SMÅTROLLEN OCH DEN STORA ÖVERSVÄMNINGEN
Copyright © Tove Jansson 1945 Moomin Characters™
© L. Braude (heirs), translation, 2016
© Edition in Russian, design.
LLC "Publishing Group "Azbuka-Atticus"", 2016
Publishing house AZBUKA®
It must have been sometime in the afternoon towards the end of August. Moomintroll and his mother came to the deepest thicket of a dense forest. There was dead silence among the trees and it was so dark, as if twilight had already come. Everywhere, here and there, giant flowers grew, shining with their own light, like flickering light bulbs, and in the very depths of the forest thicket, among the shadows, some small pale green dots moved.
“Fireflies,” said Moomintroll’s mother.
But they didn't have time to stop to take a good look at the insects. Actually, Moomintroll and his mother were walking through the forest in search of a cozy and warm place where they could build a house so that they could climb there when winter came. The Moomins cannot stand the cold at all, so the house had to be ready in October at the latest.
“Hardly,” she replied, “but maybe it’s better for us to go a little faster.” However, we are so small that I hope they won’t even notice us in case of danger.
Suddenly Moomintroll grabbed his mother's paw tightly. He was so scared that his tail stood up.
- Look! - he whispered.
From the shadows behind the tree, two eyes were constantly looking at them.
Mom was scared at first—yes, she was too—but then she reassured her son:
- This is probably a very small animal. Wait, I'll shine a light. You see, in the dark everything seems scarier than it really is.
And she plucked one of the big flower bulbs and illuminated the shadow behind the tree. They saw that there was actually a very small animal sitting there, and it looked quite friendly and a little frightened.
- You see! - Mom said.
-Who are you? – asked the animal.
“I am Moomintroll,” answered Moomintroll, who had already managed to become brave again. - And this is my mother. I hope we didn't disturb you?
(It is clear that Moomin's mother taught him to be polite.)
“Please don’t worry,” the animal replied. “I sat here in terrible melancholy and so wanted to meet someone. Are you in a hurry?
“Very,” answered Moomintroll’s mother. – We are just looking for a good, sunny place to build a house there. But maybe you want to come with us?!
– Of course I don't want to! – the little animal exclaimed and immediately jumped up to them. “I got lost in the forest and didn’t think I’d ever see the sun again!”
And so the three of them moved on, taking with them a huge tulip to light the way. However, the darkness around became more and more dense. The flowers under the trees no longer glowed so brightly, and in the end even the very last of them faded away. The black water shimmered dimly ahead, and the air became heavy and cold.
- What a horror! - said the little animal. - This is a swamp. I'm afraid to go there.
- Why? – asked Moomintroll’s mother.
“Because the Big Snake lives there,” the little animal answered very quietly, timidly looking around.
- Nonsense! - Moomintroll grinned, wanting to show how brave he was. “We are so small that they probably won’t even notice us.” How will we find the sun if we are afraid to cross the swamp? Let's go!
“But not very far,” said the little animal.
- And be careful. Here you act at your own risk,” my mother noted.
And so they began to jump from hummock to hummock as quietly as possible. Around them, in the black mud, something was bubbling and whispering, but while the tulip was burning like a light bulb, they felt calm. Once Moomintroll slipped and almost fell, but at the very last moment his mother caught him.
And, taking out a pair of dry socks for her son from her bag, she transferred him and the little animal to a large round leaf of a white water lily. All three, lowering their tails into the water like oars, began to row, floating forward through the swamp. Below them flashed some blackish creatures, scurrying back and forth between the roots of the trees. They splashed and dived, and the fog slowly, stealthily crawled above them. Suddenly the little animal said:
- I want to go home!
At the same moment, their tulip went out and it became completely dark.
And from the pitch darkness came some hissing, and they felt the water lily leaf sway.
- Faster, faster! - Moomintroll's mother shouted. - It’s the Big Snake swimming!
Sticking their tails even deeper into the water, they began to row with all their might, so that water began to flow violently around the bow of their boat. And then they saw a furious Serpent swimming after them, with fierce golden-yellow eyes.
They rowed with all their might, but he overtook them and already opened his mouth with a long, quivering tongue. Moomintroll covered his eyes with his hands and shouted: “Mom!” - and froze in anticipation that he was about to be eaten.
But nothing of the sort happened. Then he looked carefully between his fingers. In fact, something amazing happened. Their tulip lit up again, it opened all its petals, and in the very middle of the flower stood a girl with bright blue flowing hair that reached her toes.
The tulip was shining brighter and brighter. The snake blinked and, suddenly turning, hissing angrily, slid down into the mud.
Moomintroll, his mother and the little animal were so excited and surprised that they could not utter a word for a long time.
Finally, Moomin's mother said solemnly:
– Thank you so much for your help, beautiful lady!
And Moomintroll bowed lower than always, because prettier girls He had never seen anyone with blue hair in his life.
– Do you live in a tulip all the time? – the little animal asked shyly.
“This is my home,” she answered. – You can call me Tyulippa.
And they began to row slowly, swimming to the other side of the swamp. Ferns grew there in a dense wall, and under them my mother made a nest for them in the moss so that everyone could sleep. Moomintroll lay next to his mother, listening to the croaking of frogs in the swamp. The night was full of loneliness and some strange sounds, and for a long time he could not fall asleep.
The next morning, Tulippa was already walking ahead, and her blue hair glowed like the brightest fluorescent lamp. The road rose higher and higher, and finally a steep, steep mountain stood in front of them, so high that there was no end in sight.
Page 1 of 3
It must have been sometime in the afternoon towards the end of August. Moomintroll and his mother came to the deepest thicket of a dense forest. There was dead silence among the trees and it was so dark, as if twilight had already come. Everywhere, here and there, giant flowers grew, shining with their own light, like flickering light bulbs, and in the very depths of the forest thicket, among the shadows, some small pale green dots moved.
“Fireflies,” said Moomintroll’s mother.
But they did not have time to stop to take a good look at the insects.
Actually, Moomintroll and his mother were walking through the forest in search of a cozy and warm place where they could build a house so that they could climb there when winter came. The Moomins cannot stand the cold at all, so the house had to be ready in October at the latest.
“Hardly,” she replied, “but maybe it’s better for us to go a little faster.” However, we are so small that I hope they won’t even notice us in case of danger.
Suddenly Moomintroll grabbed his mother's paw tightly. He was so scared that his tail stood up.
Look! - he whispered.
From the shadows behind the tree, two eyes were constantly looking at them.
Mom was scared at first, yes, and so was she, but then she reassured her son:
This is probably a very small animal. Wait, I'll shine a light. You see, in the dark everything seems scarier than it really is.
And she plucked one of the big flower bulbs and illuminated the shadow behind the tree. They saw that there was actually a very small animal sitting there, and it looked quite friendly and a little frightened.
You see! - Mom said.
Who are you? - asked the animal.
“I am Moomintroll,” answered Moomintroll, who had already managed to become brave again. - And this is my mother. I hope we didn't disturb you?
(Apparently, Mymi-troll's mother taught him to be polite.) 
Please don’t worry,” the animal replied. “I sat here in terrible melancholy and so wanted to meet someone.” Are you in a hurry?
“Very,” answered Moomintroll’s mother. - We are just looking for a good, sunny place to build a house there. But maybe you want to come with us?!
I wish I hadn’t! - the little animal exclaimed and immediately jumped up to them. “I got lost in the forest and didn’t think I’d ever see the sun again!”
And so the three of them moved on, taking with them a huge tulip to light the way. However, the darkness around became more and more dense. The flowers under the trees no longer glowed so brightly, and in the end even the very last of them faded away. The black water shimmered dimly ahead, and the air became heavy and cold.
- What a horror! - said the little animal. - This is a swamp. I'm afraid to go there.
Why? - asked Moomintroll's mother.
“Because the Big Snake lives there,” the little animal answered very quietly, timidly looking around.
Nonsense! - Moomintroll grinned, wanting to show how brave he was. - We are so small that they probably won’t even notice us. How will we find the sun if we are afraid to cross the swamp? Come on, let's go!
“Just not very far,” said the little animal.
And be careful. Here you act at your own risk,” my mother noted.
And so they, as quietly as possible, began to jump from hummock to hummock. Around them, in the black mud, something was bubbling and whispering, but while the tulip was burning like a light bulb, they felt calm. Once Moomintroll slipped and almost fell, but at the very last moment his mother caught him.
