Mumiy Troll main characters. Unchildish passions around a children's writer: the secrets of the Moomin mother Tove Jansson

Finnish woman passed away 17 years ago writer Tove Jansson. All over the world she is known as the “mother” of the Moomins, although she herself did not consider herself either an author of books for children or a writer in general - creative fulfillment as an artist was much more important for her, and she considered literary activity her hobby. Both children and adults all over the world know what her creations look like. Moomins, which have become national symbols of Finland, but most readers do not even suspect who was really hiding behind the characters in children's books, and what secrets Tove Jansson did not like to talk about with journalists.

Her fate was largely predetermined from birth: Tove Jansson was born in 1914 in the family of a sculptor and illustrator and grew up in a creative atmosphere conducive to the development of talents. And the girl had plenty of them: in addition to her native Finnish and Swedish, she was fluent in English and French languages, already at the age of 10 she illustrated the children's magazine "Garm", and from the age of 15 she interned at art schools in France, Italy and Germany. Around the same time, the first Moomintroll appeared, drawn, according to family legend... on the wall of the toilet.

Tove Jansson's first personal exhibition took place in Helsinki in 1943. In addition to illustrations for the works of J. Tolkien, L. Carroll and other authors, the artist performed work on the design of building facades and interior design. The Moomins before they became heroes literary works, were characters in comics created by Jansson for a children's magazine in 1940. And in 1946, the artist made her writing debut: she published the story “Moomintroll and the Comet,” which was followed by other works about funny creatures from the magical valley.

It was her who brought Tove Jansson worldwide fame literary activity, although she herself perceived it only as a hobby. Books about the Moomins were translated into 30 languages, and the funny characters themselves soon became national symbols of Finland. Trolls were actually borrowed by the writer from Scandinavian folklore, but her heroes were significantly different from fairy-tale characters. Firstly, they acquired a visible appearance, and secondly, in many of them one could recognize real people who were especially dear to Tove Jansson.

The writer did not like to communicate with journalists and kept her personal life secret for a long time. Only in the 1990s. details became known that shocked the public and shed light on many significant features of her work. In her youth, her personal life was very turbulent, but she was going to get married only once - to journalist, member of parliament Atos Virtanen. Many saw them as an ideal couple; the writer’s chosen one was also an intellectual and cosmopolitan. But he was too keen on political activities and constantly busy with his own affairs, and the engagement that took place in 1947 never ended in a wedding. As it became known later, the failed groom became the prototype for a character in her works named Snusmumrik. He wore the same old green hat as Virtanen and was just as eschewed of family ties.

Even before breaking up with Virtanen, Tove Jansson realized her bisexuality and went to Vivica Bandler, a theater director. They worked together on dramatizations of the writer's works. And Vivika Jansson portrayed herself and herself in characters named Tofsla and Vifsla.

In 1956, the writer met the artist Tuulikki Pietilä, with whom she lived until the end of her days. They did not part for 45 years, and although they did not advertise their relationship, they did not hide it either. For the first time they openly stated this only at a press conference in 1993, but did not give further interviews on this topic.

Later, art critic and biographer of the writer Tuula Karjalainen published a book about Tova Jansson, where she said: “At that time, same-sex relations were a crime, and by law were punishable by imprisonment. Homosexuality was considered a disease, and back in the 50s in Finland there were cases where women were sent to prison for relationships with members of the same sex. However, Tove Jansson initially acted as if she had nothing to hide. As far as I know, they were the first same-sex couple to appear at the Independence Day reception at the presidential palace as a married couple, without hiding their relationship. Tove didn’t hide, but she didn’t try to talk about her preferences either. This was her personal life, and she was not going to apologize for it. Her adult texts often feature same-sex couples, their relationships are the basis of the plot and the action unfolds around them.”

