The Exploits of Moominpappa (Moominpappa's Memoirs)

PUFFIN BOOKS

The Exploits of Moominpappa

Tove Jansson was born in Helsingfors, Finland, in 1914. Her mother was a carcaturist (and designed 165 of Finland's stamps) and her father was a sculptor. Tove Jansson studied painting in Finland, Sweden and France. She lived alone on a small island in the gulf of Finland, where, most of her books were written.

Tove Jansson died in June 2001.

Other books by Tove Jansson

FINN FAMILY MOOMINTROLL
COMET IN MOOMINLAND
MOOMINLAND MIDWINTER
MOOMINSUMMER MADNESS
MOOMINVALLEY IN NOVEMBER
TALES FROM MOOMINVALLEY

Set down and illustrated by

Tove Jansson

The Exploits of Moominpappa

Described by Himself

Translated by Thomas Warburton

PUFFIN BOOKS

PUFFIN BOOKS

Published by the Penguin Group
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First published in English by Ernest Benn Ltd 1952
Published in Puffin Books 1969
21

Copyright 1952 by Tove Jansson
English translation copyright (c) Ernest Benn Ltd, 1966
All rights reserved

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN: 978-0-14-191565-4

CONTENTS

PREFACE

CHAPTER 1

In which I tell of my misunderstood childhood, of the tremendous night of my escape, of the building of my first Moominhouse, and of my historical meeting with Hodgkins.

CHAPTER 2

Introducing the Muddler and the Joxter, and presenting a spirited account of the construction and matchless launching of the houseboat

CHAPTER 3

Recapitulating my first heroic exploit, its staggering outcome, a few thoughts, and my first confrontation with the Niblings.

CHAPTER 4

In which the description of my Ocean voyage culminates in a magnificent tempest and ends in a terrible surprise.

CHAPTER 5

In which (besides giving a little specimen of my intellectual powers), I describe the Mymble family and the Surprise Party which brought me some bewitching tokens of honour from the hand of the Autocrat.

CHAPTER 6

In which I become a Royal Outlaw Colonist and show remarkable presence of mind when meeting the Ghost of Horror Island.

CHAPTER 7

Describing the triumphant unveiling of the Amphibian and its sensational trial dive to the bottom of the sea.

CHAPTER 8

In which I give an account of the circumstances of the Muddler's wedding, further touch on the dramatic night when I first met Moominmamma, and finally write the remarkable closing words of my Memoirs.

EPILOGUE

MOOMIN-GALLERY

PREFACE

I, M
OOMINPAPPA
, am sitting tonight by my window gazing into my garden, where the fireflies embroider their mysterious signs on the velvet dark. Perishable flourishes of a short but happy life!

As a father of a family and owner of a house I look with sadness on the stormy youth I am about to describe.
I
feel a tremble of hesitation in my paw as I poise my memoir-pen.

Still, I draw strength from some words of wisdom I have come across in the memoirs of another remarkable personage: 'Everyone, of whatever walk in life, who has achieved anything good in this world, or thinks he has, should, if he be truth-loving and nice, write about his life, albeit not starting before the age of forty!'

I feel rather nice, and I like truth when it isn't too boring. I will attain the suitable age on 9 August.

Yes, I really think I must yield to Moomintroll's persuasion and to the temptation of talking about myself, of getting into print and being read all over Moominvalley! May my simple notes bring delight and instruction to all Moomins, and especially to my dear son, even if my memory isn't quite what it has been.

And you, foolish little child, who think your father a dignified and serious person, when you read this story of three daddies' adventures you should bear in mind that one daddy is very like another (at least when young).

I believe many of my readers will thoughtfully lift their snout from the pages of this book every once in a while to exclaim: 'What a Moomin!' or: 'This indeed is life!'

Last but not least I want to express my heartfelt thanks to the people who most of all contributed to forming my life into the work of art it has become: Hodgkins, the Hattifatteners, and my wife, the matchless and exceptional Moominmamma.

Moominvalley in August