The stories from the Moominvalley have been popular with children from all over the world for several decades. Their author Tove Jansson is a Finnish author writing in Swedish and she also decorates her books with original drawings of hers. She started to publish books for children as early as 1945. The first one was called Småtrollen och den stora översvämningen (1945) and it was there that she introduced the kind of world and atmosphere that appear in her eight Moomin books that followed. They have all been an enormous success, but it was especially the second one Trollkarlens hatt (1948) that brought her world-wide popularity and that was her breakthrough in the English-speaking countries. Her books have been translated into more than 20 languages. The characters from these books also appear in Tove Jansson’s other works (picture books and cartoons).

As far as the English and Czech translations are concerned, I want to give a brief survey of them below. I’ll give the original title and the year of publishing followed by the English title, translator and year of publishing and the Czech title, translator and year of publishing:

As one can observe from the survey, it was Moominsummer Madness that was the first Moomin book issued in Britain. Nevertheless, it wasn’t before Finn Family Moomintroll that the Moomin books started to be really popular as can be documented on the short time between the Swedish publishing and the issue of the respective English translation. Moreover, all of the books have been reprinted at least once, with Tales from Moominvalley topping the list with at least 8 reprints (until 1987).

The history of the Czech translations of Tove Jansson’s Moomin books is a more complicated one. It has to do with the person of the translator who was not loyal to the communist regime and could therefore not get his translations easily published. There may be other reasons in addition to this one. But the truth is that Moomin books are widely known in the Czech society and they are rather popular here.

Before I start discussing Trollkarlens hatt and its translations into Czech and English, I want to focus on a specific problem that a translator of Moomin books faces. It is the names of the figures that appear in the stories. The names are all invented. Some of them refer to a specific characteristic of a given character (e.g. Sniff – Sniff – Čenich).1) Some are partly of the same type, partly containing a Swedish nonsense word or a word-building morpheme (e.g. snusmumriken – Snufkin – Šňupálek). Some are names with no traceable motivation at all but with an onomatopoetic effect (e.g. hattifnattarna – Hattifatteners – hatifnati). I would like to discuss some details of the problem with the translation of the names and how the respective translators have coped with it on the bases of the chart below:2)

There are different aspects to be discussed. The first one is the use of capital letters with the names. In the Swedish original there is only one name that is written with a capital letter: Sniff. With the rest of the names the author has preferred not to start them with a capital letter, thus indicating that they are probably more representatives for a species than individuals as such. In other words, there might be several individuals of the ”kind” labeled as mumintrollet, muminmamman, muminpappan, snusmumrik, snorken, hemulen etc. In both translations, however, the names starting with capital letters prevail. In fact, there is only one name in the English version that only occasionally appears without a capital letter – hemulen. The thing that is interested as far as this name is concerned, moreover, is that the translator has simply taken over the Swedish name, more specifically its version with the definite article.3) On the other hand, she chose to use indefinite forms with the names of e.g. Snork and the Snork Maiden. The problem of the name of the Snork Maiden is that in Swedish it is derived from snorken (Snork – Ferko) with the Swedish word for maiden used as the second half of the compound. Neither in English nor in Czech such a type of word-formation is as usual as in Swedish or even possible. Therefore, the translators were forced to find another solution. Elisabeth Portch chose, as mentioned above, to use the indefinite form of the original Swedish name for snorken and for his counterpart she chose to call her the Snork Maiden, thus keeping both the notion of the two characters belonging together and difference between them. The Czech translator also kept the two principles when naming the two characters. However, he decided to use names completely different from the Swedish original for both of them. This move is absolutely legitimate. To a certain extent, however, there is a trouble when he is using the capital letters in the names of those two characters. In the comment of the author on page 34 in the Czech translation it says: ”Ferky v rozrušení často mění barvu.” This indicates exactly the same thing as the Swedish name without the capital letter, namely that slečna Ferka (the Snork Maiden) is not a name of an individual but rather of a whole species. The same method was used in naming the parents of Moomintrollet. In Czech it is not possible to make a compound as in Swedish and English, therefore the translator has chosen a common Czech way of referring to one’s parents – possessive form plus noun. Bambul for hemulen and hatifnati for hattifnattarna seem to be, on the other hand, rather successful translations; the first name referring to the clumsy ways of the character and the second to the original name, both of them, moreover, playing with the sound. By calling Sniff for Čenich and snusmumriken for Šňupálek the author keeps the basic meaning (uses the roots of the words with the same meaning). In the case of Šňupálek he also makes use of a common Czech word-building morpheme, which makes the name sound and look Czech.

