Quotes from Finn Family Moomintroll

Tove Jansson ·  176 pages

Rating: (8.7K votes)


“Someone who eats pancakes and jam can't be so awfully dangerous. You can talk to him.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“It looks rather ordinary," said the Snork. "Unless you consider that a top hat is always somewhat extraordinary, of course.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“The voice of the waves was now mixed with strange sounds; laughter, running feet and the clanging of great bells far out to sea. Snufkin lay still and listened. dreaming and remembering his trip round world. Soon I must set out again, he thought. But not yet.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“I'm afraid we shall waste an awful lot of time."
"Don't worry," answered Snufkin, "we shall have wonderful dreams, and when we wake up it'll be spring.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“The Hemulen, moaning piteously, thrust his nose into the sand. "This has gone too far!" he said. "Why can't a poor innocent botanist live his life in peace and quiet?"
"Life is not peaceful," said Snufkin, contentedly.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll



“Mutta voi, miten ihanaa on hiljaisena hetkenä juuri ennen auringon nousua mennä kotiin nukkumaan kun syömiset on syöty, juomiset juotu, puhumiset puhuttu ja tanssittu jalat väsyksiin.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Moomintroll's mother and father always welcomed all their friends in the same quiet way, just adding another bed and putting another leaf in the dining-room table. And so Moominhouse was rather full -- a place where everyone did what they liked and seldom worried about tomorrow. Very often unexpected and disturbing things used to happen, but nobody ever had time to be bored, and that is always a good thing.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“It's finished. There isn't a stamp, or an error that I haven't collected. Not one. What shall I do now?"
"I think I'm beginning to understand," said Moomintroll slowly. "You aren't a collector anymore, you're only an owner, and that isn't nearly so much fun.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Once a year the Hattifatteners collect there before setting out again on their endless foraging expedition round the world. They come from all points of the compass, silent and serious with their small, white empty faces, and why they hold this yearly meeting it is difficult to say, as they can neither hear nor speak, and have no object in life but the distant goal of their journey's end. Perhaps they like to have a place where they feel at home and can rest a little and meet friends.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Tro på mig bara. Jag är förskräckligt klok!”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll



“And that night he couldn't sleep, but lay looking out at the light June night which was full of lonely whisperings and rustlings and the pattering of feet. The air was sweet with the smell of flowers.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Toivokaamme hänelle hyvää teltanpaikkaa ja kevyttä sydäntä!”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Antakaa minulle jotain vahvistavaa, Taikuri sanoi. - Tämä alkaa käydä hermoilleni.
Muumimamma juoksutti hänelle heti pannukakkua ja hilloa ja antoi hänelle suuren lautasen.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“The sea had changed. It was dark green now with white-horses, and the rocks shone yellow like phosphorus. Rumbling solemnly the thunder-storm came up from the south. It spread its black sail over the sea; it spread over half the sky and the lightning flashed with an ominous glint.
"It's coming right over the island," thought Snufkin with a thrill of joy and excitement. He imagined he was sailing high up over the clouds, and perhaps shooting out to sea on a hissing flash of lightning.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“But Moominmamma was quite unperturbed.
"Well, well!" she said, "it seems to me that our guests are having a very good time."
"I hope so," replied Moominpappa. "Pass me a banana, please dear.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll



“Sniff looked at them and noticed that they were much smaller than he was, so he felt kinder and said, condescendingly. "Hullo. Nice to see you.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Clever of you, Hemul. But, on the other hand, think how lonely the Groke is because nobody likes her, and she hates everybody. The Contents is perhaps the only thing she has. Would you now take that away from her too -- lonely and rejected in the night?" Sniff became more and more affected and his voice trembled. "Cheated out of her only possession by Thingumy and Bob." He blew his nose and couldn't go on.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“¡Dios mío!, exclamó Mamá Mumin con un sobresalto. Estoy segura de que acabo de ver un par de ratas entrar en la cava. ¡Snif, llévales un platito de leche!”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Here is the most valuable thing in the whole of Moomin Valley, Groke! Do you know what has grown out of this hat? Raspberry juice and fruit trees, and the most beautiful little self-propelling clouds: the only Hobgoblin's Hat in the world!”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Now you can all have a wish -- the Moomin family first!"
Moominmamma hesitated a bit. "Should it be something you can see?" she asked, "or an idea? If you know what I mean, Mr. Hobgoblin?"
"Oh, yes!" said the Hobgoblin. "Things are easier of course, but it will work with an idea too."
"Then I want to wish that Moomintroll will stop missing Snufkin," said Moominmamma.
"Oh, dear!" said Moomintroll going pink, "I didn't know it was so obvious!"
But the Hobgoblin waved his cloak once, and immediately the sadness flew out of Moomintroll's heart. His longing just became an expectancy, and that felt much better.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll



