The Brothers Lionheart facts for kids
First edition
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| Author | Astrid Lindgren |
|---|---|
| Original title | Bröderna Lejonhjärta |
| Illustrator | Ilon Wikland |
| Country | Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
| Genre | Children's literature Fantasy |
| Publisher | Rabén & Sjögren |
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Publication date
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1973 |
| Pages | 227 pp |
| ISBN | 91-29-40865-2 |
| OCLC | 2012524 |
| LC Class | PZ59.L47 B7 |
The Brothers Lionheart (Swedish: Bröderna Lejonhjärta) is a popular fantasy novel for children. It was written by Astrid Lindgren, a famous Swedish author. The book first came out in 1973 and has been translated into 46 languages. It is one of the most loved children's books in Sweden.
The story is about two brothers, Jonatan and Karl. Jonatan is brave and popular. Karl is his younger brother and looks up to him. Their last name is Lion, but Jonatan is known as "Lionheart" because he is so courageous. Karl's nickname is Skorpan (which means Rusky). Jonatan gave him this name because he loved these Swedish toasts as much as he loved his little brother.
The story begins with Skorpan being very sick with a lung illness. He is not expected to live. Jonatan tries to make him feel better by telling him about Nangijala. This is a magical land beyond death, full of "sagas and campfires." Sadly, Jonatan dies in an accident. Soon after, Skorpan also passes away from his illness. He then wakes up in Nangijala and is reunited with Jonatan. There, Skorpan also gets the name Lionheart. The brothers have many adventures. They join a group fighting against a bad ruler named Tengil. Tengil rules with the help of a scary, fire-breathing dragon called Katla. These adventures make up most of the book.
Some older readers might wonder if the story is all real. It could be Skorpan's dreams and imagination. These dreams might be based on the hopeful stories his brother told him.
What Happens in the Story?
In a city in Sweden, ten-year-old Karl Lejon finds out he is very sick. His older brother, 13-year-old Jonatan, comforts him. Jonatan tells him that after death, everyone goes to a land called Nangijala.
One day, a fire starts in their home. Jonatan bravely carries Karl on his back. He jumps out of a window to save Karl. Jonatan dies from the fall. Karl is very sad about his brother's death. But just before he passes away, he gets a sign that calms his fears. When he wakes up, he is in the Cherry Valley of Nangijala. He is happy to be reunited with Jonatan. Karl meets the people of the valley, like Sofia the dove-keeper and Hubert the hunter. He also takes on the last name Lionheart, just like his brother.
However, Nangijala is not completely peaceful. The nearby Thorn Rose Valley is controlled by a cruel ruler named Tengil. He has an army and a female dragon named Katla. Tengil controls Katla with a special trumpet. The people of Cherry Valley, led by Sofia, are helping the resistance in Thorn Rose Valley. But they know someone from Cherry Valley is helping Tengil. Sofia's white doves, which carry secret messages, are being shot down.
Soon after Karl arrives, Jonatan leaves to help the Thorn Rose people. Karl has a bad dream that Jonatan is in danger. He follows him in the middle of the night. While hiding in a cave, Karl sees two of Tengil's soldiers. They are secretly meeting with Jossi, a landlord from Cherry Valley. Jossi has betrayed his people.
After Jossi leaves, the soldiers find Karl. They take him to the Thorn Rose Valley. Karl pretends he lives there with his grandfather. When he sees an old man with white pigeons, Karl runs to him. The old man, named Mattias, takes him in. Mattias is part of the Thorn Rose resistance. He is also a friend of Jonatan, who is hiding in his house. Jonatan is a hero among the Thorn Rose people. He plans to free Orvar, the leader of the resistance. Orvar is held in a cave called Karmanjaka, near the Karma Falls. This is where Katla lives. Freeing Orvar will start the big fight against Tengil.
The Lionheart Brothers go to Karmanjaka. They manage to free Orvar just before he is to be fed to Katla. But their escape is soon discovered. They ride back quickly towards the Karma Falls. The soldiers chasing them start to catch up to Karl and Jonatan. Karl jumps off his horse and hides so Jonatan and Orvar can escape. Soon after, he finds Sofia and Hubert. They are being led into a trap by Jossi. Karl tells them that Jossi is the traitor. Jossi tries to escape by boat. But the river's current carries him to the Karma Falls, where he dies.
The Thorn Rose people rise up and fight Tengil's army. But Tengil calls Katla. The dragon starts to destroy the rebels, including Hubert and Mattias. Jonatan manages to grab the trumpet from Tengil. He brings Katla under his control and makes her kill Tengil. Katla is still very dangerous. The people decide to get rid of her for good. Jonatan and Karl volunteer for this task. They lure the dragon to Karmanjaka. They plan to trap her inside her cave to weaken her. But while on the dangerous path, Jonatan loses the trumpet. Katla is now free from his control and chases them.
The Lionheart Brothers barely escape. An ancient lindworm named Karm suddenly rises from the water. Karm fights Katla. The two monsters kill each other.
Jonatan and Karl set up camp for the night. Jonatan explains that Katla's fire burned him during their escape. He will become paralyzed and does not want to live like that. When Jonatan can only move his arms, he tells Karl about Nangilima. This is a land after Nangijala, full of light and happy adventures. Karl does not want to be separated from his brother again. He carries Jonatan on his back to a cliff. Karl jumps, vowing not to be afraid. The story then jumps to Karl happily shouting, "Oh, Nangilima! Yes, Jonatan, yes - I see the light! I see the light!"
How the Story Was Created
Astrid Lindgren had written other stories with similar themes. In 1946, she wrote Mästerdetektiven Blomkvist, which had knight games. Mio, My Son, from 1954, was another story set in a faraway medieval land.
Lindgren often talked about how she got the idea for The Brothers Lionheart.
- In 1972, she was on a train trip near Lake Fryken in winter. She saw a beautiful sunrise. It made her think of a land far away. She felt a strong feeling, like a vision of a new light. She thought, "This might turn into something."
- She visited a cemetery in Vimmerby. She saw an iron cross with the words: "Here rest the young brothers Johan Magnus and Achates Phalen, dead 1860." This gave her the idea to write a story about two young brothers and death. She knew her next book would be about them.
- In 1971, at a press conference for the movie Emil i Lönneberga, she saw the young actor Jan Ohlsson sit on his older brother Dick's lap. This also inspired her.
Movies and Musicals
The Brothers Lionheart has been made into movies and stage shows.
- In 1977, a Swedish fantasy film called The Brothers Lionheart was released. Olle Hellbom directed it. Astrid Lindgren herself wrote the screenplay. An longer version of the film has been shown on Swedish TV since 1985.
- In 2007, the book became a musical. Bo Wastesson wrote the music, and Staffan Götestam wrote the script. Staffan Götestam actually played Jonatan in the 1977 film! The musical opened at the Gothenburg Opera House in Sweden.
- In 2009, another musical version was created by Richard Storry and Pete Gallagher. It premiered in the UK.
- In 2012, it was announced that a new film would be directed by Tomas Alfredson. In 2013, it was reported that this film would be very expensive. It would be the most expensive Nordic film ever, needing money from other countries. Alfredson was expected to work with writer John Ajvide Lindqvist. The film was planned to be in English. Filming was set to start in Europe in 2013. A casting agent was looking for two boys, aged eight to ten and thirteen to fifteen, to play Skorpan and Jonatan.
- In February 2014, the film was put on hold. No new date was set for filming. The delay was because getting money from many countries was very complicated.
See also
In Spanish: Los hermanos Corazón de León para niños