And, taking out a pair of dry socks for her son from her bag, she transferred him and the little animal to a large round leaf of a white water lily. All three, lowering their tails into the water like oars, began to row, floating forward through the swamp. Below them flashed some blackish creatures, scurrying back and forth between the roots of the trees. They splashed and dived, and the fog slowly, stealthily crawled above them. Suddenly the little animal said: 
I want to go home!
At that same moment, their tulip went out and it became completely dark.
And from the pitch darkness came some hissing, and they felt the water lily leaf sway.
Faster, faster! - Moomintroll's mother shouted. - It’s the Big Snake swimming!
Sticking their tails even deeper into the water, they began to row with all their might, so that water began to flow violently around the bow of their boat. And then they saw a furious Serpent swimming after them, with fierce golden-yellow eyes.
They rowed with all their might, but he overtook them and already opened his mouth with a long, quivering tongue. Moomintroll covered his eyes with his hands and shouted: “Mom!” - and froze in anticipation that he was about to be eaten.
But nothing of the sort happened. Then he looked carefully between his fingers. In fact, something amazing happened. Their tulip lit up again, it opened all its petals, and in the very middle of the flower stood a girl with bright blue flowing hair that reached her toes.
The tulip was shining brighter and brighter. The snake blinked and, suddenly turning, hissing angrily, slid down into the mud.
Moomintroll, his mother and the little animal were so excited and surprised that they could not utter a word for a long time.
Finally, Moomin's mother said solemnly:
Thank you so much for your help, beautiful lady!
And Moomintroll bowed lower than always, because he had never seen anyone more beautiful than a girl with blue hair in his life.
Do you live in a tulip all the time? - the little animal asked shyly.
This is my home,” she answered. - You can call me Tyulippa.
And they began to row slowly, swimming to the other side of the swamp. Ferns grew there in a dense wall, and under them my mother made a nest for them in the moss so that everyone could sleep. Moomintroll lay next to his mother, listening to the croaking of frogs in the swamp. The night was full of loneliness and some strange sounds, and for a long time he could not fall asleep.
The next morning, Tulippa was already walking ahead, and her blue hair glowed like the brightest fluorescent lamp. The road rose higher and higher, and finally a steep, steep mountain stood in front of them, so high that there was no end in sight.
“There’s probably the sun up there,” the little animal said dreamily and sadly. - I'm so terribly cold.
“Me too,” said Moomintroll. And he sneezed.
That’s what I thought,” my mother was upset. - Now you have a cold. Please sit here while I build a fire.
Having dragged a giant pile of dry branches, she lit them with a spark from blue hair Tulips. The four of them sat looking into the fire while Moomintroll's mother told them different stories. She talked about how when she was little, the Moomins didn’t have to wander through dark forests and swamps in search of a place to live.
At that time, Moomins lived with people's pet trolls, mostly behind stoves.
“Some of us still live there,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - Of course, where there are still stoves. But where there is steam heating, we don’t get along. 
Did people know that you huddle behind the stoves? - asked Moomintroll.
“Someone knew,” said my mother. - Staying alone in the house, they felt our presence, when sometimes a draft blew over the back of their heads.
“Tell me something about dad,” asked Moomintroll.
“It was an extraordinary Moomintroll,” my mother said thoughtfully and sadly. - He always wanted to run somewhere and move from one stove to another. He never got along anywhere. And then he disappeared - he went on a journey with the Hatifnatts, these little wanderers.
What kind of people are these? - asked the little animal.
“These little magical animals,” explained Moomintroll’s mother. - For the most part they are invisible. Sometimes they settle under people's floorboards, and you can hear them sneaking around there in the evenings, when everything in the house is quiet. But more often they wander around the world, not stopping anywhere, not caring about anything.
You can never tell whether a hatifnatt is happy or angry, whether he is sad or surprised. I'm sure he has no feelings at all.
So what, dad has now become a hatifnat? - asked Moomintroll.
No, of course not! - Mom answered. “Isn’t it clear that they tricked him into taking him with them?”
If only we could meet him one fine day! - exclaimed Tyulippa. - He would be happy, right?
“Of course,” answered Moomintroll’s mother. - But this probably won’t happen.
And she cried so bitterly that everyone else began to sob along with her. And while crying, they remembered many other, also very sad things, and then they cried even more.
Tulippa turned pale with grief, and her face became completely matte. They had been crying for quite some time, when suddenly they heard someone’s voice who sternly asked:
Why are you howling down there?
They abruptly stopped crying and began to look around, but could not find the one who spoke to them. But then a rope ladder began to descend from the mountain slope, dangling in all directions. And high above, an elderly gentleman stuck his head out of a door in the rock.
Well?! - he shouted again.
Sorry,” said Tyulippa and curtsied. - You see, dear sir, everything is actually very sad. Moomintroll's dad has disappeared somewhere, and we are freezing and cannot cross this mountain to find the sun, and we have nowhere to live.
That's how! - said the elderly gentleman. “Then you can all come up to me.” You can't imagine anything better than my sunbeams.
Climbing up the rope ladder was quite difficult, especially for Moomintroll and his mother, because they had such short legs!
“Now wipe your paws,” the elderly gentleman ordered them, pulling the ladder up after them.
Then he locked the door well so that no danger could seep into the mountain. Everyone climbed onto the escalator, which drove with them straight into the bowels of the mountain.
Are you sure you can rely on this gentleman? - whispered the little animal. - Remember that you act here at your own risk.
And the animal, cowering, hid behind Moomintroll’s mother. Then a bright light hit their eyes, and the escalator drove straight into the most amazing area. A wonderful landscape opened up to them. The trees sparkled with colors and burst with unprecedented fruits and flowers, and beneath them in the grass stretched dazzling white snow-covered lawns.
Hello! - Moomintroll exclaimed and ran to make a snowball.
Be careful, it's cold! - Mom shouted to him.
But, plunging his hands into the snow, he realized that it was not snow at all, but glass. And the green grass that cracked under his paws was made of fine sugar yarn. Everywhere along and across, multi-colored streams flowed haphazardly through the meadows, foaming and babbling over the golden sand of the bottom.
Green lemonade! - cried the little animal, leaning towards the stream to drink. - This is not water at all, this is lemonade!
Moomintroll's mother went straight to the completely white stream, because she always loved milk very much. (This is typical for most Moomins, at least when they get a little older.) Tulippa ran from one tree to another, picking up armfuls of caramels and chocolate bars. And as soon as she picked at least one of the sparkling fruits, a new one immediately grew in its place. Forgetting all their sorrows, they ran further and further into the depths of the enchanted garden. The elderly gentleman followed them slowly and seemed to be very pleased.
“I did all this myself,” he said. - And the sun too.
And when they looked carefully at the sun, they noticed that it was in fact not real, but just a huge lamp with a fringe of gilded paper.
That's how! - the little animal said disappointedly. - And I thought this was a real sun. Now I see that it shines a little artificially.
“There’s nothing you can do, it didn’t work out better,” the elderly gentleman was upset. - But are you happy with the garden? 
Of course, of course,” blurted out Moomintroll, who was just busy eating small pebbles (though they were made of marzipan).
If you want to stay here, I will build you a house from a tall cake,” said the elderly gentleman. -I sometimes get bored alone.
“It would be very nice of you,” said Moomintroll’s mother, “but if you are not offended, we may have to continue on our way.” We are just about to build ourselves a house where the real sun shines.
No, we'll stay here! - Moomintroll, the little animal and Tulippa shouted in one voice.
“Okay, okay, kids,” Moomintroll’s mother reassured them. - We'll see there.
And she went to sleep under a tree on which chocolates grew. Waking up, she heard terrible pitiful moans and immediately realized that it was her Moomintroll who had a stomach ache (this happened to him quite often). From everything that Moomintroll ate, his tummy swelled up, became completely round and hurt terribly. Next to him sat a small animal, whose teeth ached from all the caramels he had eaten, and moaned even louder than Moomintroll.
Moomintroll's mother did not scold, but, taking out two different powders from her bag, gave everyone the one they needed. And then I asked the elderly gentleman if he had any pool with delicious hot porridge.
No, unfortunately, no,” he replied. - But there is one with whipped cream, and one with marmalade.