Tuulikki came into her life when she began to lose interest in the Moomins, and she helped her look at them from a different angle. The writer portrayed her chosen one in books about the Moomins under the name Tuu-Tikki, wise and kind. The cold chills Moomintroll's feelings, but when he meets Tuu-Tikki, she proves to him that winter can be beautiful too. And in Jansson’s life the same “magical winter” that she wrote about occurred.

The writer’s characters amaze with their wisdom: .

Welcome to the fabulous Moomin Valley, created by the unsurpassed Finnish writer Tove Janson.

Meet - Moomintroll. Main character stories of the same name, reminiscent of a funny little hippopotamus, Moomintroll, a sincere and sympathetic favorite of the large and friendly Moomin family. He loves adventure. He cannot live without his friends, travels through a mysterious forest and, like any child, sincerely believes in magic, expecting miracles. And of course, miracles always happen with the help of caring Moomin adults.

Moominmama- It’s very easy to recognize her: a striped apron and a bag, always the same, in which there are only the most necessary things: stomach powders, dry socks and, of course, candies for Moomintroll’s many friends. Moominmama is an attentive and zealous housewife, very caring and kind. Thanks to her, there is always comfort and order in the Moomin House. You can often find her washing the wonderful Moomin dishes. I wonder what Moominmama is thinking about while doing this? Perhaps she remembers the story of their romantic acquaintance with Moominpappa. There was a storm and a piercing icy wind was blowing, and Moominmama with her constant handbag, containing only the most necessary things, ended up in sea water, and then Moominpapa heroically pulled her ashore.

Moominpappa could never live without adventure, his biography is worthy of a great novel as an edification to future residents of Moominvalley. Moominpappa himself understands this very well, which is why he sat down to write his memoirs. In them, he will tell about his escape from Aunt Hemuli’s orphanage, where he was thrown as a baby, about a sea voyage full of dangers, the noble rescue of Moomin-mama and the rescue of the unfortunate Hemuli from the tenacious clutches of the monster Morra. They say that Moominpappa knows all the stories in the world, but he only tells those in which he personally participated. Like many great personalities, Moominpappa is reputed to be smart, but incomprehensible. However, is this an obstacle to true friendship?

Sniff- the best friend of the Moomintroll and the entire Moomin family. The son of the animal Sniff, one of the so-called dubious friends of Moominpappa, Sniff's reputation was so ambiguous that at the family council the Moomin family decided to adopt Sniff. Of course, Sniff is sincerely grateful for this act, he adores the Moomin parents with all his heart, they say, however, that most of all Sniff values his own tail, and also the grotto, which he can tell others about for hours. They get tired, and Sniff considers himself misunderstood.

Snusmumrik- the most romantic of Moomin's friends, cannot live without traveling and therefore stays in Moominvalley only in the summer, and then goes to distant lands. It is not surprising that Snusmumrik knows all the birds and animals of the Moomin world. He is also inseparable from his harmonica. This character from Moomin fairy tales lives in his own tent, which he pitches wherever he pleases, because Snusmumrik does not recognize borders or any prohibitions, which is why he does not like prohibitory signs and watchmen so much.

Snorks- brother and sister, almost Moomins, but magical, because snorks can change colors depending on their mood. No wonder the little Moomintroll is secretly in love with the flirtatious Freken Snork. Charming, always different, Freken is cheerful and friendly, wears bangs and a gold bracelet on her leg. Like any fashionista, Freken Snork loves to twirl in front of the mirror, trying on wonderful mummy outfits, and her favorite bracelets and beads are hidden in her boxes. Snork is Freken's brother, pedantic, loves order and organization. For Snork, any problem is a reason to hold some important meeting. Expressing his thoughts and reasoning is the favorite pastime of the arrogant and so serious Snork; he could be considered a bore if not for the Hemulus.

Hemulen– it was his aunt who nursed the mummy-dad in the shelter. From her, the Hemulen inherited a long dress, similar to a scientist's robe. This statement is probably true, since he is one of the most educated inhabitants of Moominvalley. Despite his friendliness and good nature, old Hemulen loves to command and always considers himself to be right. Apparently, the character of the Hemulen was influenced by long wanderings in the Lonely Mountains.

