Astrid Lindgren's short stories

Astrid Lindgren's Short Stories describes the short stories of the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren . The German translations are by Anna-Liese Kornitzky , Holger Wolandt , Karl Kurt Peters and Torberg Doeler , among others . The short stories were illustrated by Ingrid Vang Nyman , Ilon Wikland , Pija Lindenbaum , Hans Arnold , Harald Wiberg , Lars Klinting , Marika Delin , Svend Otto S. and Marit Törnqvist, among others .

Astrid Lindgren published many short stories in compilations, such as In the forest are no robbers , Sammelaugust and other children or Sounds of my linden tree . In addition, there are stories like The Dragon with the Red Eyes , Dearest Sister or Nils Karlsson-Däumling , which were published as picture books. Other short stories have only appeared in newspapers, magazines or anthologies by other authors. A few of these works, such as Mamas kleine Nickon ( Mammas lilla Nickon ) or Christmas Eve in Lilltorpet ( Julafton i Lilltorpet ) have been translated into German. Others, such as Maja gets a fiance ( Maja får en fästman ) have been partially translated and discussed in detail in Astrid Lindgren's biographies. Others, such as Anders , have not been translated and little information is available about these works in German.

This article deals in particular with the short stories that do not have their own Wikipedia page. The other short stories are briefly described. More information can be found on the respective Wikipedia pages for the short stories.

Chapters from novels such as Pippi Longstocking , Michel from Lönneberga etc. are not listed here, even if these have been printed as individual short stories in some books or have appeared as picture books. Only completely new stories that do not come from the novels are listed here, such as Look, Madita, it's snowing .

The list is not complete and is constantly being expanded.

history

Astrid Lindgren wrote her first short stories when she was still at school. For her first job at Vimmerby Tidning , however, she mainly wrote short reports. Her short stories were first published in magazines and newspapers in the 1930s and 1940s. She wrote for Landsbygdens jul , a Christmas magazine, and Damernas Värld , a women's magazine , among others . She wrote other stories for anthologies. For example, her friend Elsa Olenius asked her to write a story for her anthology Rosen från bilen: noveller för ungdom and Astrid Lindgren wrote Mama's little Nickon (Swedish: Mammas lilla Nickon , 1955).

While Astrid Lindgren wrote stories almost exclusively for children in later years, some of her first short stories were directed at adults. Lindgren later stated in interviews that she would no longer want to write for adults. With children, she has the best readership she could ask for. Children have a lot of imagination and the same sense of humor as Lindgren.

With no, I don't want to go to bed yet! (Swedish: Jag vill inte gå och lägga mig! ) she first published a short story as a picture book in 1947. This was illustrated by Brigitta Nordenskjöld . Many more picture books followed. To this day, Astrid Lindgren's short stories are repeatedly illustrated and reissued. The vast majority of picture books that have been published in Sweden have also appeared as picture books in Germany. Some of the few exceptions are Peter and Petra (Swedish: Peter och Petra , 2007), and Junker Nils von Eka (Swedish: Junker Nils av Eka , 2007).

In 1949 Lindgren brought out her first short story book Im Wald are no robbers (Swedish: Nils Karlsson-Pyssling ). This was followed by Sammelaugust and other children (Swedish: Kajsa Kavat , 1950) and Klingt meine Linde (Swedish: Sunnanäng , 1959). The stories from these books were later reprinted in other short story books. Some of these stories were also published as picture books.

But Astrid Lindgen didn't just write her short stories for commercial magazines, newspapers and books. In December 1953, she received a letter from two thirteen-year-old readers of her books. The two boys wanted to create a magazine called Maskrerade draken (German: The Masked Dragon) and asked Astrid Lindgren to contribute a story. Astrid Lindgren wrote The Dragon with the Red Eyes (Swedish: Draken med de röda ögonen ) and sent this story to the boys. It was not until 1985 that the story was made available to the general public as a picture book, illustrated by Ilon Wikland .