Hm,” Mom chuckled. - Now you see for yourself that they need real hot food. Where is Tulippa?
“She says she can’t sleep because the sun never sets,” the elderly gentleman said sadly. - How sad that you don’t like me!
“We’ll be back,” Moomintroll’s mother consoled him. “But we should probably go out into the fresh air.”
And taking the paws of Moomintroll and the small animal, she called Tulippa.
“Maybe it’s better for you to use the slide,” the elderly gentleman politely suggested. “It stretches diagonally across the mountain and goes straight to the sun. 
Yes, thank you,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - Then goodbye!
Then goodbye,” Tyulippa also said goodbye.
(Moomintroll and the little animal could not say anything, because they were terribly ill.)
“Well, as you wish,” answered the elderly gentleman.
And they rushed down the slide with dizzying speed. And when they came out on the other side of the mountain, their heads were spinning and they sat on the ground for a long time, coming to their senses. And then they began to look around.
SMÅTROLLEN OCH DEN STORA ÖVERSVÄMNINGEN
Copyright © Tove Jansson 1945 Moomin Characters™
All rights reserved
© Tove Jansson 1945 Moomin Characters™
© E. Tinovitskaya, translation, 2018
© Edition in Russian, design. LLC Publishing Group "Azbuka-Atticus", 2018
It was the war winter of 1939. All work stopped; trying to draw seemed pointless.
It’s probably not surprising that I suddenly wanted to write something starting with the word “Once upon a time...”. To write, let’s be honest, a fairy tale, but I justified myself by saying that there would be no princes, princesses and little children in it - instead, I chose an angry creature as a character, which I usually drew instead of a signature, and called him Moomintroll.
The unfinished fairy tale was forgotten until 1945, when a friend told me that it could turn into a children’s book - “finish it, illustrate it, maybe they’ll take it.”
It seemed to me that the title should feature Moomintroll and his search for his father - similar to the search for Captain Grant - but the publisher insisted on “little trolls” to make it clearer for readers.
This story was significantly influenced by my favorite books from my childhood - a little Jules Verne, a little Collodi (the girl with blue hair) and all sorts of others. But why not?
Be that as it may, this was my very first happy ending!
One evening, probably at the end of August, Moomintroll and his mother wandered into the farthest corner of the big forest. It was very quiet, and under the trees there were such thick shadows as if it was already twilight. Here and there huge flowers swayed and glowed like lamps, and in the thick shadows cold greenish dots ran from place to place.
“Fireflies,” said Moomintroll’s mother, but there was no time to stop and take a closer look at the fireflies. The fact is that Moomintroll and his mother were looking for a warmer and more comfortable place - a suitable place to build a house and hide in it when winter comes. Moomintrolls cannot stand the cold, so they had to get a house no later than October.
“It’s unlikely,” my mother answered, “but still it would be better for us to hurry.” Even if there is someone dangerous here, you and I, I hope, are so small that he simply won’t notice us.
Suddenly Moomintroll grabbed mom’s hand.
- Look! “Moomintroll was so scared that even his tail stood up straight.”
From behind a tree, from the darkness, two eyes looked at them.
At first my mother was also scared, but then she said soothingly:
- This is some kind of small animal. Wait, I'll shine a light on him now. You know, in the dark everything seems scarier than it really is.
Mom tore off a large flower lamp and brought it to the shade. And there really was a very small animal sitting there, not at all angry-looking and just as scared as they themselves.
“You see,” said mom.
- Who are you? – asked the animal.
“I am Moomintroll,” said Moomintroll, becoming bolder again. - And this is my mother. Did we disturb you?
(As you can see, his mother taught him good manners.)
“Not at all,” answered the animal. “I just felt a little sad, and I’ll be glad to have company.” Are you in a hurry?
“Yes,” said mom. – You see, we are looking for a good sunny clearing to build a house. But maybe you want to come with us?
– You’re still asking! – and the animal jumped up to them. “I got lost and thought I’d never see the sun again!”
And the three of them went further and took with them a large tulip to light the way. But the darkness around was thickening, the flowers shone from under the trees more and more faintly and finally went out completely. Dark water glistened ahead, the air became cold and heavy.
“Well, no,” said the animal. - This is a swamp. Keep in mind, I won't go into the swamp.
- Why? - Mom asked.
“The Snake lives there,” said the animal, looking around cautiously.
“Pfft,” Moomintroll said fearlessly. - Yes, we are so small that she won’t even notice us. How will we get back to the sun if we sit here and be afraid? Just follow us.
“Okay, I’ll walk a little more,” the animal agreed. - But if anything happens, it’s all your fault!
Trying to step as quietly as possible, they stepped from hummock to hummock. Something was whispering and bubbling in the black liquid around, but the tulip lamp was shining, and there was no fear with it. Once Moomintroll stumbled and almost fell into the mud; his mother barely managed to catch him.
“We already need a boat,” said my mother. “Your feet are completely wet.” So you'll get sick, it's clear as day.
She took a pair of dry socks from her bag for Moomintroll and placed him, and then the little animal, on a large round leaf of a water lily. All three of them dipped their tails into the water and paddled through the swamp. Some shadows loomed below, then swam under the roots of the trees, then appeared again, splashing, diving, fog swirled around.
- I want to go home! - the animal suddenly said.
And then the tulip suddenly went out, and it became dark and dark. A hissing sound came from the darkness, and the water lily leaf began to sway more violently.
“Hurry, hurry,” Mom exclaimed. - These are Snakes!
They dipped their tails even deeper and thrashed them with all their might, so that the water ahead began to boil. Now they clearly saw the Snake - it was catching up with them with a hiss. She had an unkind appearance and gloomy yellow eyes.
They rowed with all their might, but the snake kept getting closer, it had already opened its mouth and stuck out its long tongue. Moomintroll covered his eyes with his paws, shouted “mother” and prepared to be eaten.
But nothing happened. Then he cautiously looked out from under his paws. Something incredible happened. Their tulip lit up again, opened its petals, and inside was a girl with blue-blue hair that reached her knees.
The tulip was shining brighter. The snake blinked and suddenly, with an angry hiss, curled up and plunged into the swamp slurry.
Moomintroll, his mother and the little animal were so surprised and confused that they could not utter a word for a long time.
Finally Moomin's mother said politely:
– Thank you very much for your help, dear lady.
Moomintroll bowed low, because such beautiful girls he had never seen before.
Dear friend, we want to believe that reading the fairy tale “Little Trolls or the Big Flood” by Tove Jansson will be interesting and exciting for you. The text, written in the last millennium, combines surprisingly easily and naturally with our modern times; its relevance has not diminished at all. The desire to convey a deep moral assessment of the actions of the main character, which encourages one to rethink oneself, was crowned with success. All images are simple, ordinary and do not cause youthful misunderstanding, because we encounter them every day in our everyday life. It is very useful when the plot is simple and, so to speak, life-like, when similar situations arise in our everyday life, this contributes to better memorization. The works often use diminutive descriptions of nature, thereby making the picture presented even more intense. When faced with such strong, strong-willed and kind qualities of a hero, you involuntarily feel the desire to transform yourself into better side. The fairy tale “Little Trolls or the Great Flood” by Tove Jansson is certainly useful to read for free online; it will instill in your child only good and useful qualities and concepts.
It must have been after lunch somewhere at the end of August. Moomintroll and his mother came to the deepest thicket of a dense forest. There was dead silence among the trees and it was so dark, as if twilight had already come. Everywhere, here and there, giant flowers grew, shining with their own light, like flickering light bulbs, and in the very depths of the forest thicket, among the shadows, some small pale green dots moved.
“Fireflies,” said Moomintroll’s mother.
But they did not have time to stop to take a good look at the insects.
Actually, Moomintroll and his mother were walking through the forest in search of a cozy and warm place where they could build a house so that they could climb there when winter came. The Moomins cannot stand the cold at all, so the house had to be ready in October at the latest.
“Hardly,” she replied, “but maybe it’s better for us to go a little faster.” However, we are so small that I hope they won’t even notice us in case of danger.
Suddenly Moomintroll grabbed his mother's paw tightly. He was so scared that his tail stood up.
Look! - he whispered.
From the shadows behind the tree, two eyes were constantly looking at them.
Mom was scared at first, yes, and so was she, but then she reassured her son:
This is probably a very small animal. Wait, I'll shine a light. You see, in the dark everything seems scarier than it really is.