Little My- can compete with the Hemulen in intransigence. She is the tiniest and most capricious resident of Moomin Valley; it is believed that the terrible thunderstorm, during which Little My was born, was to blame. This is probably where her love for scary stories and unexplained incidents. In general, Little My is very cheerful and ready to support any mischief of her friends.

Mummy Valley also has its own villains, which is worth at least the terrible Morra. Morra is lonely and, perhaps, that’s why she’s so cold and scary. When she appears, even the hottest fire goes out. Morra resembles a large black shadow, wherever she appears, the ground there freezes as if in the most severe frost, and Morra appears when you least expect her. Rumor has it that Morra flies on huge black wings and hunts people. What if the good-natured Moominmama is right, believing that Morra is simply lonely?

They also live in Moominvalley hatifnates. Hatifnates are eternal wanderers of the mummy world. During a thunderstorm, stay away from them, because they are charged with electricity. These strange creatures do not speak or hear, so they communicate only with each other, but they have excellent vision.

About Tova Yanson

Finnish writer Tove Jansson is the daughter of the famous artist Signe Hammarsten and sculptor Viktor Jansson. It is not surprising that in the future Tove Jansson did not settle for just a writing career, personally illustrating her books and inventing the appearance of her fairy-tale heroes. At the age of 15, young Tove went to Sweden to study at the Art Academy, and having received a diploma from the Faculty of Fine Arts, she went to Italy to improve her skills, then there will be internships in France and Germany, wherever a new one was being created at that time artistic language. At home in Finland, the young artist has already made a name for herself with illustrations for children's magazines. Upon her return, Tove returned to this activity, working on the staff of various publishing houses, until the idea came to her mind to write a children's book herself. This is how stories about funny Moomins appeared. In the 50s and 60s, books about the bizarre inhabitants of Moominvalley broke all popularity records. The famous "Wizard's Hat" has been translated into 34 languages! Tove Jansson wrote 8 stories about the Moomins, and also made several editions of her books for theater production. And then funny creatures populated the pages of comic books; representatives of the Associated Press approached Jansson with this idea. So on September 20, 1954, the mummy family appeared in the London “The Evening News”.

The success of the Moomins around the world was truly enormous; Tove Janson was called one of the most talented and commercially successful children's authors. However, Tove Jansson herself has always emphasized that, first of all, she is an artist. Be that as it may, the illustrations made by the writer for her stories gave us some of the best moments of childhood.

DET OSYNLIGA BARNET OCH ANDRA BERÄTTELSER

LLC "Publishing Group "Azbuka-Atticus"", 2012

Publishing house AZBUKA®

Spring song

Once on a quiet, cloudless evening at the end of April, Snusmumrik went very far to the north - there were still small islands of snow in the shadows here and there.

He walked all day, admiring the wildlife and listening to migratory birds calling overhead.

And they were heading home from the southern countries.

He walked cheerfully and cheerfully, since his backpack was almost empty and he had no worries or sorrows in his soul. Everything made him happy - the forest, the weather, and his own loneliness. Tomorrow seemed as far away as yesterday - the reddish, dim sun flashed between the branches of the birches, and the air was cool and gentle.

“A suitable evening for a song,” thought Snusmumrik. “For a new song, in which there would be languor, and spring sadness, and, most importantly, unbridled fun, the joy of wandering and loneliness.”

This melody had been sounding in him for many days, but he still did not dare to release it into the wild. She had to grow up properly and prettify herself, become so independent that all her sounds would joyfully jump into place as soon as he touched his lips to the accordion.

If he had called them too early, it might have happened that they would have positioned themselves haphazardly, and the song would have turned out so-so, not very successful, and then he might have lost all interest in it. A song is a serious matter, especially if it should be both funny and sad.