Usually Lindgren does not want to make any political, educational, socially critical or moral statements with her stories. There are at least two exceptions, however.

Lindgren wrote the story Fröken Nettel vill inte skriva böcker in 1971 for Sällskapet Nya Idun . The society, founded in 1885, aims to bring together women who are scientifically, literarily and artistically active. Fröken Nettel vill inte skriva böcker was presented at a meeting in 1971 and deals critically with the constant search for new author names and new book titles, as well as with the shorter life of books.

With the short story Pomperipossa in Monismanien (Swedish: Pomperipossa i Monismanien , 1976) Astrid Lindgren wrote a satirical fairy tale about the tax policy of the government at the time for the Swedish tabloid Expressen . The fairy tale contributed to the fact that the Social Democrats lost the election to the Swedish Parliament in 1976, for the first time in 40 years in power.

Astrid Lindgren wrote her last short story in 1993. In A Christmas in Småland a long time ago (Swedish: En jul i Småland för länge sen ) Astrid Lindgren recalls a Christmas experience from 1913. The story appeared in the Christmas anthology as I was little (Swedish: En jul när jag var liten ).

Short stories from magazines and newspapers

Christmas Eve in Lilltorpet ( Julafton i Lilltorpet )

Christmas Eve in Lilltorpet ( Julafton i Lilltorpet ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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It's Christmas Eve. Katrina is dying. Her husband died two years ago. That's why 13-year-old Anna-Märta takes care of her younger siblings, while ten-year-old Sven drives a sledge through the snow into town to fetch a doctor. When Sven returns in the afternoon, he doesn't bring a doctor. The sledge got stuck. But it's too late for Katarina anyway. She can still make Anna-Märta promise to take care of her siblings, then she dies. Anna-Märta explains to her siblings that her mother is in heaven with her father. Then she prepares everything for Christmas Eve in order to enable her siblings to have a merry Christmas despite everything. The children fetch the Christmas tree, light candles and eat rice pudding. The children believe that their mom will dance around the Christmas tree with the angels. You imagine how good it will be in heaven. Then they sing Oh you happy . When all of her siblings are still sleeping, Anna-Märta begins to cry softly. She is only 13 years old, but still a little heroine.

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Christmas Eve in Lilltorpet was first published in Landsbygdens jul magazine in 1936 . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist. The story was published in German in 2015 in the book Christmas with the Elks: the most beautiful winter stories from Scandinavia by Holger Wolandt.

reception

Michael Mittelhaus thinks it is "sad, but still beautiful". Jens Andersen also praises the "terribly sad" story. The narrator pulls “all the stops” in the “sentimental, socially realistic” fairy tale. It is the first time that Astrid Lindgren shows an “adult, authoritative narrator” in her early stories, who is “nevertheless interested in and in solidarity with the child and who is not only sympathetic in individual sentences, but also reacts knowingly”. There are no “stuck on” morals and no blame. Readers don't have to have a guilty conscience, but are invited to have compassion for the child who “grows up too early and brutally and gets the narrator's full attention right up to the last point.” Vivi Edström says that Astrid Lindgren is in her story moving from the sad to the slightly comical. Still, she doesn't manage to keep the balance between emotion and realism.

I can do what I want, said the prince ( Jag får göra vad jag vill, sa prinsen )

