Quotes from Tove Jansson

Jag trur inte att jag helt och hållet är lesbisk... och mitt förhållande til männen er oförandrat.

Life is short, the world is enormous. (Moominpappa)

Minun täytyy saada Kampsu ymmärtämään, hän ajatteli. Minun täytyy saada joku ymmärtämään, että pelkään, joku joka voi vastata ja sanoa, että tietenkin pelkäät, käsitän sen erinomaisen hyvin. Tai vaikkapa: Mutta hyvä ystävä, mitä pelättävää sinulla on? Näin kauniina, tyynenä kesäpäivänä? Kummin tahansa, mutta jotenkin.

I'll wind all the clocks,' he thought. 'Perhaps that makes the spring come a tiny bit earlier. And someone might wake up if I happen to break some big thing.

I don't belong here any more,' Moomintroll thought. 'Nor there. I don't even know what's waking and what's a dream.' And then in an instant he was asleep, and summer lilacs covered him in their friendly green shadow.

In fondo, quello che conta è questo: non stancarsi mai, non cadere nell'indifferenza, non perdere l'interesse né la propria inestimabile curiosità – sarebbe come arrendersi alla morte. È semplice, no?

The room had lost its morning light, the glow of expectation and potential. The daylight was now gray, and the new day was already used, a little soiled by mistaken thoughts and makeshift undertakings.

Uno se debe encontrar muy solo cuando todo el mundo te tiene miedo.

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.

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.

It's the unexpressed that interests me, he thought. I've been drawing too explicitly; it's a mistake to clarify everything.

Todo se complica más cuando se quiere ser propietario de las cosas

Jos yritän saada kaiken entiselleen, niin minusta itsestänikin tulee samanlainen kuin ennen. Alan taas pelätä.

På natten blir det hemska mycket värre än det är.

När jag blev trött på det ena eller det andra gick jag till vedbacken ett tag. Vedbackens idé är alldeles klar; att såga och hugga med gott samvete, att få vara ifred, att det luktar gott och att det för en gångs skull blir vad man har tänkt sig.

The Snork Maiden looked around her. Then she leaned forward and whispered in the Fillyjonk's outstretched ear: "First you must turn seven times around yourself, mumbling a little and stamping your feet. Then you go backward to a well, and turn around, and look down in it. And then, down in the water, you'll see the person you're going to marry!" "And how do you get him up from there?" asked the Fillyjonk excitedly.

Even potted plants got to be a responsibility, like everything else you took care of that couldn't make decisions for itself.

Meren vihaiset vihertävät värit olivat muuttuneet rauhallisen sinisiksi, ja aallot kantoivat vaahtokruunujaan pikemmin koristeina kuin uhkauksina.

Rubiini muuttui kuin meri. Väliin se oli vain vaalea, sitten siihen valahti ruusunväriä aivan kuin lumihuipulle auringon noustessa - ja äkkiä sen sisimmästä kohosi tummanpunaisia liekkejä. Se saattoi muuttua aivan kuin mustaksi tulppaaniksi, jonka heteinä hehkuivat pienet säkenet.

Moomin need not have worried, for the Little My's of this world are practically indestructible.

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.

All his life Snufkin had longed to pull down notices that asked him not to do things he liked to do.

Tonight I'm alone with my tune, and tonight isn't tomorrow.

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!