But that evening Snusmumrik was confident in his song. It’s already almost formed – it will become the best of his songs.

And when he approaches the valley of the trolls, he will play it, standing on the railing of the bridge over the river, and Moomintroll will immediately say that this is a wonderful song. Just a wonderful song.

Snusmumrik stepped on the moss and stopped. He felt a little uneasy; he remembered Moomintroll, who was waiting for him and missed him very much. Who admired him and said: “Well, of course, you are free, it’s clear that you will leave, don’t I understand that you need to be alone sometimes.”

And at the same time, there was melancholy and hopelessness in his eyes.

“Ay-ay-ay,” Snusmumrik said and moved on. - Ah ah ah. He is so sensitive, this Moomintroll. I don't need to think about him. He's very cute, but I won't think about him now. This evening I am alone with my song, and today is not tomorrow.

After a minute or two, Snufkin managed to get Moomintroll out of his head. While looking for a suitable place to stop, he heard the babbling of a stream, somewhere a little further away, deep in the forest, and immediately headed there.

The last red streak between the tree trunks had faded, and the spring twilight was slowly gathering. The entire forest was plunged into the evening blue, and the birches, like white pillars, retreated further and further into the twilight.

It was a beautiful stream.

Clean and transparent, he danced over the brown shreds of last year's leaves, ran through ice tunnels that had not yet melted and, turning onto a moss-covered lawn, threw himself headfirst onto the white sandy bottom, forming a small waterfall. This stream either hummed cheerfully in a thin mosquito voice, or gave its voice a stern and threatening expression, and sometimes, after rinsing its throat with snow water, it burst into laughter.

Snusmumrik stood and listened. “The stream will also fall into my song,” he thought. “Maybe as a chorus.”

At that moment, a stone fell from the dam, changing the melody of the stream by one octave.

“Not bad,” said Snusmumrik admiringly. “That’s exactly how it should sound.” One more note is just what you need. Or maybe dedicate a separate song to the stream...

He took out his old saucepan and filled it under the waterfall. I went under the fir trees in search of brushwood. Because of the melting snow and spring rains, the forest was wet and damp, and Snusmumrik had to climb into a thick windfall to find dry branches. He extended his paw - and at the same moment someone squealed and darted under the spruce and quietly squealed for a long time, retreating into the depths of the forest.

“Well, yes, of course,” Snusmumrik said to himself. - There are all sorts of small fry under every bush. I know them... And why are they always so restless? The less, the more restless.

He pulled out a dry stump and some dry branches and slowly built a camp fire in a bend in the creek. The fire started immediately, because Snusmumrik was used to cooking his own lunch. And he always cooked only for himself and no one else. He was not very interested in other people's dinners, because all his acquaintances did not want to give up the habit of chatting while eating.

They also had a weakness for chairs and tables, and some of them even used napkins.

He had even heard of one Hemulen who changed his clothes before eating, but that was probably just slander.

With an absent look, Snusmumrik slurped his thin soup, and all this time his gaze was fixed on the green mossy carpet that spread out under the birches.

The melody was now very close, all that was left was to grab it by the tail. But he could take his time; she was still surrounded and could no longer escape. Therefore, first he will start washing the dishes, then the pipe, and then, when the coals in the fire glow and the night animals begin to call to each other in the forest, then it will be time for a song.

He saw her while he was rinsing a pot in the stream. This little girl hid behind a rhizome and stared at him from under her tousled hair hanging over her forehead. The eyes looked scared, but with extraordinary curiosity, they followed Snusmumrik’s every movement.

Snusmumrik pretended not to notice anything. He raked the coals to the fire and cut off a few spruce branches to make it softer to sit on. Then he took out his pipe and slowly lit it. He blew thin streams of smoke into the night sky and waited for his spring song to come to him.

But the song was in no hurry. But the baby’s eyes looked at him without stopping, they admiringly followed all his actions, and this began to irritate him.