The question to be answered here is: ”What makes the Moomin stories so popular with readers?” It is a complex question that requires a complex answer. I don’t think I can provide you with this kind of answer on such a limited space but I want to mention at least some of the possible reasons.

First of all, the characters of the stories are specific imaginary beings. In Swedish they are referred to as beings, in Czech as animals. They have a specific appearance that was given to them by the author who illustrated her books herself. What is clear is that they live in a close contact with nature. The cycle of the year and several natural phenomena (storm, flood, thunder, volcanic eruption, comet etc.) play important roles in the stories. The characters are confronted with them; often the confrontation is of scary character to begin with. But security is always sooner or later achieved. There is a lot of adventure in the Moomin books, often connected with danger or even threats. The ending, however, is always happy and harmonising. Another important factor is the usage of humour. Both the stories and the illustrations are full of subtle humour that makes the reading even more enjoyable. There are also some really serious topics that are touched in the Moomin stories, e.g. loneliness, friendship, the lack of communication, mutual help. Thus, the Moomin stories have both something common with fairy-tales and with books dealing with everyday human problems. This combination certainly is an another characteristic that makes the stories special and popular.

Finally, I want to quote Tove Jansson explaining her way of writing:4)

To begin with, I want to specify what material I have been using for this analysis. Because of the specific nature of the task – an analysis of two translations of a book, I had to face several difficulties during the preparation stage. The most serious one has been the access to the primary sources. It has proved to be almost impossible to find the Swedish original and the two translations of the respective book here in Brno. Therefore, I had to give in and make do with an incomplete English translation. In the catalogue to a Tove Jansson’s exhibition called The Dangerous Life in Moominvalley that was on view from March 1 to October 12, 1997 in Tampere Art Museum in Finland, I found several extracts from several Moomin books. As the original of Trollkarlens hatt was the most easily accessible one, I decided to analyse this book and for the English version to use the extracts from the catalogue. They are claimed to be direct quotations. Therefore I believe that by analysing them, one can to a certain extent get a picture of the English translation as such. On the other hand, I don’t want to claim that the results of the analysis are completely reliable, precisely because I haven’t read and analysed the whole book.

The extracts analysed can be found in the appendix. There are eight of them; for each of them it is specified which chapter they come from. There is always the Swedish original coming first, followed by the English translation and the Czech translation. Each of the versions is numbered; there are three different ways of numbering used so that it is easy to refer to specific paragraphs. The Swedish version uses 1, 2, 3…, the English one 1), 2), 3)… and the Czech one 1., 2., 3.…. As will be analysed below, the English translation is leaving out rather large passages of the text. Therefore I decided to use italics for the parts of the text that contain the same meaning in all three language versions.

In extract I the English version is extremely short in comparison with the two other versions. Big parts of the text have been left out. I have been unable to think of any reason for this move. I want, however, try to explain its consequences. By leaving paragraphs 3-5 out, it seems not to be clear who is at the scene (unless it is specified by the context that I don’t have) and, which is probably even more important, what the reactions of the individual characters are. The characters develop throughout the whole story and their development is rather important for the understanding of the characters as such. Moreover, the reader is deprived of the slight indication of the fact that the friends are playing a trick on the Ant-lion and that it in fact is a risky undertaking. The excitement and tension are not present.

The Czech version corresponds almost completely with the original, also as far as the rhythm and sound of the sentences is concerned. E.g. in 1. the translator uses a rhythm pattern and sounds that are not the same as in the original but that evoke the same feeling – the feeling of horror. All subtle indications of different attitudes, as well as the poetic nature of the text and its humour are preserved. This is true for the whole Czech translation. That is why I will only comment some nuances or solutions that I find either unhappy or rather well handled with.

In this extract I want to comment on one thing. It is a completely legitimate decision of the translator to make the text’s content clearer for the readers. In 6. the translator has chosen to add a piece of information that is not present in the original (6). The inserted words ”ne v jámě” don’t express anything new; they just stress the fact that is indicated by the expression ”tady nahoře”. The translator felt that the absence of the explicit explanation could lead to misunderstanding or at least slight confusion and decided to prevent it from happening.