And she plucked one of the big flower bulbs and illuminated the shadow behind the tree. They saw that there was actually a very small animal sitting there, and it looked quite friendly and a little frightened.
You see! - Mom said.
Who are you? - asked the animal.
“I am Moomintroll,” answered Moomintroll, who had already managed to become brave again. - And this is my mother. I hope we didn't disturb you?
(Apparently, Mymi-troll's mother taught him to be polite.)
Please don’t worry,” the animal replied. “I sat here in terrible melancholy and so wanted to meet someone.” Are you in a hurry?
“Very,” answered Moomintroll’s mother. - We are just looking for a good, sunny place to build a house there. But maybe you want to come with us?!
I wish I hadn’t! - the little animal exclaimed and immediately jumped up to them. “I got lost in the forest and didn’t think I’d ever see the sun again!”
And so the three of them moved on, taking with them a huge tulip to light the way. However, the darkness around became more and more dense. The flowers under the trees no longer glowed so brightly, and in the end even the very last of them faded away. The black water shimmered dimly ahead, and the air became heavy and cold.
What a horror! - said the little animal. - This is a swamp. I'm afraid to go there.
Why? - asked Moomintroll's mother.
“Because the Big Snake lives there,” the little animal answered very quietly, timidly looking around.
Nonsense! - Moomintroll grinned, wanting to show how brave he was. - We are so small that they probably won’t even notice us. How will we find the sun if we are afraid to cross the swamp? Come on, let's go!
“Just not very far,” said the little animal.
And be careful. Here you act at your own risk,” my mother noted.
And so they, as quietly as possible, began to jump from hummock to hummock. Around them, in the black mud, something was bubbling and whispering, but while the tulip was burning like a light bulb, they felt calm. Once Moomintroll slipped and almost fell, but at the very last moment his mother caught him.
And, taking out a pair of dry socks for her son from her bag, she transferred him and the little animal to a large round leaf of a white water lily. All three, lowering their tails into the water like oars, began to row, floating forward through the swamp. Below them flashed some blackish creatures, scurrying back and forth between the roots of the trees. They splashed and dived, and the fog slowly, stealthily crawled above them. Suddenly the little animal said:
I want to go home!
At that same moment, their tulip went out and it became completely dark.
And from the pitch darkness came some hissing, and they felt the water lily leaf sway.
Faster, faster! - Moomintroll's mother shouted. - It’s the Big Snake swimming!
Sticking their tails even deeper into the water, they began to row with all their might, so that water began to flow violently around the bow of their boat. And then they saw a furious Serpent swimming after them, with fierce golden-yellow eyes.
They rowed with all their might, but he overtook them and already opened his mouth with a long, quivering tongue. Moomintroll covered his eyes with his hands and shouted: “Mom!” - and froze in anticipation that he was about to be eaten.
But nothing of the sort happened. Then he looked carefully between his fingers. In fact, something amazing happened. Their tulip lit up again, it opened all its petals, and in the very middle of the flower stood a girl with bright blue flowing hair that reached her toes.
The tulip was shining brighter and brighter. The snake blinked and, suddenly turning, hissing angrily, slid down into the mud.
Moomintroll, his mother and the little animal were so excited and surprised that they could not utter a word for a long time.
Finally, Moomin's mother said solemnly:
Thank you so much for your help, beautiful lady!
And Moomintroll bowed lower than always, because he had never seen anyone more beautiful than a girl with blue hair in his life.
Do you live in a tulip all the time? - the little animal asked shyly.
This is my home,” she answered. - You can call me Tyulippa.
And they began to row slowly, swimming to the other side of the swamp. Ferns grew there in a dense wall, and under them my mother made a nest for them in the moss so that everyone could sleep. Moomintroll lay next to his mother, listening to the croaking of frogs in the swamp. The night was full of loneliness and some strange sounds, and for a long time he could not fall asleep.
The next morning, Tulippa was already walking ahead, and her blue hair glowed like the brightest fluorescent lamp. The road rose higher and higher, and finally a steep, steep mountain stood in front of them, so high that there was no end in sight.
“There’s probably the sun up there,” the little animal said dreamily and sadly. - I'm so terribly cold.
“Me too,” said Moomintroll. And he sneezed.
That’s what I thought,” my mother was upset. - Now you have a cold. Please sit here while I build a fire.
Dragging out a giant pile of dry branches, she lit them with a spark from Tulippa's blue hair. All four of them sat, looking into the fire, while Moomin's mother told them different stories. She talked about how when she was little, the Moomins didn’t have to wander through dark forests and swamps in search of a place to live.
At that time, Moomins lived with people's pet trolls, mostly behind stoves.
“Some of us still live there,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - Of course, where there are still stoves. But where there is steam heating, we don’t get along.
Did people know that you huddle behind the stoves? - asked Moomintroll.
“Someone knew,” said my mother. - Staying alone in the house, they felt our presence, when sometimes a draft blew over the back of their heads.
“Tell me something about dad,” asked Moomintroll.
“It was an extraordinary Moomintroll,” my mother said thoughtfully and sadly. - He always wanted to run somewhere and move from one stove to another. He never got along anywhere. And then he disappeared - he went on a journey with the Hatifnatts, these little wanderers.
What kind of people are these? - asked the little animal.
“These little magical animals,” explained Moomintroll’s mother. - For the most part they are invisible. Sometimes they settle under people's floorboards, and you can hear them sneaking around there in the evenings, when everything in the house is quiet. But more often they wander around the world, not stopping anywhere, not caring about anything.
You can never tell whether a hatifnatt is happy or angry, whether he is sad or surprised. I'm sure he has no feelings at all.
So what, dad has now become a hatifnat? - asked Moomintroll.
No, of course not! - Mom answered. “Isn’t it clear that they tricked him into taking him with them?”
If only we could meet him one fine day! - exclaimed Tyulippa. - He would be happy, right?
“Of course,” answered Moomintroll’s mother. - But this probably won’t happen.
And she cried so bitterly that everyone else began to sob along with her. And while crying, they remembered many other, also very sad things, and then they cried even more.
Tulippa turned pale with grief, and her face became completely matte. They had been crying for quite some time, when suddenly they heard someone’s voice who sternly asked:
Why are you howling down there?
They abruptly stopped crying and began to look around, but could not find the one who spoke to them. But then a rope ladder began to descend from the mountain slope, dangling in all directions. And high above, an elderly gentleman stuck his head out of a door in the rock.
Well?! - he shouted again.
Sorry,” said Tyulippa and curtsied. - You see, dear sir, everything is actually very sad. Moomintroll's dad has disappeared somewhere, and we are freezing and cannot cross this mountain to find the sun, and we have nowhere to live.
That's how! - said the elderly gentleman. “Then you can all come up to me.” You can't imagine anything better than my sunbeams.
Climbing up the rope ladder was quite difficult, especially for Moomintroll and his mother, because they had such short legs!
“Now wipe your paws,” the elderly gentleman ordered them, pulling the ladder up after them.
Then he locked the door well so that no danger could seep into the mountain. Everyone climbed onto the escalator, which drove with them straight into the bowels of the mountain.
Are you sure you can rely on this gentleman? - whispered the little animal. - Remember that you act here at your own risk.
And the animal, cowering, hid behind Moomintroll’s mother. Then a bright light hit their eyes, and the escalator drove straight into the most amazing area. A wonderful landscape opened up to them. The trees sparkled with colors and burst with unprecedented fruits and flowers, and beneath them in the grass stretched dazzling white snow-covered lawns.
Hello! - Moomintroll exclaimed and ran to make a snowball.
Be careful, it's cold! - Mom shouted to him.
But, plunging his hands into the snow, he realized that it was not snow at all, but glass. And the green grass that cracked under his paws was made of fine sugar yarn. Everywhere along and across, multi-colored streams flowed haphazardly through the meadows, foaming and babbling over the golden sand of the bottom.
Green lemonade! - cried the little animal, leaning towards the stream to drink. - This is not water at all, this is lemonade!
Moomintroll's mother went straight to the completely white stream, because she always loved milk very much. (This is typical for most Moomins, at least when they get a little older.) Tulippa ran from one tree to another, picking up armfuls of caramels and chocolate bars. And as soon as she picked at least one of the sparkling fruits, a new one immediately grew in its place. Forgetting all their sorrows, they ran further and further into the depths of the enchanted garden. The elderly gentleman followed them slowly and seemed to be very pleased.
