Quotes from Tove Jansson

I've lived quite a long time, which is to say I've been working for quite a long time, which is the same thing. - An Eightieth Birthday

The caretaker liked the evenings and the nights. He didn't need much sleep and often sat by himself in the peace and quiet of the lake shore for hours. He didn't remember, he didn't worry, he just was.

Oh, my, oh, my. He's got such a lot of feelings, this Moomintroll. I won't think of him now. He's a splendid Moomin, but I don't have to think of him now. Tonight I'm alone with my tune, and tonight isn't tomorrow.

Anna minun auttaa, huusi Nipsu ja tarttui pitkäsiimalaatikkoon. Hän hyppäsi suoraan Seikkailun laidalle, ja veneen kallistuessa pitkäsiimalaatikko tipahti alassuin pohjalle tyhjentäen puolet sisällöstään sotkuksi hankaimiin ja ankkuriin. -Mainiota, sanoi Niisku. -Aivan erinomaista. Meritottumusta ja rauhallista liikkumista veneissä ja niin poispäin. Ja varsinkin kunnioitusta toisten työtä kohtaan. Hah.

Myötätunnostani huolimatta en kuitenkaan pystynyt syventymään hänen ongelmiinsa - niin, kaikesta huolimatta on muutamia harvoja aloja, joilla lahjakkuuteni ei ole sitä tasoa kuin voisi odottaa, ja yksi niistä on koneoppi.

the thought occurred to him that life was like a river. Some people sailed on it slowly, some quickly, and some capsized. (Hemulen)

Laakso jossa he asuivat oli kaunis, täynnä onnellisia pikku mönkiäisiä ja suuria vihreitä puita. Niittyjen halki virtasi joki, joka kaarsi sinisen muumitalon ohi ja katosi toisille seuduille, missä toiset pikku mönkiäiset ihmettelivät mistä se mahtoi tulla.

The spring evenings had grown long, and it was hard to darken the room. They sat in their separate chairs and waited for Fassbinder, their silence a respectful preparation. They had waited this way for their meetings with Truffaut, Bergman, Visconti, Renoir, Wilder, and all the other honored guests that Jonna had chosen and enthroned–the finest present she could give her friend.

Hiutale toisensa jälkeen laskeutui hänen lämpimälle kuonolleen ja suli. Hän pyydysti niitä käpäläänsä ihaillakseen niitä hetken, hän katseli ylöspäin ja näki niiden leijuvan kasvojaan kohti. Niitä tuli yhä enemmän ja enemmän, pehmeinä ja kevyinä kuin untuvat. Näinkö se käykin? mietti Muumipeikko. Ja minä kun luulin, että lumi kasvaa alhaalta päin!

Man gjemmer ting og så begynner det å lukte.

Hän katsoi jasmiinipensasta, jossa paljaat oksat olivat huolimattomasti sikin sokin, ja ajatteli kauhistuneena: Se on huollut. Koko maailma on kuollut minun nukkuessani. Tämä maailma kuuuluu jollekin toiselle, jota minä en tunne. Ehkä Mörölle. Tätä ei ole luotu muumipeikkojen asuinpaikaksi.

The Hemulen slid down onto the grass completely exhausted. "Oh!" he moaned. "There has never been anything but trouble and danger since I came into the Moomin family.

She was tired and in no mood for anyone's similes but her own.

Det var en som kom til mamma og sa: "Deres datter er usedvanlig, hun snakker aldri stygt om noen." Jeg husker det, jeg husker det helt tydelig. Men hvorfor? Stolte jeg på dem? Eller var det bare et spørsmål om å tilgi?

You first fight the waves, then you turn around and ride the surf, sailing along like a cork among the little rainbows of the foam, and land laughing and just a little frightened in the sand.

Sannheten må slås inn med harde spiker, men ikke noe menneske kan slå spiker i en madrass!

You can believe what you like, but you must learn to be tolerant." "What does that mean?" asked the child sullenly. "That means respecting other people's convictions." What are convictions?" Sophia screamed and stamped her foot. "Letting others believe what they want to believe!" her grandmother shouted back. (p.38)

Spika på du bara, man måste skynda sig medan man har lust.

Teraz chÅ'odna jesieÅ" wkroczy do Doliny Muminków. Bo inaczej jak?e mogÅ'aby znowu przyj?? wiosna?

One summer morning at sunrise a long time ago I met a little girl with a book under her arm. I asked her why she was out so early and she answered that there were too many books and far too little time. And there she was absolutely right.

I only want to live in peace, plant potatoes and dream!

You can't ever be really free if you admire somebody too much.

I love borders. August is the border between summer and autumn; it is the most beautiful month I know. Twilight is the border between day and night, and the shore is the border between sea and land. The border is longing: when both have fallen in love but still haven't said anything. The border is to be on the way. It is the way that is the most important thing.

It is simply this: do not tire, never lose interest, never grow indifferent—lose your invaluable curiosity and you let yourself die. It's as simple as that.