In this extract the parts of the text that are missing in the English translation are longer and the absence of information they contain of more serious. In 1) there are several discrepancies that can cause serious understanding problems.

In the original version the Ant-lion backs down into a jar that is hidden in the sand. He is encouraged to do it by Moomintroll and his friends who want to take a revenge on the Ant-lion who once caught Moominmamma and besides find out whether the hat has a magic power or not. That is why they play a trick on the Ant-lion, catch him in the jar, take him home and then put him into the hat that is covered up by a thick book (Dictionary of Outlandish Words) so that he can’t get out and eat them. After a while the hat starts transforming the sand into water, the dictionary starts shrinking, the words creep from it and escape the water by climbing up the walls, and in the end, the Ant-lion appears in the form of the world’s smallest hedgehog.

In the English translation the whole background for the story is missing. I’m attempted to believe that this must be a problem of the extract having been cut down by somebody who did not read it at all. If this is not the case and the extract is taken directly from the original translation, then the reader must be completely confused not having been provided with any information on the background and on what is in fact happening.

On the other hand, the Czech translation sticks to the original. The only thing that is slightly less clear, is the notion of the experiment. While the word ”experimenterar” (”experiments”) is used in 16, the Czech translation uses the expression ”podniká” (”undertakes”). But the context provides the reader with sufficient information to find out this.

In this part, both translations have managed to keep the atmosphere of the scene – both its solemnity and danger. In both 1, 1) and 1. the language used is pompous, rhythmical, poetic and uses alliterations. In the Swedish and Czech versions this is further graded in respectively 2 and 2.; in the English version there is a rather important part missing again. It is the description of Snufkin’s vision. It is a description of nature full of contrasts and tensions, a description of nature in metamorphosis. This description forms the background for the vision of the Hobgoblin. Snufkin catches the sight of him just for a short while but it is an important event for him as he learns that the person of the Hobgoblin does exist and is not only a legend. The personal experience of a supernatural power is very deep and has enormous effects on him.

Moreover, the atmosphere in the tent depicted in 3 and 3. plays a role in the whole story as well. Therefore there is, in my opinion, no point leaving it out.

Also here a part of the extract is missing in the English translation. Here, however, the effects of this are not directly harmful. The parts that are missing don’t tell anything new; they just underline the part that is there. Both the meaning and the notion of dialogue and of Snufkin being the more experienced one than Moomintrollet are kept.

In the Czech version, there is an interesting detail that I want to focus on. In 3 it says: ”Håll dig alldeles stilla…”. The Czech translation goes as follows: ”Zůstaň ležet…”. I don’t believe that this expression contains the notion of the importance of staying quiet as it is explicitly expressed in Swedish. This has completely disappeared. Thus, whereas the English version suggests that by disturbing Hattifatteners even by sounds one might get an electric shock, the Czech version seems to me to suggest that one can only get it if one moves and touches upon them. This certainly is a small nuance but it appears to be rather strange if one takes into consideration how precise the Czech translation is in other places.

As far as I can judge it, I think that both of the translations are good in this extract. What I find to be interesting to mention are the different ways of expressing the meaning in the three individual languages. While passive is used in Swedish that causes a closer focus on the activity in progress, English and Czech both use the indefinite subject ”they”. From the context it is clear whom the pronoun represents. I have been unable to figure out why the English translator has chosen not to use passive here. Passive is used rather frequently in English but maybe she found this kind of construction too difficult for the target reader. In Czech the choice of the active construction is completely legitimate, as passive is more scarcely used and would in this context sound rather unnaturally.

In the English translation the process of thinking and getting ideas disappears that is stressed in the original by its reoccurrence. The fact that the reader is not made familiar with where it happens and what the character does in-between is of less importance.

An interesting detail is how the three languages express the notion of the hemulen using his enormous power. The expression ”överhemula” consists of a prefix ”över” meaning ”more than” and ”hemula” is an attempt to make an adjective from the basic form of the noun ”hemul”. It is a skilful play with the tools of word-formation in Swedish. And both translators have done the same in their respective languages using the tools of word-formation and skilfully handling the individual words.

As far as this extract is concerned, I have a comment to the Czech translation for a change. It is interesting how the notion of feeling the evil of the Groke is supressed. In 2. it says: ”Nedalo se však pochybovat, že je děsně zlá…” (”There was no doubt that she was terribly evil…”). Whereas both in 2 and 2) the explicit expressions for ”feeling” are contained, the Czech translation avoids an equivalent of this and uses a milder expression as far as the effects on each person individually is concerned.