“I did all this myself,” he said. - And the sun too.
And when they looked carefully at the sun, they noticed that it was in fact not real, but just a huge lamp with a fringe of gilded paper.
That's how! - the little animal said disappointedly. - And I thought this was a real sun. Now I see that it shines a little artificially.
“There’s nothing you can do, it didn’t work out better,” the elderly gentleman was upset. - But are you happy with the garden?
Of course, of course,” blurted out Moomintroll, who was just busy eating small pebbles (though they were made of marzipan).
If you want to stay here, I will build you a house from a tall cake,” said the elderly gentleman. -I sometimes get bored alone.
“It would be very nice of you,” said Moomintroll’s mother, “but if you are not offended, we may have to continue on our way.” We are just about to build ourselves a house where the real sun shines.
No, we'll stay here! - Moomintroll, the little animal and Tulippa shouted in one voice.
“Okay, okay, kids,” Moomintroll’s mother reassured them. - We'll see there.
And she went to sleep under a tree on which chocolates grew. Waking up, she heard terrible pitiful moans and immediately realized that it was her Moomintroll who had a stomach ache (this happened to him quite often). From everything that Moomintroll ate, his tummy swelled up, became completely round and hurt terribly. Next to him sat a small animal, whose teeth ached from all the caramels he had eaten, and moaned even louder than Moomintroll.
Moomintroll's mother did not scold, but, taking out two different powders from her bag, gave everyone the one they needed. And then I asked the elderly gentleman if he had any pool with delicious hot porridge.
No, unfortunately, no,” he replied. - But there is one with whipped cream, and one with marmalade.
Hm,” Mom chuckled. - Now you see for yourself that they need real hot food. Where is Tulippa?
“She says she can’t sleep because the sun never sets,” the elderly gentleman said sadly. - How sad that you don’t like me!
“We’ll be back,” Moomintroll’s mother consoled him. “But we should probably go out into the fresh air.”
And taking the paws of Moomintroll and the small animal, she called Tulippa.
“Maybe it’s better for you to use the slide,” the elderly gentleman politely suggested. “It stretches diagonally across the mountain and goes straight to the sun.
Yes, thank you,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - Then goodbye!
Then goodbye,” Tyulippa also said goodbye.
(Moomintroll and the little animal could not say anything, because they were terribly ill.)
“Well, as you wish,” answered the elderly gentleman.
And they rushed down the slide with dizzying speed. And when they came out on the other side of the mountain, their heads were spinning and they sat on the ground for a long time, coming to their senses. And then they began to look around.
The ocean lay before them, sparkling in the sun.
I want to swim! - Moomintroll shouted, because he already felt quite tolerable.
“Me too,” the little animal squeaked.
They jumped straight into the sunny streak on the water. Tulippa tied her hair up so that the water would not extinguish it completely, and carefully climbed into the water.
“Ugh, how cold,” she muttered.
Don't sit in the water for too long! - Moomin's mother shouted and lay down to bask in the sun - she still felt tired.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, an antlion appeared and began to pace on the sand, and then screamed angrily:
This is my shore! Get out of here!
“Here’s another thing, he’s not yours at all,” my mother answered. - Like this!
Then the lion began to dig the sand with his hind paws and throw it into his mother’s eyes, he dug the sand with his hind paws, he threw it until the mother could no longer see anything, he crept closer and closer to her, and then suddenly began to bury himself in sand, so much so that the hole around him became deeper and deeper. And now at the bottom of the pit only his eyes were visible, and he continued to throw sand at Moomintroll’s mother. She had already begun to slide into this funnel and was desperately struggling, trying to rise up again.
Help, help! - she screamed, spitting out sand. - Save me!
Moomintroll heard her cry and rushed out of the water onto the shore. He managed to grab his mother by the ears, and, straining and cursing at the antlion, he began to pull her out of the hole.
Tyulippa and the little animal ran up to help him, and they eventually managed to throw his mother over the edge of the pit and save her. (And the antlion, now out of anger, continued to burrow deeper and deeper, and no one knows whether he ever got to the top or not.) A lot of time passed until everyone got rid of the sand that had covered their eyes and calmed down a little. But they no longer wanted to swim, and they continued their journey along seashore looking for a boat. The sun had already begun to set, and menacing black clouds were gathering over the horizon. It seemed like a storm was about to break out. Suddenly they saw in the distance many figures that were swarming on the shore. They were some small pale creatures trying to push a sailboat into the water. Moomintroll's mother looked at them from afar for a long time, and then loudly exclaimed:
These are wanderers! These are the hatifnatty! - And she rushed to run towards them at full speed.
When Moomintroll, the little animal and Tulippa arrived, mother, unusually excited, stood in the crowd of hatifnatts (so small that they barely reached her waist), and talked to them, and asked questions, and waved her hands. She kept asking again and again if it was true that they had not seen Moomin's dad. But the hatifnatts only glanced at her with their round, colorless eyes and continued to push the sailboat into the water.
Oh! - Mom exclaimed. - But in my haste, I completely forgot that they can neither speak nor hear!
And she drew a portrait of a handsome Moomintroll in the sand, and next to it was a big question mark. But the Hatifnatti did not pay the slightest attention to her, they managed to push the boat into the sea, and they were already raising the sails. (It is quite possible that they did not understand what she was asking at all, because the Hatifnatts are very stupid.)
The dark clouds rose even higher, and waves rolled across the sea.
“There is only one thing left: to swim with them,” Moomintroll’s mother said then. - The shore seems gloomy and deserted, and I don’t have the slightest desire to meet another antlion. Jump on the boat, kids!
Yes, but not at your own risk,” muttered the little animal, nevertheless climbing on board after its companions.
The boat went out to sea; Hatifnatt was at the helm. The sky darkened more and more, the crests of the waves were covered with white foam, and thunder roared dully in the distance. Tulippa's hair fluttering in the wind cast a faint, faint light.
“I’m scared again,” said the little animal. - I probably regret that I sailed with you.
Nonsense! - Moomintroll exclaimed, but immediately lost the desire to utter another word and slid down to his mother.
From time to time the boat would roll over new wave, which was even higher than before, and spray flew through the stem. The boat, having spread its sails, rushed forward with incredible speed. Sometimes they saw a mermaid rushing past, dancing on the crests of the waves. And sometimes a whole flock of tiny sea trolls flashed before them. The thunder rumbled more and more, and lightning here and there diagonally cut through the sky.
“I also got seasick,” said the little animal.
He began to vomit, and Moomin's mother held his head over the side.
The sun had long since set, but in the lightning they spotted a sea troll trying to swim level with the boat.
Hello! - Moomintroll shouted through the storm, wanting to show that he was not the least bit afraid. - Hello, hello! - answered the sea troll. - It looks like you are my relative!
That would be nice! - Moomintroll exclaimed politely. (But I thought that if the sea troll was a relative to him, then perhaps it was a very distant one; after all, the Moomins are much more noble than the sea trolls.)
Jump on the boat! - Tulippa shouted to the sea troll. - Otherwise you won’t be able to sail away with us!
The sea troll jumped over the edge of the boat and shook himself like a dog.
“It’s beautiful weather,” he said, splashing water in all directions. -Where are you sailing?
“It doesn’t matter where, just to get ashore,” the small animal squeaked pitifully, completely green from seasickness.
Then it’s better for me to take the helm for a while,” said the sea troll. - With this course you will drive straight into the ocean.
And pushing away the hatifnat who was standing at the helm, he strengthened the mast with a forestay. It was amazing how much better things went when they had a sea troll in the boat with them. The boat rushed merrily across the sea, and sometimes jumped high on the crests of the waves.
The little animal became a little happier, and Moomintroll simply screamed with delight. And only the Hatifnatts, sitting in the boat, indifferently looked into the distance, at the horizon line. They were indifferent to everything and just wanted to float and float, always forward, from one unfamiliar place to another.
“I know a beautiful harbor,” said the sea troll. “But the entrance to it is incredibly narrow, and only excellent sailors like me can guide a boat there.”
Laughing loudly, he made the boat take a giant leap over the waves. And then they saw that a shore was growing out of the sea, under the crossing lightning. To Moomintroll's mother he seemed wild and gloomy.