“Муми-мама пошла спать в свою комнату, потому что больше всего на свете она любила спать, когда дождь барабанит по крыше.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“-Huh! sanoi Hemuli. -Hyi, miten minä pelästyin. Tiedättehän, ettei minua saa pelästyttää, minulta voi mennä sydän väärään kurkkuun.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Sniff lay under his blanket and screamed.
"Now it's right over us!" said Moominpappa. And at that moment a giant flash of lighting lit up the island, followed by a rending crash.
"That struck something!" said the Snork.
It was really a bit too much. The Hemulen sat holding his head. "Trouble! Always trouble!" he muttered.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Moomintroll bent down to wake the Snork Maiden up, and then he noticed a terrible thing. Her beautiful fluffy fringe was burnt right off. It must have happened when the Hattifatteners brushed against her. What could he say? How could he comfort her? It was a catastrophe!
The Snork Maiden opened her eyes and smiled.
"Do you know," said Moomintroll hastily, "it's most extraordinary, but as time goes on I'm beginning to prefer girls without hair?"
"Really?" she said with a look of surprise. "Why is that?"
"Hair looks so untidy!" replied Moomintroll.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Listen," said the Hemulen. "I was born bald on top and really I get along very well.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll



“At the end of the world there lies a mountain so high it makes you dizzy even to think about it. It is as black as soot, as smooth as silk, terribly steep, and where there should be a bottom, there are only clouds. But high up on the peak stands the Hobgoblin's House, and it looks like this." And Snufkin drew a house in the sand.
"Hasn't it got any windows?" asked Sniff.
"No," said Snufkin, "and it hasn't got a door either, because the Hobgoblin always goes home by air riding on a black panther. He goes out every night and collects rubies in his hat."
"What did you say?" asked Sniff, with his eyes popping out of his head. "Rubies! Where does he get them from?"
"The Hobgoblin can change himself into anything he likes," Snufkin answered, "and then he can crawl under the ground and even down onto the sea bed where buried treasure lies.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“How happy he must be, this Hobgoblin," exclaimed Sniff.
"He isn't a bit," replied Snufkin, "and he won't be until he finds the King's Ruby. It's almost as big as the black panther's head, and to look into it is like looking at leaping flames. The Hobgoblin has looked for the King's Ruby on all the planets including Neptune -- but he hasn't found it. Just now he has gone off to the moon to search in the craters, but he hasn't much hope of success, because in his heart of hearts the Hobgoblin believes that the King's Ruby lies in the sun, where he can never go because it is too hot.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“As they pushed through the door a remarkable sight met their eyes: the Muskrat was sitting in the fork of a tree eating a pear.
"Where's mother?" asked Moomintroll.
"She's trying to get your father out of his room," replied the Muskrat, bitterly. "This is what comes of collecting plants. I've never quite trusted that Hemulen. Well, I hope the Muskrat heaven is a peaceful place, because I shan't be here much longer.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Well, things can't get much worse -- that's one consolation," the Muskrat groaned. He had hidden himself in a forest of bracken in the bathroom, and had wrapped his head in a handkerchief so that nothing should grow into his ears.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll


“Tarzan hungry, dijo el Mumintroll trepando una liana. Tarzan eat now!
¿Qué dice?, preguntó Snif
Dice que ahora va a comer, dijo la señorita Snork. Verás, es lo único que sabe hacer. Habla en inglés como todos los que viven en la selva.”
― Tove Jansson, quote from Finn Family Moomintroll



About the author

Tove Jansson
Born place: in Helsinki, Finland
Born date August 9, 1914
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