The English translation quite inexplicably skips the description of the being and the information about where she sat. Thus the horror of the observers and the nature of the being is not presented.

In both 3 and 1) in the sentence ”And that was awful.” there is a typographical tool used in order to stress the fact. In 3. it is, however, not necessary as the translator chose such a strongly marked way of putting it that there is no doubt that he can reach the same effect by using it without any additional underlining.

An interesting detail to observe here is the way the three languages express the rather pompous and unusual expression ”O, ljuvlighet,…”. The Czech version is probably the most ”ordinary” one. It is, however, so poetic in the whole passage that the fact that this one expression is rather milder in effect does not really matter.

Before I try to sum up the results of my analysis I want to repeat once more that the material I have been using for the analysis has not been ideal. I haven’t been able to get a complete version of the English translation and have therefore used only extracts of it published in an exhibition catalogue. I cannot be completely sure about the fact that the extracts published there were direct quotations as it is stated there. This is supported by the fact that in some of the extracts there is so much important information missing that it makes the text almost incomprehensible and inaccessible to the reader. However, I have the feeling that there are some other phenomena that I have been able to comment on that are as important as those mentioned above.

As far as the Czech translation of the book is concerned, it seems to be a very good piece of writing. It corresponds with the original in the meaning, as well as register and the use of subtle humour and is, moreover, directed to the same age group. There are only some nuances that can be discussed as possibly questionable. But this translation certainly manages to express many of the same values and feelings as the Swedish original.

1. I detsamma stack ett hotfullt huvud med blängande ögon upp ur sandgropen.
2. Sa du svag! fräste myrlejonet. Jag gräver ner mig på tre sekunder, varken mer eller mindre!
3. Fabror borde nog visa oss hur det går till ifall vi ska tro på det, sa mumintrollet inställsamt.
4. Jag ska sprätta sand på er, sa myrlejonet argt. Och när jag har sprättat ner er i min grop sak jag äta upp er!
5. Nej, nej, bad snorken förskräckt. Visa oss hellre hur man kryper ner baklänges på tre sekunder!
6. Gör det här uppe så ser vi bättre hur det går till, sa mumintrollet och pekade på den fläck där burken var nergrävd.
7. Tror ni jag bryr mig om att göra konster för småungar, sa myrlejonet hånfullt. Men han kunde inte motstå frestelsen att visa dem hur stark och snabb han var. Under föraktfulla fnysningar klättrade han upp ur sin grop och frågade högdraget: Nå, var ska jag gräva ner mig?
8. Här, sa mumintrollet och pekade.
9. Myrlejonet drog upp axlarna och lät manen resa sig på ett skräckinjagande sätt.
10. Pass på! skrek han. Nu går jag under jorden, men när jag kommer tillbaka äter jag upp er! Ett, två, tre! (p.35-37)

1. At the moment a threatening head with staring eyes popped up from the hole in the sand.
2. Did you say weak?, hissed the Ant-lion. – I can dig myself down in exactly three seconds!
3. Couldn’t you show us how to dig down backwards in three seconds? (p. 11)

1. V tu chvíli se z jámy vynořila hrůzostrašná hlava s vytřeštěnýma očima.
2. ”Říkals slabá zvířata?” zasyčel mravkolev. ”Zahrabu se za pouhé tři vteřiny, abys věděl.”
3. ”Tak nám to, strýčku, ukaž a my ti uvěříme,” řekl muminek lichotivě.
4. ”Oslepím vás pískem,” vykřikl mravkolev vztekle. ”Hodím vás do své jámy, zahážu vás pískem a pak sním, uvidíte!”
5. ”To ne,” žadonil zděšený Ferko. ”Raději nám ukaž, jak se za tři vteřiny pozpátku zahrabeš!”
6. ”Udělej to tady nahoře, ne v jámě, abychom lépe viděli, jak se to dělá,” dodal muminek a ukázal na místo, kde byla zahrabána sklenice.
7. ”Vy si myslíte, že budu předvádět své umění takovým škvrňatům?” křikl mravkolev posměšně. Neodolal však pokušení, aby jim ukázal, jak je silný a rychlý. S pohrdavým supěním vylezl ze své jámy a zeptal se povýšeně:
8. ”Tak kam se mám zahrabat?”
9. ”Tady,” ukázal mu muminek.
10. Mravkolev skrčil ramena a úděsně naježil hřívu.
11. ”Tak dávejte pozor!” vykřikl. ”Teď zmizím pod zemí, ale až se vrátím, sním vás! Raz, dva, tři!” (p.32-33)

