The Exploits of Moominpappa (Moominpappa's Memoirs) by Tove Jansson Read Free Book Online

worth a hurricane to have the sunshine afterwards.
    But when I opened my eyes again I discovered some thing on starboard. Land!
    Land ahead also! Soft contours of strange mountains!
    I stood on my head for joy and shouted:
    'We'rethere! Land! Hodgkins!'
    Suddenly we all became busy.
    The Muddler's sickness ceased at once, and he began putting his tin in order. The Joxter repaired the auxiliary engine. The Nibling chewed at his own tail out of pure nervousness, and Hodgkins put me to polishing all the brass-work.
    The foreign shore came nearer. There seemed to be a high mountain on it with a tower on top.
    'What on earth's that?' asked the Joxter.
    'Look, it's moving,' I said.
    But we were too busy to worry about it.
    Only when The Oshun Oxtra glided into harbour we gathered at the railing, after having combed our hair and brushed our teeth and tails.
    And then we heard a thundering voice high above our heads:
    'Ha!' it roared. 'The Groke take me if this isn't Hodg kins and his dash-dashed crew! Now I've got you!'
    It was Edward the Booble. You can't imagine how angry he was.
    *
    'That's how life was when I was young!' said Moomin-pappa and closed his book.

    'Read more, please!' Moomintroll cried. 'What happened then? What did the Booble do to you?'
    'Next time, my boy,' Moominpappa said with an air of mystery. 'That was thrilling, eh? But you see, it's a trick all good authors use, to close a chapter at the ghastliest moment.'
    This time Moominpappa had seated himself on the sandy beach with his son, Snufkin, and Sniff at his feet.
    While he read to them about the terrible gale they gazed out over the sea and imagined The Oshun Oxtra careering along like a ghost ship, manned by their brave fathers, through the pale purple foam of the hurricane.
    'How sick he must have been in his tin,' mumbled Sniff.
    'It's cold here,' said Moominpappa. 'Shall we take a walk?'
    They wandered off over the dry sea-weed to the point.
    'Can you imitate a Nibling?' asked Snufkin.
    Moominpappa tried. 'No-o,' he said. 'It didn't come right. It should sound as if from a tin tube.'
    'It wasn't so far off,' said Moomintroll. 'Father, didn't you go away with the Hattifatteners later on?'
    'Well,' answered Moominpappa embarrassedly, 'perhaps I did. But that was very much later. I suppose it won't come into the book at all.'
    'Why not?' cried Sniff. 'Did you lead a wicked life with them?'
    'Shut up,' said Moomintroll.
    'Dash, dash, dash,' said Moominpappa. 'But it wasn't too wicked. Look, there's something floating in the water. Run along and see what it is!'
    They ran.
    'What can it be?' asked Snufkin.
    It was a heavy and onion-shaped thing. It seemed to have floated around for a very long time, because it was covered with weeds and clams. The wood was cracked, and in a few places there were remains of gold paint. Moominpappa lifted the wooden onion in both paws and examined it carefully. His eyes grew larger and larger, and finally he covered them with one paw and sighed.
    'Children,' he said solemnly and a little shakily, 'what you behold here is the knob from the roof of the boat-house of The Oshun Oxtra!'
    'Oh,' said Moomintroll with great veneration.
    'And now,' continued Moominpappa, overcome by his memories, 'now I'm going to start on a new chapter and contemplate this unique discovery in solitude. Run along and play in the cave!'
    Moominpappa walked on with a springy step. He carried the knob under one arm and his Memoirs under the other.
    'I've really been a strapping Moomin in my day!' he said to himself.
    'And still going strong,' he added, and stamped his feet with a happy smile.



CHAPTER 5
    In which (besides giving a little specimen of my intellectual powers), I describe the Mymble family and the Surprise Party which brought me some bewitching tokens of honour from the hand of the Autocrat.
    P ERHAPS you've noticed the peculiar way my mind works? There's simply a sudden click! - and the situation is saved. Like this one, for