Among Gnomes and Trolls facts for kids
Ännu sitter Tuvstarr kvar och ser ner i vattnet ("Still, Tuvstarr sits and gazes down into the water"), one of the most noted pictures by John Bauer from Among Gnomes and Trolls, 1913
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| Author | Various |
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| Original title | Bland tomtar och troll |
| Illustrator | Various |
| Country | Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
Among Gnomes and Trolls (Swedish: Bland tomtar och troll) is a very popular collection of Swedish fairy tales and folklore. It's published every year and has been around since 1907! It's like a special yearly book filled with magical stories for children. One of the most famous artists who drew pictures for these books was John Bauer. His drawings really helped bring the gnomes and trolls to life.
Contents
Who Created the Magic?
Since it started in 1907, many of Sweden's best writers and artists have worked on Among Gnomes and Trolls. It's amazing that this tradition continues even today!
Famous Artists
The first four books were illustrated by John Bauer. His unique style made the gnomes and trolls look both friendly and a little bit mysterious. After a short break, he came back to illustrate more books from 1912 to 1915.
Later, other talented artists took over. In 1917, Gustaf Tenggren and Aina Masolle became illustrators. Aina Masolle was the first woman to draw for the series! Gustaf Tenggren then illustrated the books by himself for many years. From 1927 to 1980, Einar Norelius was the main artist, followed by Hans Arnold.
Amazing Writers
Many well-known Swedish authors have written stories for Among Gnomes and Trolls. Some of them include Hjalmar Bergman, Helena Nyblom, Margareta Ekström, Gösta Knutsson, and Edith Unnerstad. They created wonderful tales about brave children, tricky trolls, and helpful gnomes.
One of the most famous pictures by John Bauer from the 1913 book is Ännu sitter Tuvstarr kvar och ser ner i vattnet. It shows a princess gazing into a dark forest pond.
What Kinds of Stories?
The books are full of exciting and sometimes spooky stories about creatures from Swedish folklore. You'll read about gnomes, who are often small and wise, and trolls, who can be big, clumsy, or sometimes even friendly.
A Glimpse of the Tales
Here are a few examples of the types of stories you might find in the early books, especially those illustrated by John Bauer:
- Tales of Brave Children: Stories like Pojken som aldrig var rädd ("The boy who was never afraid") tell about kids who face challenges with courage.
- Magical Creatures: You'll meet characters like the Swan maiden (Svanhamnen) or learn about The trolls and the gnome boy (Trollen och tomtepojken).
- Adventures in Nature: Many stories take place in deep forests, by sparkling lakes, or inside mountains, like Sagan om de fyra stortrollen och lille Vill-Vallareman (The tale of the four big trolls and little Vill-Vallareman).
- Royal Encounters: Some tales involve princesses and kings, such as Sagan om äldtjuren Skutt och lilla prinsessan Tuvstarr (The tale of the old bull Skutt and little Princess Tuvstarr).
- Everyday Magic: Even simple things can become magical, like in När trollmor skötte kungens storbyk ("When Mother Troll did the laundry for the king").
These stories often teach lessons about bravery, kindness, and understanding the world around us, all wrapped up in a magical Swedish setting.
Images for kids
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"She wandered alone for hours."–The Swan maiden, John Bauer 1908.
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"Tjovik crept up onto the old troll's lap and stroked his beard."–The trolls and the gnome boy, John Bauer 1909.
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Vill Vallareman (a Fairy Shepherd).
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"Here is a piece of magic herb for you. Something only I can find."–The boy who was never afraid, John Bauer 1912.
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"One evening around midsummer, they went with Bianca Maria deep into the forest."–The Changeling, John Bauer 1913.
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"Once upon a time a prince was out riding in the moonlight."–The ring, John Bauer 1914.
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"Well, how is your appetite? mother Troll continued."–The boy and the troll or The Adventure, John Bauer 1915.
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