1. From Chapter Two

1. Som en snurrande propeller backade myrlejonet ner i sanden, rakt ner i burken som var gömd under honom. Det gick verkligen på tre sekunder, eller kanske snarare på två och en halv, för han var så hemskt arg.
2. Fort på med locket! skrek mumitrollet. De krafsade undan sanden och skruvade på locket med stor kraft. Sen lyfte de med förenade ansträngningar upp burken och började rulla den hemåt. Myrlejonet skrek och gormade därinne men hans röst kvävdes av sanden.
3. Det var otäckt vad han är arg, sa snorken. Jag vågar inte tänka på vad som skulle hända om han kom ut!
4. Han kommer inte ut, sa mumintrollet lugnt. Och när han gör det hoppas jag han blir förvandlad till nånting förskräckligt!
5. När de kom fram till muminhuset samlade mumintrollet sina vänner genom att sticka tassarna i munnen och ge till tre långa visslingar, (vilket betydde: nånting oerhört har hänt).
6. De andra kom farande från alla håll och samlade sig runt burken med skruvlock.
7. Vad har ni där? frågade Sniff.
8. Ett myrlejon, sa mumintrollet stolt. Ett äkta, ilsket myrlejon som vi har fångat!
9. Tänk att ni vågade, utbrast snorkfröken beundrande.
10. Och nu tänker vi hälla ut honom i hatten, sa snorken.
11. Så att han blir förvandlad till ett spökdjur, som jag blev, sa mumintrollet.
12. Prata ordentligt så man begriper nånting, bad hemulen.
13. Det var för att jag gömde mig i denhär hatten som jag förvandlades, förklarade mumintrollet. Det har vi räknat ut. Och nu ska vi kontrollera saken genom att se om myrlejonet också blir nånting annat.
14. Men han kan ju bli vadsomhelst! skrek Sniff. Han kan bli nånting ännu farligare än ett myrlejon och äta upp oss allihop!
15. De stod en stund i skrämd tystnad och tittade på burken och lyssnade till de dämpade ljuden därinifrån. Voj, voj, sa snorkfröken ängsligt och förlorade färgen.*
16. Vi gömmer oss under bordet medan han förvandlas och lägger en tjock bok över hatten, föreslog snusmumriken. Man måste alltid ta risker när man experimenterar! Tippa över honom nu med detsamma!
17. Sniff störtade in under bordet och gömde sig. Mumintrollet, snusmumriken och hemulen höll burken över Trollkarlens hatt och snorkfröken skruvade ängsligt av locket. I ett moln av sand ramlade myrlejonet ner i hatten, och blixtsnabbt lade snorken ett lexikon med utländska ord över alltsammans. Sen rusade allihop under bordet och gömde sig. Först hände ingenting.
18. De tittade fram under bordduken och väntade i stigande oro. Ingen förändring.
19. Det var bara jox, sa Sniff.
20. I detsamma började lexikonet med utländska ord att skrynkla ihop sig. Sniff bet hemulen i tummen av ren upphetsning.
21. Se upp, sa hemulen argt. Du bet mig i tummen!
22. Oj, ursäkta, sa Sniff. Jag trodde det var min!
23. Nu krullade lexikonet ihop sig mer och mer. Bladen började likna vissna löv. Och mellan dem kröp alla de utländska orden ut och började kravla omkring på golvet.
24. Det var det värsta! sa mumintrollet.
25. Men nu hände nånting igen. Det började droppa från hattbrättena. Det rann. Floder av vatten plaskade ner på mattan så att de utländska orden fick rädda sig uppåt väggarna.
26. Myrlejonet har bara blivit vatten, sa snusmumriken besviken.
27. Jag tror det är sanden, viskade snorken. Myrlejonet kommer nog om en stund.
28. De väntade under olidlig spänning. Snorkfröken gömde huvudet i mumintrollets famn och Sniff pep av förskräckelse. Då visade sig plötsligt världens minsta igelkott på hattkanten. (p. 37-40)