Is there any food there? - Mom asked.
“There is everything your heart desires,” answered the sea troll. - Now hold on, because we are sailing straight into the harbor!
At the same moment, the boat rushed into a black gorge, where a storm howled between the mountain slopes of gigantic height. The sea washed the rocks with white foam, and it seemed as if the boat was rushing straight towards them. But she easily, like a bird, flew into a large harbor, where the clear water was greenish and calm, like a lagoon.
“Thank God,” said Mom, who didn’t have much hope for the sea troll. - It's quite cozy here.
“Who likes what,” remarked the sea troll. - I love it most when it’s stormy. I'd better go to sea again before the waves calm down.
And, tumbling down, he disappeared overboard.
Seeing an unfamiliar shore in front of them, the Hatifnatts perked up, some began to strengthen the weak sails, while others pulled out their oars and began rowing diligently towards the blooming green shores. The boat moored to a coastal meadow dotted with wildflowers, and Moomintroll jumped out onto the shore with a jowl in his hands.
“Bow and thank the Hatifnatts for the journey,” Mom told Moomintroll.
And he bowed low, and the little animal waved its tail as a sign of gratitude.
“Thank you very much,” Moomintroll’s mother and Tulippa thanked the hatifnatts, crouching down to the ground.
But when they raised their heads again, the Hatifnatts had already disappeared.
“They must have become invisible,” the little animal suggested. - Wonderful people!
And so they, all four, walked among the flowers. The sun began to rise, and in its rays the dew sparkled and glistened in the sun.
How I would like to live here,” said Tyulippa. - These flowers are even more beautiful than my old tulip. Plus, it doesn't really match the color of my hair.
Look, the house is made of pure gold! - the small animal suddenly exclaimed, pointing his finger to the middle of the meadow.
There stood a tall tower, and the sun reflected in its long rows of windows. The top floor was all glass, and the sun's rays sparkled through the windows like flaming crimson-red gold.
I wonder who lives there? - Mom asked. —
Maybe it's too early to wake up the owners?
But I’m so terribly hungry,” said Moomintroll.
And everyone looked at Moomintroll’s mother together.
“Okay then,” she decided and, going up to the tower, knocked.
A little later, the window in the gate opened and a boy with bright red hair looked out.
Have you been shipwrecked? - he asked.
“Almost so,” answered Moomintroll’s mother. - But the fact that we are hungry is for sure.
Then the boy opened the gate wide and invited them to enter:
Please!
And when he saw Tyulippa, he bowed deeply, because he had never seen such beautiful blue hair before in his life. And Tulippa bowed just as low, because his red hair seemed delightful to her too. And they all followed him up the spiral staircase to the very top of the glass tower, from where views of the sea opened up on all sides. In the middle of the tower there was a huge dish with steaming sea pudding on the table.
Is this really for us? - asked Moomintroll's mother.
“Of course,” the boy answered. - During a storm, I always watch the sea and invite everyone who manages to escape in my harbor to taste my sea pudding. It has always been this way.
Then they sat down at the table, and soon the dish was empty. (The little animal, who sometimes had not very graceful manners, crawled under the table with the dish and licked it clean.)
Thanks a lot! - Moomintroll’s mother thanked the boy. “I think quite a few of the saved ones ate such pudding in your tower.”
Well, yes,” the boy answered. - From all over the world: snusmumrik, sea ghosts, various small crawlies and adults, snorks and hemuli. And sometimes some of the fish are monkfish.
Have you by any chance met other Moomins? - Mom asked.
No, I happened to see one... - the boy answered. - It was on Monday after the cyclone.
Was it really dad? Can't be! - exclaimed Moomintroll. - Does he have a habit of hiding his tail in his pocket?
Yes, there is,” the boy answered. - I especially remember this, it was so funny...
Then Moomintroll and his mother were so happy that they fell into each other’s arms, and the little animal jumped and shouted “Hurray!”
Where did he go? - asked Moomintroll's mother. - Did he say anything important? Where is he? How is he doing?
“Great,” the boy replied. - He went south.
Then we need to follow him immediately,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - Maybe we can catch up with him. Hurry up, kids! Where's my bag?
And she rushed down the spiral staircase so quickly that they could hardly keep up with her.
Wait! - the boy shouted. - Wait a little!
He caught up with them at the gate.
“I’m sorry we didn’t say goodbye properly,” said Moomintroll’s mother, jumping up and down with impatience. - But you understand...
“That’s not what I mean,” the boy objected and blushed so that his cheeks became almost the same color as his hair. - I was just thinking... I think it’s possible...
“Come on, tell me everything to the end,” said Moomintroll’s mother.
“Tulippa,” said the boy. - Beautiful Tulippa, you probably have no desire to stay here with me?
Why not! “Willingly,” Tyulippa immediately happily agreed. “I sat there all the time, at the top, and thought how beautifully my hair could shine for sailors in your glass tower.” And I'm great at making sea pudding...
But then she got a little scared and looked at Moomintroll’s mother.
Of course, I would really like to help you in your search... - And she stopped short.
“Oh, we can probably handle it ourselves,” my mother answered. - We will send you both a letter and tell you how it all happened...
Then everyone hugged goodbye and Moomintroll with his mother and the little animal continued their journey to the south. The whole day they walked through flowering fields and meadows, which Moomintroll would like to get a good look at. But mom was in a hurry and didn’t let him stop.
Have you ever seen anything like this? amazing trees? - asked the little animal. - With such a terribly long trunk and a very small panicle at the top. I think these trees look very stupid.
“You look stupid,” said Moomintroll’s mother, because she was nervous. - These trees are called palms and they are always like this.
Palm trees are palm trees,” the little animal remarked with a wounded expression.
Towards noon it became very hot. Plants were drooping everywhere, and the sun was shining with an eerie red light. Although the Moomins love warmth, they felt somehow very sluggish and would willingly lie down to rest under one of the tall cacti that grew everywhere. But Moomintroll's mother had no desire to stop until they found any traces of dad. They walked straight south all the time and continued on their way, although it was already getting dark. Suddenly the little animal stopped, listening.
Who is this sneaking around and trampling around us? - he asked.
But then everyone realized that it was the leaves whispering and rustling.
“It’s just rain,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - Now, whether you like it or not, you’ll have to climb under the cacti.
It rained all night, and in the morning it poured like buckets. Everything was gray and hopeless when they looked out from under the cacti.
And she pulled out of her bag a large chocolate gingerbread, which she had taken with her from amazing garden elderly gentleman. Having broken it in half, she divided equally between both the animal and her son.
Didn't you leave anything for yourself? - asked Moomintroll.
No, my mother answered. - I don't like chocolate.
And they walked on in the pouring rain. They walked all day and the next day too. The only food they got were roots soaked through and a few dates. On the third day the rain came down even more heavily than before, and every little stream turned into a foaming, rushing river. It became more and more difficult to push forward. The water rose continuously, and in the end they had to climb a low hill so that they would not be carried away by the streams of water. There they sat, watching the stormy whirlpools come closer and closer to them, and feeling that they were all beginning to catch a cold - both mother, and Moomintroll, and the little animal. Furniture, houses, and tall trees that the flood brought with it were floating around.
I think I want to go home again! - declared the little animal.
And Moomintroll and his mother suddenly noticed something amazing in the water; it approached them, dancing and spinning.
Shipwrecked! - shouted Moomintroll, who had very keen eyes. —
The whole family! Mom, we have to save them!
It was a soft chair that, rocking on the waves, floated towards them. Sometimes it got stuck in the treetops that stuck out overhead, but the stormy currents immediately freed it from captivity and drove it further. A wet cat was sitting in a chair, surrounded by five equally wet kittens.
Unhappy mother! - Moomintroll's mother exclaimed, running waist-deep into the water. - Hold me, I’ll try to catch the chair with my tail!
Moomintroll grabbed his mother tightly, and the little animal was so excited that he couldn’t even do anything. But then the soft chair began to spin in a whirlpool, and Moomintroll’s mother, with the speed of lightning, wrapped her tail around one of his arms and pulled the chair towards her.
Hey, hi! - she screamed.
Hey, hi! - Moomintroll shouted.
Hello, hello! - the little animal squeaked. - Don't let go of the chair!
