)
(...)The Snork Maiden shook her head. For a moment she stood hesitant.
- I'll go and talk to Misabel - she said finally. She took her pocket-torch
and entered the corridor. - Misabel - she called out - I really like
your parting in the middle, but... Misabel did not answer. The Snork
Maiden notice the streak of light shining through the half-open door.
Inside the room sat Misabel in some completely new hair. Long, fair
curls surrounded her worried face. Misabel looked at herself in the
mirror and sighed. She reached for some other hair - red and wild, and
pulled it over her eyes. Those - likewise - didn't suit her as well.
Eventually her trembling paws took the ones she was saving for last
and which she liked most of all. They were very dark decorated with
sparkling golden crumbs. Holding her breath she put it on her head.
For a moment she examined herself in the mirror. Then, slowly she took
the curls off and fixed her gaze on the floor. The Snork Maiden quietly
withdrew to the corridor. She understood that Misabel wanted to be alone.(...) |
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Gaffsie
(Tales from Moominland)
(...) What a beautiful weather we have! - she cried. The sea, just
think about it, the sea… So blue, so friendly, without even one wrinkle
on the surface! How are you, miss Gaffsie, you look so beautiful today!
Oh, I should have expected... of course, if you lead such lifestyle,
nature and all that - that's what you owe it to, right? "Talks
even more absurd than usual" thought Gaffsie taking off her gloves
(since she was a real lady) and said aloud: "Indeed. You're absolutely
right, miss Filllyjonk". She sat at the table lied for tea.;
Fillyjonk was so happy with the companion that she kept waging her
tongue and spilling tea over the table cloth. Gaffsie praised the
biscuits, the sugar bowl and everything there was, except the flowers
in the vase which she didn't mention even with a word. Gaffsie was
very mannerly and anybody could see that this wild, nasty bush didn't
match the tea service. After a moment Fillyjonk stopped talking nonsense
and since Gaffsie made no response they lapsed into silence. Suddenly
the sun shining on the table-cloth died out and the big roomy windows
filled with dark clouds and both ladies heard the wind blowing from
the sea. Somewhere far away, no louder than whisper.(...)
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Toft
(Moominvalley in November,
Moominsummer madness)
(...) The forest started to disperse. Huge, gray mountains appeared,
they were traversed with deep, swampy ravines, only the summits stood
tall, completely bald. There was nothing there, just the wind blowing.
Heavy snow clouds were driven across the huge sky, everything was enormous.
Toft looked behind him, the valley looked like some insignificant shadow
left behind. Then he looked at the sea. It lied outspread before him
striped to the sea-line white white crests of waves. Toft turned his
face towards the wind and sat down to wait. Now he could finally start
waiting. The family was sailing before the wind making a bee-line for
the shore. They arrived from some island Toft never had been to and
couldn't had seen. "Maybe they felt like staying there - he thought
- Maybe they'll make up a story about this island and tell it to each
other before going to sleep. Toft sat on the mountain for hours looking
in the distance. The dawn began to fall plunging the ground in darkness,
but still every crest of a wave could be seen on the sea surface. Just
before the sunset a cold, winter-yellow ray of light was shed through
the split in the clouds and made the whole world look overcast. And
then Toft spoted the hurricane lamp Moominpappa hanged on the top of
the mast. It shone steadily giving a warm, mellow light. The boat was
still far away, so Toft didn't need to hurry; he waqlked down the wood
then along the beach to the platform and was just in time to catch the
mooring-rope and fasten the boat.(...)
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Hemulens
(mentioned in every book)
In consideration of interesting personality I quote a larger
fragment:
- The majesty of the sea! - cried the Hemulen with a tremor in his voice;
he was pale and was looking at the edge of of the ship's side which
was gliding far too close to the foamy green water in horror. "So
that's how it is - he thought - That's how sailing looks like. The world
turns upside down and you're hanging all alone at the very edge of a
bottomless pit, you're cold and you're ashamed and you regret that you've
left for this journey at all. If only he didn't notice, how scared I
am". By the forland the jolly-boat got into the long wave caused
by some storm far away at the sea. Snufkin tacked about for a while
and then sailed straight ahead. The Hemulen started to feel sick. The
nausea arrived slowly and perfidiously, he yawned and yawned, swallowed
and swallowed and finally he felt all weak and miserable, the nasty
nausea begun to turn his stomach even more and he didn't wish for anything
except to die. - Now you take the helm - said Snufkin. - No, no! - whispered
the Hemulen waving his both paws in protest. This sudden movement caused
new horrible tortures in his stomach and the whole ruthless sea turned
upside down once again. - You've got to take the helm - repeated Snufkin.
