Timm Thaler (novel) facts for kids
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| Author | James Krüss |
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| Country | Germany |
| Language | German |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
| ISBN | 4-89642-097-7 |
| Followed by | Timm Thalers Puppen oder Die verkaufte Menschenliebe |
Timm Thaler oder Das verkaufte Lachen (which means Timm Thaler, or the Traded Laughter) is a famous children's book. It was written by German author James Krüss in 1962. This story is about a boy named Timm Thaler who has a very special and charming laugh. He makes a strange deal with a rich, mysterious man. Timm trades his amazing laugh for the power to win any bet he makes.
Soon, Timm regrets his choice. He then goes on a four-year adventure to get his precious laugh back. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature says this is Krüss's most well-known children's book. In 1979, James Krüss wrote a second book. It was called Timm Thalers Puppen oder Die verkaufte Menschenliebe (meaning Timm Thaler's Puppets, or the Traded Love for Mankind).
Contents
The Story of Timm Thaler
Timm Thaler is a young boy who lives in Germany. He has a unique and wonderful laugh. His laugh is so special that it can make anyone feel happy. It is full of joy and warmth. People love to hear Timm laugh.
The Strange Deal
One day, Timm meets a very rich and mysterious man. This man is known as the Baron. The Baron is a bit like a magical trickster from old stories. He offers Timm a strange deal. Timm can trade his laugh for an amazing power. This power lets Timm win every single bet he makes. No matter what, Timm will always win.
Timm, being young, agrees to the deal. He thinks winning every bet will make his life easy. He soon realizes that something important is missing. Even though he wins everything, he can no longer laugh. His life becomes successful but empty.
Timm's Journey to Get His Laughter Back
Timm quickly understands his mistake. He misses his laugh more than anything. He decides he must get it back. This starts his long and difficult journey. For four years, Timm travels and tries to undo the deal. He faces many challenges and meets different people. Some people try to help him, while others try to stop him. Timm learns important lessons about happiness and what truly matters in life.
Timm Thaler on Screen
The popular story of Timm Thaler has been made into movies and TV shows many times.
- In 1979, a 13-part German children's TV show was made. It was very popular.
- In 1981, a two-part musical TV movie was created in the Soviet Union.
- Later, in 2002, the story became an animated German TV series. This brought Timm's adventure to a new generation of viewers.