The chair slowly turned towards the hill, and then a saving wave arrived and threw it up onto the shore. The cat began to grab the kittens one by one by the scruff of the neck and put them in rows to dry.
Thank you for your kindness and help! - she thanked. “Nothing worse than this has ever happened to me.” Damn it!
And she began to lick her children.
It seems to me that the sky is brightening! - said the little animal, who wanted to direct the thoughts of his companions in a different direction. (He was ashamed that he had never participated in saving the cat family.)
And indeed, the clouds cleared and a ray of sunshine descended straight to the ground, followed by another, and suddenly the sun shone over the giant, steamy expanse of water.
Hooray! - Moomintroll shouted. - You'll see, now everything will be settled.
A light breeze came and drove the clouds away, blowing the tops of the trees heavy with rain. The disturbed water calmed down, somewhere a bird began to sing, and a cat purred in the sun.
“Now we can continue our journey,” Moomintroll’s mother said decisively. “We can’t wait for the water to subside.” Sit in the chair, children, and I will push him into the sea.
“I think I’ll stay here,” the cat said, yawning. - There is no need to make a fuss over trifles. And when the earth dries, I will go home again.
Her five kittens, cheerful in the sun, sat down and also yawned, like their mother.
Finally, Moomintroll's mother pushed the chair off the bank.
Carefully! - the little animal asked her.
Sitting on the back of his chair, he looked around; it occurred to him that they would surely be able to find some kind of jewel that was floating in the water after the flood. For example, a box full of diamonds. Why not? He looked vigilantly into the distance, and when he saw something shiny in the sea, he exclaimed loudly and excitedly:
Sail there! There's something shiny there! See how it sparkles!
“We won’t have time to catch everything that’s floating around,” said Moomintroll’s mother, but she still rowed there, because she was a kind mother.
“It’s just an old bottle,” the little animal said disappointedly, pulling it out with its tail.
Can't you see? - Mom asked seriously. - This is something very remarkable. This is a mail bottle. There is a letter in it. Someone is in distress.
And, taking the cork out of her bag, she uncorked the bottle. With trembling paws she straightened the letter on her lap and read loudly:
“Dearest! You who found this letter!
Do everything you can to save me! My wonderful house was carried away by the flood, and I sit, alone, hungry and frozen, on a tree, while the water rises higher and higher. Unhappy Moomintroll."
“Lonely, hungry and cold,” my mother repeated and began to cry. - Oh my poor little Moomintroll, your dad must have drowned a long time ago.
Don’t cry, said Moomintroll. “Maybe he’s still sitting on his tree somewhere very close.” The water is falling with might and main.
Indeed, that is how it was. Here and there the tops of hills, fences and roofs of houses were already sticking out above the water, and the birds were singing at the top of their lungs.
The chair, slowly swaying, floated to a hill where crowds of people were running and fussing, pulling their things out of the water.
This is my chair! - shouted the huge hemulen, who had collected a mountain of furniture from his dining room set on the shore. - What do you imagine, floating on the sea in my chair!
Well, this boat was rotten! - Moomintroll’s mother said angrily, crawling out onto the shore. - I don’t need her for all the benefits of the world!
Don't annoy him! - whispered the little animal. - He might bite.
Nonsense! - Moomintroll’s mother snapped. - Follow me, kids!
Look,” said Moomintroll, pointing to some Mr. Marabou, who was walking along the shore and scolding himself. “I wonder what he lost,” he looks even angrier than the hemulen.
If you were almost a hundred years old and lost your glasses, you wouldn’t have much fun either,” said Mr. Marabou.
And, turning his back to them, he continued his search.
Went! - Mom said. - We need to find dad.
She took Moomintroll and the little animal by the paws and hurried on.
After a while, they saw something shining in the grass, where the water had receded.
This is definitely a diamond! - the little animal shouted.
But when they looked closely, they saw that it was just a pair of glasses.
These are Mr. Marabou's glasses, aren't they, Mom? - asked Moomintroll.
“For sure,” she answered. “The best thing for you to do is run back and give them to him.” He will be happy. But hurry up, because your poor dad is sitting somewhere hungry, wet and completely alone.
Moomintroll ran with all his might on his short legs and from afar saw Mr. Marabou rummaging in the mud.
Hey hey! - he shouted. - Here are your glasses, uncle!
No, really! - exclaimed the openly delighted Mr. Marabou. “Maybe you’re not such an obnoxious little brat that everyone’s dancing around after all!”
And, putting on his glasses, he began to turn his head in all directions.
Well, I guess I’ll go,” said Moomintroll. - We are also looking for...
That's how, that's how! - Mr. Marabou responded kindly. - What are you looking for?
“My dad,” answered Moomintroll. - He sits somewhere at the very top of the tree.
Mister Marabou thought for a while, and then said decisively:
You can never do it alone. But I will help you since you found my glasses.
With extreme caution, he grabbed Moomintroll with his beak, put him on his back, flapped his wings several times and swam in the air above the shore.
Moomintroll had never flown before, and it seemed to him that flying was a lot of fun and a little scary. He was very proud when Mr. Marabou landed next to his mother and the little animal.
I am at your service, lady! - said Mr. Marabou and bowed to Moomintroll’s mother. - If you, gentlemen, sit on my back, we will immediately go in search.
First, he picked up his mother with his beak and placed him on his back, and then the little animal, which incessantly squealed with excitement.
Hold on tight! - Mr. advised
Marabou. - Now we will fly over the water.
This is probably the most amazing of all our adventures,” said Moomintroll’s mother. - And flying is not at all as scary as I previously thought. Look in all directions, maybe you'll see dad!
Mr. Marabou described large circles in the air, lowering himself slightly above the top of each tree. Crowds of people sat among the branches, but the one they were looking for was nowhere to be found.
“I will save this baby later,” promised Mr. Marabou, pleasantly animated by his rescue expedition.
He flew back and forth over the water for a long time, until the sun set and everything around seemed completely hopeless. And suddenly Moomintroll’s mother shouted:
And she began waving her paws so madly that she almost fell down.
Dad! - Moomintroll yelled furiously.
And the little animal screamed along with him for company. On one of the highest branches of a huge tree sat a wet and sad Moomintroll, not taking his eyes off the surface of the water. Next to him fluttered the distress flag, “SOS”. Dad was so surprised and delighted when Mr. Marabou landed on the tree with his entire family, who immediately moved to the branches, that he was speechless.
Now we will never be apart again,” Moomintroll’s mother sobbed, hugging her husband. - How are you? Have you caught a cold? Where have you been all this time? What kind of house did you build? Is he handsome? Have you often thought about us?
The house, unfortunately, was very beautiful,” answered Moomintroll’s dad. - My dear baby, how you have grown!
Yes, yes! - Mr. Marabou said touched. “Perhaps my best bet is to take you to shore and try to save someone else before sunset.” How nice it is to save!
And while they, interrupting each other, talked about all the horrors that they had experienced, Mr. Marabou flew with them back to land. Along the entire shore, the victims of disaster burned fires, warmed themselves and prepared food; after all, many lost their homes. Near one of the fires, Mr. Marabou lowered Moomintroll, his mom and dad and a small animal to the ground. Quickly saying goodbye to them, he soared above the water again.
Good evening! - the two monkfish who lit this fire greeted the Moomins and the little animal. - Welcome, sit down by the fire, the soup will be ready soon!
Thank you very much! - Moomintroll's dad thanked them. “You can’t even imagine what a wonderful house I had before the flood.” I built it with my own hands, without any help. But if I have new home, welcome whenever you like.
How many rooms were there? - asked the little animal.
Three,” answered Moomintroll’s dad. - One is sky blue, one is sunny golden and one is speckled. And another one, a guest attic, at the top - for you, little animal.
Did you really think that we would live there too? - asked Moomintroll’s delighted mother.
Of course,” he replied. - I was looking for you always and everywhere. I could never forget our dear old stove.
So they sat, eating soup and telling each other about their experiences until the moon rose and the fires on the shore began to go out. Then, having borrowed a blanket from the monkfish, they lay down next to each other, covered themselves with the blanket and fell asleep.
The next morning the water subsided over a large area and everything was sunlight put me in a very cheerful mood. The little animal danced in front of them, twirling the tip of its tail in a bow with excess happiness.