1. The Ant-lion backed down into the sand like a whirling propeller, right into the jar which was hidden under him. Snork put a Dictionary of Outlandish Words on top. Suddenly, on the edge of the hat, appeared the world’s smallest hedgehog. (p. 11)

1. A jako vířící lodní šroub se zavrtal do písku – rovnou do láhve, která v něm byla ukryta. Opravdu to trvalo tři vteřiny, možná jenom dvě a půl, protože měl tak strašný vztek.
2. ”Podej mi rychle víčko!” křikl muminek. Odhrnuli písek a důkladně víčko zašroubovali. Potom láhev spojenými silami vyhrabali a kutáleli ji domů. Uvězněný mravkolev křičel a láteřil, ale písek jeho hlas tlumil.
3. ”To je hrozné, jak je zlý,” pravil Ferko. ”Nechci ani pomyslet, co by se stalo, kdyby se dostal ven!”
4. ”Ven se nedostane,” odpověděl muminek klidně. ”A když se dostane, tak bude proměněný v něco strašného!”
5. Když přišli k domu muminů, svolal muminek všechny své přátele tím, že si strčil tlapky do pusy a třikrát dlouze zahvízdal. (Trojí hvízdnutí znamenalo, že se stalo něco neslýchaného.)
6. Zvířátka se seběhla ze všech stran a shromáždila se kolem láhve se zašroubovaným víčkem.
7. ”Co to tam máte?” zeptal se Čenich.
8. ”Mravkolva,” odpověděl muminek hrdě. ”Pravého, vzteklého mravkolva. Chytili jsme ho.”
9. ”Vy jste měli tu odvahu?” vykřikla slečna Ferka s obdivem.
10. ”A teď ho chceme hodit do klobouku,” dodal Ferko.
11. ”Aby se proměnil v příšeru jako já,” doplnil ho muminek.
12. ”Mluvte jasně, vůbec vám nerozumím,” ozval se bambul.
13. ”Schoval jsem se v tomhle klobouku, a proto jsem se proměnil v příšeru,” vysvětlil mu muminek. ”K tomu jsme došli. A teď si všechno ověříme. Podíváme se, jestli se mravkolev také v něco promění.”
14. ”On se ale může proměnit v cokoliv!” vykřikl Čenich. ”Co když se změní v něco ještě nebezpečnějšího než mravkolev a všechny nás sní?”
15. Toho se všichni polekali. Chvíli mlčky stáli, hleděli na láhev a poslouchali tlumené zvuky, které se z ní ozývaly.
16. ”Ach, ach!” zanaříkala slečna Ferka a ztratila barvu.*
17. ”Schováme se pod stůl, když se bude proměňovat, a na klobouk položíme nějakou silnou knihu,” navrhl Šňupálek. ”Když se něco podniká, tak se musí riskovat! Jenom ho do klobouku vysypejte!”
18. Čenich se rychle schoval pod stůl. Muminek, Šňupálek a bambul podrželi láhev nad čarodějovým kloboukem a slečna Ferka opatrně odšroubovala víčko. Písek s mravkolvem a mrakem prachu se vysypal do klobouku a Ferko na všechno bleskurychle položil slovník cizích slov. Potom se všichni běželi schovat pod stůl. Napřed se nedělo nic.
19. Vykukovali zpod ubrusu a s rostoucím neklidem čekali, co bude. Pořád nic.
20. ”Je to všechno podraz!” prohlásil Čenich.
21. V tu chvíli se však slovník cizích slov začal smršťovat. Čenich kousl rozčilením bambula do palce.
22. ”Co děláš?” obořil se na něho bambul. ”Kousls mě do palce!”
23. ”Jé, promiň!” odpověděl Čenich. ”Myslel jsem, že je to můj.”
24. Slovník se smršťoval čím dál víc. Jeho listy se začaly podobat zvadlému listí. A všechna cizí slova z něho vylézala a začala se rozlézat po podlaze.
25. ”Hrom do toho!” vyjekl muminek.
26. Tu se ale přihodilo ještě něco. Ze střechy klobouku začalo krápat. A krápání se změnilo v potoky vody stékající na koberec tak vydatně, že cizí slova musela vylézt na stěny, aby se zachránila.
27. ”Tak mravkolev se proměnil jenom ve vodu,” řekl Šňupálek zklamaně.
28. ”Já myslím, že je to proměněný písek,” zašeptal Ferko. ”Mravkolev se objeví asi až za chvíli.”
29. Za nepředstavitelného napětí čekali dál. Slečna Ferka si schovala hlavu v muminkově náruči a Čenich pištěl hrůzou. Tu se na střeše klobouku objevil ježek, snad nejmenší na světě. (p. 33-35)

