Pelle Svanslös facts for kids
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| Author | Gösta Knutsson |
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| Country |  Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Published | 1939–1972 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) Audiobook |
Pelle Svanslös is a famous fictional cat from Sweden. In English, his name means Peter-No-Tail (from the film) or Pelle No-Tail (from the books). He was created by the Swedish author Gösta Knutsson. Pelle stars in a popular series of children's books.
Twelve books about Pelle were published between 1939 and 1972. The first eleven books had pictures drawn by Lucie Lundberg. The stories about Pelle are seen as a way to show that good always wins over bad. They also gently make fun of society at the time. These books have been translated into many different languages across Europe.
Contents
Meet Pelle and His Friends
The stories about Pelle Svanslös happen in a city called Uppsala in Sweden. The characters in the books are all cats. But many of them are actually based on real people! Gösta Knutsson, the author, studied at Uppsala University. He met many interesting people there who inspired his cat characters.
Pelle is a very kind and trusting cat. Sometimes, he gets tricked and picked on by Elaka Måns ("Mean Mike"). Måns has two not-so-smart helpers, Bill and Bull. They always agree with Måns, even when they don't quite understand him. But in the end, good things always happen to Pelle. He even finds true love with a cat named Maja Gräddnos ("Maya Cream-nose").
When the books first start, Pelle lives as a house cat with two children, Olle and Birgitta. As he gets older, he moves in with Maja in a small basement home. Over time, the cats in the books start to act more and more like humans. The human world around them is mentioned less often.
Why Pelle Has No Tail
Pelle is special because he doesn't have a tail. That's why his name is "Svanslös," which means "without a tail." When Pelle was just a tiny kitten, a big rat bit his tail off. Pelle was born in the countryside. But a kind family from Uppsala adopted him when he was very young. Some of the other cats sometimes tease Pelle because he doesn't have a tail.
The Book Series
Here are the names of the books in the Pelle Svanslös series:
- Pelle Svanslös på äventyr (1939)
- Pelle Svanslös på nya äventyr (1940)
- Pelle Svanslös i Amerika (1941)
- Pelle Svanslös Klarar sig (1942)
- Hur ska det gå för Pelle Svanslös? (1943)
- Pelle Svanslös och Taxen Max (1944)
- Pelle Svanslös i skolan (1945)
- Heja Pelle Svanslös (1946)
- Pelle Svanslös och Maja Gräddnos (1947)
- Trillingarna Svanslös (1948)
- Alla tiders Pelle Svanslös (1951)
- Pelle Svanslös ger sig inte (1972)
Pelle on Stage and Screen
The stories of Pelle Svanslös have been made into many different shows and movies.
Opera and Theater
In 1949, a children's opera about Pelle Svanslös was performed in Stockholm. It had music by Erland von Koch. This show was so popular that it was performed every year until 2001! In 1990, the stage show was filmed and shown on TV by Sveriges Television. Mark Bartholdsson played Pelle, Iwa Sörenson was Maja Gräddnos, and Magnus Lindén played Elaka Måns.
Animated Films and TV Shows
Pelle's adventures have also been turned into movies. In 1981, an animated film called Peter-No-Tail came out. Mats Åhlfeldt was the voice of Peter, and Ernst-Hugo Järegård voiced Elaka Måns. A second animated movie, Peter-No-Tail in Americat, followed in 1985. Erik Lindgren voiced Peter in this one.
In 1997, Sveriges Television made a live-action TV series called Peter-No-Tail. Björn Kjellman played Peter in this show. Then, in 2000, a live-action movie called Peter-No-Tail and the Great Treasure Hunt was released.
A brand new 2D animated movie musical was planned to be released in January 2020. Its art style is based on the older 1980s films.
Comics and Picture Books
You can also find Pelle Svanslös in picture books. There were even two different comic book series! One comic magazine was published from 1965 to 1972.
Pelle in Space! (Asteroids)
Did you know that some asteroids in space are named after Pelle Svanslös and his friends? An asteroid found in March 1993 was named 8535 Pellesvanslös. Around the same time, other asteroids were discovered and named after characters from the series: 8534 Knutsson (after the author), 8536 Måns, 8537 Billochbull, 8538 Gammelmaja, and 8539 Laban. These asteroids were all named by a Swedish astronomer named Claes-Ingvar Lagerkvist.