Snusmumrik brought his paws folded together to his mouth and shouted:

The baby ducked under its root and, unusually embarrassed, squeaked:

“I hope I didn’t scare you?” I know who you are. You are Snufkin.

She climbed into the stream and began to move to the other side. The stream turned out to be too deep for such a baby, and the water in it was too cold. Several times her legs lost support and she splashed into the water, but Snusmumrik was so angry that he didn’t even try to help.

Finally, some pitiful and thread-thin creature crawled onto the shore, which, chattering its teeth, said:

- Hello! How lucky that I met you.

“Hello,” Snusmumrik answered coldly.

-Can I warm myself by your fire? – continued the baby, shining with her entire wet face. “Just think, I will become one of those who at least once managed to sit by Snusmumrik’s campfire.” I will remember this all my life.

The baby moved closer, put her paw on the backpack and solemnly whispered:

– Is this where you keep your harmonica? Is she there inside?

“Yes, there,” said Snusmumrik rather unfriendly. His solitude was broken, his song would not return - all the mood was gone. He bit his pipe and looked at the birch tree trunks with empty, unseeing eyes.

For most Soviet children, their acquaintance with the Moomins began with the book “Fairy Tales of Scandinavian Writers.” Many will still remember the pink cover, which depicted Moominpappa in the Wizard's top hat. Behind her began a wonderful world, imagined and drawn by the great Finnish-Swedish writer and artist Tove Jansson.

The Moomin heroes known to everyone are kind, cute, round and velvety-to-the-touch creatures. Together with relatives and friends, they live in a cozy blue house on the seashore - they ride the waves, collect pearls and powder themselves with tail tassels. Amazing events often happen in Moominvalley, and sometimes the Moomintrolls themselves go on adventures. But at the end of each story, life returns to normal, the house is put in order, and the coffee pot goes on the stove. Tove Jansson herself said that in her books she tries to recreate the “safe summer of childhood,” and in the dangerous winter, as we know, the Moomins hibernate.

But the world invented by Jansson was not immediately so idyllic and changed throughout her life. How and when did Moomintroll appear? There is no clear answer to this question. His creator answered him differently each time. Perhaps the idea was suggested by folklore traditions in the first half of the 1930s. Her Swedish uncle frightened young Tove as a troll, breathing the cold that comes to those who look into the food cupboard too often. Indeed, the first troll drawn by the artist was scary, and his features - too long a nose and coldness - could later go to the hemulens and Morra.

During the Second World War, Moomintroll appears in anti-war cartoons in the magazine "Garm" This creature, the prototype of the future Moomin, appeared on the wall of the Janssons’ summer house - this is how Tove responded to her brother, creating, by her own admission, “the ugliest creature.” Thinner and more nosed than the classic Moomintroll, the character becomes a regular hero of Tove's sketches, and during the Second World War appears in anti-war cartoons in the magazine "Garm". In these drawings he is sometimes depicted in black.

The Moomins reached the pages of children's books mellower and whiter. The first of them, “Little Trolls and the Big Flood,” was published in 1945. From that time on, the combination of pictures and text became the calling card of Tove Jansson, who was equal parts artist and writer. In her works, illustrations complemented words, and words complemented illustrations.

Changes in the appearance of the heroes were influenced in one way or another by the historical context. In Finland, research was even conducted on the figure of the Moomins. The first troll that appeared during the war was quite thin. In peacetime, it began to round out and reached its peak of fullness in the 50s in the story “Dangerous Summer,” which is often called the happiest Moomin book. Subsequently, the hero began to lose weight again.