He stood up and walked across the bench in the middle. The helm was
swinging back and forth... somebody had to take it, it was awful. The
Hemulen made his way to the stern tripping and reeling at the benches,
and grabbed the helm with his glaucous paws. The sail fluttered like
mad, it was the crack of doom! And Snufkin just sat there casually gazing
at the horizon. The Hemulen was steering into one direction and then
into another, the sail was flapping, water was pouring into the jolly-boat
and Snufkin still kept sitting there gazing at the horizon. The Hemulen
felt so sick that he couldn't think, he steered mechanically and then
suddenly he could steer, the sails filled with wind and the boat sailed
straigt along the coast carried by the long wave. "I won't get
sick - thought the Hemulen - I will hold myself tight to the helm and
I won't get sick". His stomach slowly begun to calm down. Hemulen
fixed his eyes on the stem that rose up and pitched, rose and pitched..."Make
it last forever I just don't want to feel sick again. I rather prefer
to sink than to throw up". He didn't have the courage to make the
smallest movement or a face or even think about anything. He just kept
looking at the stem that rose up and pitched and the jolly-boat kept
ploughing further and further seawards.
Toft did the washing up and prepared the Hemulen's bed. He also collected
some wooden planks from under the maple tree and hid them behind the
wood-house. And now he was sitting at the table in the kitchen listening
to the wind. Eventually he heard the discours in the garden. They were
back. The footsteps resounded on the kitchen stairs and then Hemulen
walked in saying: - Hi!" - Hi - answered Toft - Was the wind strong?.
- Almost a gale - said the Hemulen - Such fresh, tonic air. He was still
green in the face and shivering with cold. He took off his shoes and
socks and hanged them over the stove to let them dry. Toft poured him
some coffee. They sat at the kitchen table, both confused. - I'm just
thinking - begun the Hemulen - I was just thinking if it's not time
to head for home. He sneezed and added: - I was steering. - Maybe you
miss your boat? - asked Toft. The Hemulen was silent for a long time.
When he finally spoke, the feeling of unimaginable relief was written
in his face. You know what? - he said - Tell you something. I have never
been at sea before. Toft rose his eyes at him and Hemulen asked: - You're
not surprised? Toft shook his head. Hemulen got up and started to pace
the kitchen very excited. - You know, I was so sick that I just wanted
to die and I was scared all the time! Toft looked at him and said: It
must have been awful. - It was - admitted the Hemulen with gratitude
- But I didn't let Snufkin know anything. He thinks I can handle the
sail very well, that I have this proper grasp, you understand? And now
I know that I don't have to sail anymore. Strange, huh? I just realized
that I will never have to sail again!
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The Muskrat
(Comet over Moominland)
(...) - The Snork Maiden looked at the Muskrat sharply. - Stand
up for a moment - she said. - I will stay where I am - said the Muskrat.
- You're sitting on Moomintrolls birthday cake - said the Snork Maiden.
The Muskrat started up and... what a vision it was! The way he looked
like from the back - leave alone the birthday cake. - That beats all!
- cried Moomintroll - A birthday cake in my honour! - Now I'm going
to be sticky for the rest of my life! - whined the Muskrat. I won't
stand that! It's all your fault! - Please calm down - said Moominmamma.
After all, it's the same birthday cake, it just looks a little different...
But no one listened to her. Snufkin started to laugh and Sniff who had
thought that the laughing was at him crawled from under the mattress
and cried - I don't care about your silly old birthday cakes. They are
just for Moomintroll not for me, anyway. And nobody remembered that
cats like cream too. I'm going to my kitty-cat now, for he's the only
one that cares for me. He slid under the blanket covering the exit and
went outside.(...)
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Hattifatteners
(mentioned in most of the books)
(...) Onboard there were only three Hattifatteners, they were all
as white as their boat and the sail. One was sitting by the helm, the
other two were standing and leaning against the mast. All three kept
watching the sea and looked as though they just had had a fight. But
Moominpappa had heard that Hattifatteners never fight with each other
and are taciturn by nature and have only one thing on their mind: to
sail as far, as possible. Preferably all the way to the horizon or to
the ends of the earth which probably is one and the same thing. That's
what the rumors were saying. They also said that all Hattifatteners
were concerned about are themselves, that the got electrified during
the storm and were dangerous for everybody who lived in living rooms
and on verandas and used to do the same thing in certain times of the
day. (...)
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Various Trolls
(about whom you can find out from every
book and that is where the proper fragments should be searched for) |