1. From Chapter Three

1. Högtidligt mullrande tågade åskvädret upp från söder. Det spände sina svarta segel över havet, det växte över halva himlen och blixtarna flämtade olycksbådande.
2. Det kommer rakt över ön, tänkte snusmumriken med en ilning av fröjd och spänning. Han såg rätt in i ovädret där det vandrade fram över havet. Och plötsligt såg snusmumriken en liten svart ryttare på en svart häst. De syntes bara ett ögonblick mot molnväggens kritvita kam, ryttarens kappa flög ut som en vinge, de steg högre… Så var de försvunna i en bländande svärm av blixtar, solen var borta och regnet kom farande som en grå gardin över sjön. Jag har sett Trollkarlen! tänkte snusmumriken. Det måste ha varit Trollkarlen och hans svarta panter! De finns verkligen, de är inte bara en gammal saga…
3. Snusmumriken vände och skuttade tillbaka över stranden. Det var nätt och jämnt han klarade sig in i tältet. Tunga droppar slog redan i segelduken som smällde i stormen. Fast det var flera timmar kvar till kvällen sveptes hela världen i mörker. Sniff hade rullat in sig hel och hållen i en filt för han var rädd för åskan. De andra satt hopkrupna bredvid varandra. Tältet doftade starkt av hemulens blommor. Nu brakade åskan helt nära. Gång på gång fylldes deras gömställe av blixtarnas vita ljus. Dånande drog åskvädret sina järnvagnar runt himlen, och havet kastade i raseri sina största vågor mot den ensliga ön. (p. 67-68)

1. Rumbling solemnly the thunder-storm came up from the south. It spread its black sail over the sea; it spread over the half the sky and the lightning flashed with an ominous glint. Snufkin just reached the tent in time, for heavy drops of rain were already hitting the sail-cloth and it was being whipped about in the wind.
2. The thunder rumbled round the sky like a great train while the sea hurled its biggest waves against Lonely Island. (p. 12)

1. Bouře se slavnostním rachotem hromů přicházela od jihu. Napjala nad mořem své černé plachty, pokryla polovinu nebe a šlehala zlověstnými blesky.
2. Jde to přímo na ostrov, myslel si Šňupálek s pocitem radosti a vzrušení. Hleděl rovnou do nepohody blížící se od moře. A najednou Šňupálek spatřil malého černého jezdce na černém koni. Bylo je vidět pouze okamžik na křídově bílém hřebeni hradby mračen, jezdcův plášť vlál jako peruť, stoupali výš a výš… Zmizeli v oslnivém světle křižujících se blesků. Slunce se ztratilo a nad mořem se jako šedivá záclona spustil déšť. Viděl jsem čaroděje! myslel si Šňupálek. Určitě to byl čaroděj se svým černým pardálem! Doopravdy jsou, není to jenom nějaká pohádka…
3. Šňupálek se obrátil a co nejrychleji běžel zpátky. Do stanu doběhl právě včas. Na plachtu, třepotající se v bouři, už tloukly těžké kapky. Ačkoliv do večera zbývalo několik hodin, byl celý svět pohroužen do temnoty. Čenich se až po uši zabalil do přikrývky, protože se bouřky bál. Ostatní seděli schouleni vedle sebe. Ve stanu pronikavě voněly bambulovy květiny. Teď uhodil hrom úplně blízko. Chvílemi osvětlovalo jejich úkryt bílé světlo blesků. Rachot bouře se rozléhal po celém nebi a moře zběsile vrhalo své obrovské vlny na osamělý ostrov. (p. 59-61)

1. From Chapter Four

1. Där var nånting! Små ljus… Blekt lysande skepnader som tassade fram och tillbaka mellan de sovande. Mumintrollet ruskade snusmumriken vaken.
2. Ser du! viskade han förfärad. Spöken!
3. Nej, sa snusmumriken. Det är hatifnattarna. Åskvädret har gjort dem elektriska, det är därför de lyser. Håll dig alldeles stilla, annars kan du få en elektrisk stöt! (p. 71-72)