I can do what I want, said the prince , I also do what I like ( Jag får göra vad jag vill, sa prinsen ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Little Prince Hubertus does a lot of pranks. He sprinkles sneezing powder on his father's throne, ties the ladies' clothes together with safety pins, tugs the guard's beard and much more. He is of the opinion that as a prince he can do anything. One day he also played a prank on the court marshal and put a frog in his bed. His mother and father want to hold him accountable. You ask him why he did this. The prince replies that he did it because the upper court marshal was stupid. Hubertus' father and mother no longer know how to deal with their son. Therefore they call Fiorella, the prince's godmother and a fairy. This explains that Hubertus grew up in the castle without any siblings. Nobody taught him to be nice and good, so you couldn't ask him to be like that. However, she does know a person who can teach him that. At night and while he sleeps, the prince is brought to a small hut. When he wakes up he is in a small room. The boys Lasse and Nisse stand in front of him. They call him Hubbe and say he's late. He had to hurry to be able to eat the porridge and then chop wood. When Hubertus says that he is a prince, the boys explain that he only dreamed it. Hubertus goes into the kitchen. Frau Geschwind has already prepared the porridge there. Although the prince actually neither wants to eat the porridge nor go chopping wood, he lets Frau Geschwind convince him to do both. From now on Hubertus goes chopping wood every day. He also learns to do things independently, such as peeling potatoes. Hubertus now believes Lasse and Nisse that he dreamed that he was a prince. Nevertheless, he misses his "dream mother" very much. Some time later he wakes up again in his prince's room. His mother sits in front of him. Hubertus is overjoyed to see them. However, he is afraid that he will no longer be able to meet Nisse and Lasse. He became very fond of both of them. However, Hubertus can calm his mother down. Nisse and Lasse live nearby and Hubertus can visit them every day. Then Hubertus asks whether the Oberhofmarschall is still angry with him. His mother says that the Oberhofmarschall and Hubertus might still become friends if Hubertus is always as sweet as she wishes. Hubertus thinks that it could be like that. Then he bends over to his mother and whispers that he still thinks the Oberhofmarschall stupid.

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I can do what I want, said the prince ( Jag får göra vad jag vill, sa prinsen ) was published in the magazine Sagoprinsessan in 1946 . This Christmas magazine was created at the beginning of the 20th century and was published until the 1950s. The story was illustrated by Ingrid Vang Nyman .

In October 2004, the story appeared in the book Elche im Schnee. The most beautiful winter stories from Sweden. for the first time in a German translation as I do what I like . The story was re-published in the book Swedish Appetizers in July 2007 under the title I may do what I want, said the Prince . Both books were edited by Holger Wolandt.

On January 2, 2019, the story was presented in the series radio stories from Ö1 . The story was read by Chris Pichler .

reception

Vivi Erdström finds it surprising that the story ends with moralizing, since she appeared in the same year as Pippi Longstocking . So learn Hubertus to obey and to eat his porridge.

Johans Adventures on Christmas Eve ( Johans äventyr på julafton )

Johan's Adventures on Christmas Eve ( Johans äventyr på julafton ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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On Christmas Eve Johan would like to set up a plate of rice pudding for the court elf. Since he really wants to see the pixie, he hides in the straw. He is very excited when the imp suddenly comes. He talks to the animals in the stable. The animals tell of how much Johan annoys them again and again. He kicks the cow Gullos, hits the cow Stjärnan on the back with sticks, he beats the horse with the whip, he hunts the sheep, he gives his rabbits too little to eat, he pulls the cat by the tail and the dog he throws at with a stone. Johan is very ashamed, actually he didn't want to hurt the animals. Suddenly Johan winces. It's quiet in the stable. Johan wonders if he fell asleep. But the plate is empty. Johan thinks the imp ate the rice pudding. He also decides never to be mean to the animals again and goes inside. The tomcat sits in the stable and licks his beard.

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Johan's Adventures on Christmas Eve was first published in Landsbygdens jul magazine in 1933 . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist. In October 2011, the story appeared for the first time in German translation in the book Christmas in the Far North . The book was published by Christel Hildebrandt.

reception

According to Jens Andersen, this story conveys a “simple and wooden message” such as “that people can trip themselves in their childhood if they are naughty and angry with others”. Lena Törnqvist thinks that the story would show that it was inspired by Viktor Rydberg's poem Lille Viggs äventyr på julafton (“Little Viggs Adventures on Christmas Eve”). It's a very conventional story.