They walked all day, and wherever they passed, it was beautiful, because after the rain the most wonderful flowers bloomed, and flowers and fruits appeared on the trees everywhere. As soon as they shook the tree a little, fruits began to fall to the ground around them. Eventually they came to a small valley. They couldn’t see anything more beautiful that day. And there, in the middle of a green meadow, stood a house that strongly resembled an oven, very beautiful house, painted blue.
+3SMÅTROLLEN OCH DEN STORA ÖVERSVÄMNINGEN
Copyright Tove Jansson 1945 Moomin Characters™
All rights reserved
Tove Jansson 1945 Moomin Characters™
E. Tinovitskaya, translation, 2018
Edition in Russian, design. LLC Publishing Group "Azbuka-Atticus", 2018
* * *
It was the war winter of 1939. All work stopped; trying to draw seemed pointless.
It’s probably not surprising that I suddenly wanted to write something starting with the word “Once upon a time...”. To write, let’s be honest, a fairy tale, but I justified myself by saying that there would be no princes, princesses and little children in it - instead, I chose an angry creature as a character, which I usually drew instead of a signature, and called him Moomintroll.
The unfinished fairy tale was forgotten until 1945, when a friend told me that it could turn into a children’s book - “finish it, illustrate it, maybe they’ll take it.”
It seemed to me that the title should feature Moomintroll and his search for his father - similar to the search for Captain Grant - but the publisher insisted on “little trolls” to make it clearer for readers.
This story was significantly influenced by my favorite books from my childhood - a little Jules Verne, a little Collodi (the girl with blue hair) and all sorts of others. But why not?
Be that as it may, this was my very first happy ending!
One evening, probably at the end of August, Moomintroll and his mother wandered into the farthest corner of a large forest. It was very quiet, and under the trees there were such thick shadows as if it was already twilight. Here and there huge flowers swayed and glowed like lamps, and in the thick shadows cold greenish dots ran from place to place.
“Fireflies,” said Moomintroll’s mother, but there was no time to stop and take a closer look at the fireflies. The fact is that Moomintroll and his mother were looking for a warmer and more comfortable place - a suitable place to build a house and hide in it when winter comes. Moomintrolls cannot stand the cold, so they had to get a house no later than October.
“It’s unlikely,” my mother answered, “but still it would be better for us to hurry.” Even if there is someone dangerous here, you and I, I hope, are so small that he simply won’t notice us.
Suddenly Moomintroll grabbed mom’s hand.
- Look! “Moomintroll was so scared that even his tail stood up straight.”
From behind a tree, from the darkness, two eyes looked at them.
At first my mother was also scared, but then she said soothingly:
- This is some kind of small animal. Wait, I'll shine a light on him now. You know, in the dark everything seems scarier than it really is.
Mom tore off a large flower lamp and brought it to the shade. And there really was a very small animal sitting there, not at all angry-looking and just as scared as they themselves.
“You see,” said mom.
- Who are you? – asked the animal.
“I am Moomintroll,” said Moomintroll, becoming bolder again. - And this is my mother. Did we disturb you?
(As you can see, his mother taught him good manners.)
“Not at all,” answered the animal. “I just felt a little sad, and I’ll be glad to have company.” Are you in a hurry?
“Yes,” said mom. – You see, we are looking for a good sunny clearing to build a house. But maybe you want to come with us?
– You’re still asking! – and the animal jumped up to them. “I got lost and thought I’d never see the sun again!”
And the three of them went further and took with them a large tulip to light the way. But the darkness around was thickening, the flowers shone from under the trees more and more faintly and finally went out completely. Dark water glistened ahead, the air became cold and heavy.
“Well, no,” said the animal. - This is a swamp. Keep in mind, I won't go into the swamp.
- Why? - Mom asked.
“The Snake lives there,” said the animal, looking around cautiously.
“Pfft,” Moomintroll said fearlessly. - Yes, we are so small that she won’t even notice us. How will we get back to the sun if we sit here and be afraid? Just follow us.
“Okay, I’ll walk a little more,” the animal agreed. - But if anything happens, it’s all your fault!
Trying to step as quietly as possible, they stepped from hummock to hummock. Something was whispering and bubbling in the black liquid around, but the tulip lamp was shining, and there was no fear with it. Once Moomintroll stumbled and almost fell into the mud; his mother barely managed to catch him.
“We already need a boat,” said my mother. “Your feet are completely wet.” So you'll get sick, it's clear as day.
She took a pair of dry socks from her bag for Moomintroll and placed him, and then the little animal, on a large round leaf of a water lily. All three of them dipped their tails into the water and paddled through the swamp. Some shadows loomed below, then swam under the roots of the trees, then appeared again, splashing, diving, fog swirled around.
- I want to go home! - the animal suddenly said.
And then the tulip suddenly went out, and it became dark and dark. A hissing sound came from the darkness, and the water lily leaf began to sway more violently.
“Hurry, hurry,” Mom exclaimed. - These are Snakes!
They dipped their tails even deeper and thrashed them with all their might, so that the water ahead began to boil. Now they clearly saw the Snake - it was catching up with them with a hiss. She had an unkind appearance and gloomy yellow eyes.
They rowed with all their might, but the snake kept getting closer, it had already opened its mouth and stuck out its long tongue. Moomintroll covered his eyes with his paws, shouted “mother” and prepared to be eaten.
But nothing happened. Then he cautiously looked out from under his paws. Something incredible happened. Their tulip lit up again, opened its petals, and inside was a girl with blue-blue hair that reached her knees.
The tulip was shining brighter. The snake blinked and suddenly, with an angry hiss, curled up and plunged into the swamp slurry.
Moomintroll, his mother and the little animal were so surprised and confused that they could not utter a word for a long time.
Finally Moomin's mother said politely:
– Thank you very much for your help, dear lady.
Moomintroll bowed low, because he had never seen such beautiful girls before.
– Were you there all the time, in the tulip? – the animal asked shyly.
“This is my home,” the girl answered. – You can call me Tulip.
And they began to slowly row to the other shore. Ferns grew thickly there, and under it Moomintroll's mother made a cozy nest for them all to sleep. Moomintroll lay down next to him, he lay and listened to the frogs singing in the swamp. The night was full of strange and sad sounds, and a lot of time passed before he finally fell asleep.
The next morning, Tulip walked ahead, her blue hair burning brighter than an electric lamp. The road climbed higher and higher, and finally they found themselves on a mountain so high that they couldn’t even see the top.
“It’s probably the sun up there,” said the animal. - I'm terribly cold.
“Me too,” said Moomintroll. And he sneezed.
“I knew it,” his mother said. - You still have a cold. Please sit here and sit while I light a fire.
And she dragged a huge pile of dry branches and lit them with a spark from the Tulips blue hair. All four sat around the fire and began to look at the fire, and Moomintroll's mother told them all sorts of stories. She told how, when she was little, the Moomins did not have to wander through terrible forests and swim across swamps to find a place to live.
In those days, they lived side by side with people and domestic trolls, mostly behind a tiled stove.
“Some of our people still live there,” said my mother. - Where people still have tiled stoves. But we don't like batteries.
– Did people know that we live there? - asked Moomintroll.
“Some,” my mother answered. “But usually they only felt a chill run down their spines when they were alone.”
“Tell me about dad,” asked Moomintroll.
“He was an extraordinary Moomintroll,” mother began sadly and thoughtfully. “I was always eager to get somewhere, from one stove to another. I knew no peace anywhere. And so he disappeared - he went after the Hattifinates, the wandering people.
-What kind of people are these? – asked the little animal.
“Something like little trolls,” Mom explained. - Usually you can’t see them. It happens that they settle under people's floors - in the evenings, in silence, you can hear them running around there. But more often they wander all over the world, don’t stop anywhere and don’t regret anything. You will never understand whether the hattifnat is happy or angry, sad or surprised. I don't even know if they feel anything.
– And dad also became a hattifinate? - asked Moomintroll.
- No, what are you talking about! - Mom exclaimed. “You see, they just beckoned him to come along.”
– What if one day we meet him? – suggested Tulipanna. - He will probably be happy?
“Of course,” said mom. “But it’s unlikely that we’ll meet him...” And she began to cry.
It was so sad that everyone sniffled and, crying, remembered more and more sorrows and cried even more bitterly. Tulip's hair turned pale from grief, and then went completely dark. So they sat and cried, until suddenly someone’s angry voice shouted:
End of introductory fragment.
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