Another example of the influence of world events on Tove Jansson’s books is the appearance in the sky of a terrible comet, which threatens the peace of a cozy valley and even forces the sea to retreat, in the story “Moomintroll and the Comet” (1946). This storyline was an echo of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Events from the author's personal life also influenced the Moomin world. The kind Moomintroll and brave little Mu absorbed the traits of Tove herself, the wise and freedom-loving Snusmumrik - her fiancé, journalist Atos Virtanen, the sensible Tuu-Tikki - Tuulikki Pietil, Jansson's friend, with whom she lived for several decades. 1970, when Jansson’s mother died, was the year of publication of the last and saddest story from the Moomin series, “At the End of November.”

The heroes of Moomin stories receive not only human character traits, but also human habits. Bourgeois prejudices are alien to them, at least to Moominmama, who refuses the bathhouse in favor of Tuu-Tikki in the fairy tale “The Magic Winter.” They swear, smoke, drink punch, which is not entirely typical for heroes of children's literature. But it is even less typical to touch upon topics such as loneliness and even death in books for little ones. However, Jansson knows how to write even about this, and dangerous and difficult situations are perceived by the characters with that correct simplicity that adults so often lack. And reading books about the Moomins is useful at any age. And there is always something to learn: hospitality from Moominmama, freedom from things from Snusmumrik, coquetry from Freken Snork, secret language from Tofsla and Vifsla.

Thanks to the magical Moomin formula in her homeland, Tove Jansson - national hero. Finland celebrated her hundredth birthday on a grand scale throughout 2014. The writer left an open ending for eight stories from the Moomin cycle - in the last one, little trolls disappear from the valley. Perhaps they are gone forever; but they will never leave the hearts of millions of readers around the world.

On the very morning when Moomintroll's dad finished the bridge across the river, little Sniff made an extraordinary discovery: he discovered the Mysterious Path!

This path went into the forest in one shady place, and Sniff stood there for a long time, peering into the green twilight.

“We need to talk to Moomintroll about this,” he said to himself. “We need to explore this path together, it’s scary alone.”

He took out a penknife, cut out a secret curl on the pine trunk to make it easier to find this place, and proudly thought: “Moomintroll will be surprised!” And then he set off home as fast as he could.

For several weeks now they had been living in this valley, where they had found their home after the previous disaster. You probably remember her?

It was a wonderful valley full of flowering trees. A narrow transparent river flowed from the mountains. She wrapped herself around Moomintroll's blue house and ran away to other places where other trolls and all sorts of sniffs lived.

“These rivers and roads are an amazing thing,” Sniff thought. - You look at how they rush past you, and your heart becomes so anxious, so vague. Irresistibly drawn to foreign lands, drawn to follow them - to see where they end..."

When Sniff returned home, Moomintroll was just setting up a swing.

New way? - he asked again. - That's great! We're leaving this minute. What is this dangerous-looking path?

Terribly dangerous! - Sniff declared proudly. - And I found him all alone, you know?

“We need to take provisions with us,” said Moomintroll. - Who knows how long we will be on the road, maybe a very long time.

He went up to the apple tree and began to rummage in the grass under it; the morning harvest of the fallers was still small. Then he quietly shook the apple tree, and yellow and red apples rained down on him.

You will carry the provisions! - said Sniff. - I have other responsibilities, because I am now a guide!

He was very excited, even his nose turned a little white.

Up on the mountainside they turned and looked down into the valley. Moomintroll's house seemed like a small dot, and the river looked like a narrow green ribbon. The swing was not visible at all from such a height.

“We have never climbed so far before,” said Moomintroll solemnly.

Sniff went a little into the forest and began to find his way. He scraped the ground with his paws, he sniffed and sniffed the air, he determined the position of the sun and the direction of the wind and generally behaved like a real tracker.

“Here is your mark,” said Moomintroll and pointed to a curl on the pine trunk.

No, this one! - Sniff shouted and pointed to a curl on the spruce trunk.

And then both of them at once saw a third curl - on a rowan tree, only this curl was terribly high, almost a meter from the ground.

Yes, perhaps this one,” said Sniff and straightened up proudly. - I didn’t know I was so tall!