1. Pale gleaming shapes that pattered to and fro between the sleepers. Moomintroll was terrified and woke Snufkin. Those are Hattifatteners. The thundery weather has electrified them – that’s why they shine so. Keep quite still, otherwise you might get an electric shock. (p. 12)

1. Jakási světýlka… matně svítící přízraky, které se neslyšně ploužily mezi spícími. Muminek zatřásl Šňupálkem a probudil ho.
2. ”Podívej se!” zašeptal vystrašeně. ”Strašidla!”
3. ”Kdepak,” odpověděl Šňupálek. ”To jsou hatifnati. Bouře je nabila elektřinou, proto svítí. Zůstaň ležet, jinak dostaneš elektrickou ránu.” (p. 64)

1. From Chapter Five

1. Fällkniven bands stadigt fast i fånglinan med en bit ståltråd som hemulen hade i fickan, pannkakan fästes på kniven och alltihop sänktes i havet. (p. 102)

1. They tied the pocket-knife firmly to the painter with a bit of wire that the Hemulen had in his skirt-pocket, they stuck the pancake on the knife, and dropped the whole lot overboard. (p. 12)

1. Pevně přivázali zavírací nůž ke kotevnímu lanu kouskem ocelového drátu, který měl bambul v kapse, navlékli na něj lívanec a všechno hodili do moře. (p. 90)

1. From Chapter Five

1. Då fick hemulen en idé. Han samlade ihop en väldig hög ris och grenar, gick till vedboden efter tändstickor, och så tände han ett sprakande bål mitt på trädgårdsgången.
2. Nöjd och glad satte sig hemulen bredvid brasan och torkade sin klänning. Om en stund fick han en idé till. Med överhemula krafter drog han mamelukens stjärt in i elden. (p. 113)

1. The hemulen collected a huge pile of sticks and branches, and then lit a crackling bonfire. With super-Hemulenish strength he dragged the Mameluke’s tail into the fire. (p. 12)

1. Tu dostal bambul nápad. Nasbíral velikánskou hromadu proutí a listí, donesl si ze dřevníku zápalky a podpálil uprostřed cesty v zahradě jiskřivý táborák.
2. Spokojený a šťastný pak usedl k ohni a vysušil si šaty. Za chvilku dostal další nápad. S nadbambulovskými silami vtáhl do ohně mamelukův ocas. (p. 100)

1. From Chapter Six

1. Då – såg de Mårran. Varenda en såg henne. Hon satt orörlig på sandgången nedanför trappan och stirrade på dem med runda, uttryckslösa ögon.
2. Hon var inte särskilt stor och inte såg hon så farlig ut heller. Man kände bara på sig att hon var förskräckligt elak och kunde vänta hur länge som helst.
3. Och det var hemskt.
4. Ingen kom sig för att anfalla henne. Hon satt kvar en stund, så gled hon bort i trädgårdens mörker. Men där hon suttit hade marken frusit. (p. 122)

1. Co tam ale nebylo – Morana! Všichni ji uviděli. Seděla nehybně pod schody na cestičce posypané pískem a civěla na ně svýma kulatýma, bezvýraznýma očima.
2. Nebyla nějak moc velká a nevypadala zvlášť nebezpečně. Nedalo se však pochybovat, že je děsně zlá a že je schopna čekat nekonečně dlouho.
3. A právě to bylo hrozné!
4. Nikomu nepřišlo na mysl, aby ji napadl. Ještě chvilku tak seděla a pak zmizela v temnotě zahrady. Tam, kde seděla, však byla zmrzlá půda. (p. 106-107)

1. From the Last Chapter

1. O, ljuvlighet, att när man har ätit upp allt, druckit ur allt, talat om allt och dansat sina ben trötta gå hem i den tysta timmen före soluppgången för att sova!
2. Trollkarlen flyger till världens ände och musmodern kryper ner under sin grästuva men båda är lika lyckliga. (157-158)

1. Oh, what a wonderful feeling when you have eaten up everything, drunk everything, talked of everything and danced your feet off, to go home in the quiet hour before the dawn to sleep! And now the Hobgoblin flies to the end of the world and the Mother Mouse creeps into her nest, and one is as happy as the other. (p.11)

1. A když všechno snědli a vypili, když si všechno pověděli a pořádně se vytančili, odebrali se v tiché hodině před východem slunce domů, aby se vyspali. Nebylo to krásné?
2. Čaroděj odletěl na konec světa a myší maminka zalezla pod svůj drn, oba stejně šťastní. (139)