Comet In Moominland (Swedish title Kometjakten / Mumintrollet på kometjakt / Kometen kommer) is the first in the series of Tove Jansson's Moomins books, published in 1946. An earlier story The Little Trolls and the Big Flood exists, but Comet in Moominland is generally accepted to be the first novel in the series as it introduces many of the main characters, and is set in Moominvalley.
It was later made into an animated Japanese movie, Tanoshii Moomin Ikka: Muumindani no Suisei .
Plot summary
Moomintroll and his friend Sniff go into the forest and find a mysterious path. They follow it and meet the Muskrat and the silk monkey. They go pearl fishing, and then discover a cave. However, they get scared when they see a comet in the sky above Moominvalley, which the Muskrat tells them may well destroy the valley. So they set off in a boat to the Observatory in the Lonely Mountains to ask the Professor if the comet will destroy the Earth. At first they get attacked by crocodiles who eat their trousers. They then meet Snufkin, who joins them, and Sniff has a run in with a giant lizard after he tries to steal its shiny pebbles. The boat gets stuck in a cave and they almost fall into a dark hole when they are rescued by a Hemulen. They find the observatory, and the scientists tell them the exact time that the comet will arrive. Moomintroll saves the Snork Maiden from a deadly bush, and she and her brother Snork join them on their way back to Moominvalley. On the way they pop into the village store and buy each other gifts, and then attend a party in the forest. The heat from the comet has dried up the sea, and the group has to cross it on stilts. On the way they meet the Hemulen again, who follows them home. At home, they find that Moominmamma has baked a welcome home cake, and they all flee to a cave, along with the Muskrat, Silk Monkey, and the Hemulen. However, the comet passes by and doesn't hit the valley. The friends rejoice.
Trivia
The English book is a translation of the first version of Jansson's book, which she was later to substantially revise. The new edition, Kometen kommer, which was published in 1968 contains a number of differences compared to Kometjakten which the English version is translated from; for instance, in the newer version, the Silk Monkey was changed for a kitten which Sniff befriends.
Quotes
- "An astounding tale that will grip the attention of any child aged 5-9, and be sure not to miss the play either! " -Bernerd Singh
External links
Template:Child-book-stub
Template:The Moomin Series
et:Sabatäht sv:Kometen kommer