Check this out! - Moomintroll whispered. - Yes, there are secret marks everywhere! And some do this even at a height of a hundred meters, no less. Do you know what I think? You have attacked the path that ghosts walk, and now they want to lead us astray. What do you think?

Sniff did not answer, only his mustache began to tremble. And then the laughter of the ghosts was heard. It sounded right above their heads and was very nasty. At that same moment, a large blue plum flew down from above and almost hit Moomintroll in the eye. Sniff screamed in a bad voice, and Moomintroll became terribly angry and began to look for the enemy. And then he saw the Monkey.

Small, black and very agile, she sat on a branch, curled up into a ball. Her muzzle was round and much lighter than everything else - just like Sniff's when he hastily washes away the dirt around his nose - and her laugh was ten times bigger than herself.

Stop that stupid laugh! - Moomintroll shouted sternly, seeing that the enemy was smaller than him. - This is our valley! You can laugh somewhere else!

“Ugly or reckless,” Sniff muttered, ashamed that he was so terribly frightened.

Yeah, I drifted off! - said Monkey. She hung upside down on her tail, threw a few more plums at them and rushed into the forest.

It's ticking! - Sniff yelled. - Follow her!

And they ran straight through the thickets and bushes. Cones, flowers and leaves rushed around in a whirlwind, and all sorts of small fry splashed through the holes from under their feet.

And the Monkey, you know, jumped from tree to tree. She hasn't had this much fun for a whole week!

As a matter of fact, there is little honor in chasing such an insignificant little monkey,” said Sniff, beginning to get tired. - Let's pretend like she doesn't exist for us at all!

And they sat down under a tree and pretended to be thinking about something very important.

And the Monkey, with the same important look, sat down on a branch, never ceasing to amuse herself.

“Don’t look at her,” Moomintroll whispered. - And then he’s even more self-important. - And out loud he said: - This is a good place!

Looks like a road,” Sniff said.

“It looks like a road,” repeated Moomintroll.

And suddenly they both jump up and shout:

So this is our Mysterious Path!

It really was very mysterious here. Over their heads, tree branches intertwined in a continuous arch, and ahead they could see a path that went into a narrow green tunnel.

“More seriousness and efficiency,” Sniff said importantly, suddenly remembering that he was a conductor. “I’ll look for side paths, and you knock three times if you notice anything dangerous.”

What to hit? - asked Moomintroll.

“Anything,” Sniff replied. - Do not ask silly questions. By the way, where do you get your provisions? I knew it - you lost it. You have to think about everything yourself.

Moomintroll wrinkled his nose with displeasure, but remained silent.

They slowly moved forward into the green tunnel. Sniff looked for side paths. Moomintroll looked out for danger, and the Monkey jumped in front of them from branch to branch.

The path twisted, became narrower and narrower, and finally was lost in the moss, so that there was no longer any path.

Does it really end here? - Moomintroll said puzzled. - It must lead somewhere!

They stood still, looking at each other in disappointment, when suddenly they heard a faint noise behind the wall of trees. The damp wind smelled into their noses, and the smell was very pleasant.

There’s water there,” said Moomintroll, sniffing.

He took a step in the direction from which the sea wind was blowing, took another and finally ran, because more than anything else in the world, Moomintrolls love to swim!

Wait a minute! - Sniff shouted. - Do not leave me alone!

But Moomintroll stopped only when he reached the water itself. He sat down on the sand and began to look at the waves. One after another they rolled onto the shore, and each had a crest of white foam.

A little later, Sniff rushed from the edge of the forest and sat down next to him.

It’s cold here,” he said. - Do you remember when we were riding on a sailboat with the Hatifnatts and got into a terrible storm? How bad I felt then!

“That was in a completely different story,” said Moomintroll. - And I want to swim in this one!

And he stepped straight into the surf. (Moomins, you see, are so practical that they hardly need clothes at all.)

The monkey came down from the tree and watched them:

Stop! - she screamed. - The water is wet and cold!