Pumpernickel and his brothers ( Pumpernickel och hans bröder )

Pumpernickel and his brothers ( Pumpernickel och hans bröder ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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The little pig Pumpernickel loves adventure. One evening, when his brothers are already sleeping, he sneaks out into the woods. At first he thinks it's exciting, but soon realizes he's lost. In the yard the gnome finds out that Pumpernickel is not with his brothers. He sets out to find it. Meanwhile, Pumpernickel is frightened. He hears a wolf howl and thinks of the bad wolf his mother has already told him a lot about. Just when he feels completely lost, the court gnome finds him. Together with Pumpernickel, he goes to his friend, the forest gnome. There they eat together until Pumpernickel walks back home with the Hofwichtel.

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Pumpernickel and His Brothers was first published in Landsbygdens jul in 1933 . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist. The story first appeared in German in 2009 in the anthology Mittsommer bei den Elchen. The most beautiful summer stories from Scandinavia , edited by Holger Wolandt.

reception

Vivi Edström thinks the story is an educational and amusing adventure.

Maja gets a fiancé ( Maja får en fästman )

Maja gets a fiance ( Maja får en fästman ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Jerker is five years old. He loves Maja, his mother's maid, because she is always there for him. One day he hears his mother talking to other fine ladies about Maja. The women think that Maja is ugly and clumsy. That's why she'll never find a fiance, the ladies believe. Jerker is horrified because he thinks Maja is beautiful. He worries about Maja and that she might be sad that she doesn't have a fiancé. He doesn't know what a fiancé is, but he decides to get one for Maja. That would be a great Christmas present, he thinks. However, he cannot ask anyone where to get a fiancé. His mother laughed a lot in the past when he asked her questions. Maja could get sad if he asks her about her non-existent fiancé. Jerker thinks. He still has five cents. With that he can safely buy himself a fiancé. He goes to the nearest shop and asks if he can buy a fiancé there for five cents. To Jerker's amazement, the merchant doesn't laugh at him, which adults often do when children ask questions. The merchant asks Jerker why he wants to buy a fiancé and Jerker tells him about the situation. Then the merchant explains that Jerkers would be enough for a fiancé. He would come at 10:00 on Christmas Eve and bring Maja a fiancé. Jerker says he'll be asleep by then, but the merchant explains that he won't be able to do it before then. Jerker agrees. He goes home overjoyed because Maja will soon have a fiancé, just like all the other girls.

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Maja gets a fiance was first published in 1937 in Landsbygdens jul magazine. In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng. The story 2017 is in German in the Astrid Lindgren biography Astrid Lindgren. Her life by Jens Andersen was published. Some sections have been translated literally, others have been combined.

reception

Jens Andersen, calls Maja one of the often "overlooked pearls" among Astrid Lindgren's early works. “In the disarming narrative”, “the diametrical imaginary worlds of children and adults” would collide nonetheless. The story is "the first example of how Astrid Lindgren thinks about a child's mind" and "interprets reality with the logic of a child".

Different

A story by Astrid Lindgren is different .

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The holidays are over and school will start again soon. Anders worries because they have a new teacher. He never got on well with his teacher. He could never remember the things she wanted to know from him. He also unsettled the teacher with questions. For example, one day he asked if angels also got toothache. Sometimes he would fall asleep in class or suddenly laugh out loud when he thought of something funny. Therefore, Anders goes to school with disgruntled thoughts.

At school, the 24-year-old new teacher is thinking about her first job as a teacher. She heard a lot of negative things from the people and students in the village. Anders, in particular, is a difficult child and needs intensive care. But when the sixteen children sit in front of the teacher, she realizes that she will love the children.

Anders is enthusiastic about the new teacher sitting in front of the class smiling. However, he is also afraid because he knows that adults, especially teachers, are often angry with him, even if he doesn't know why. He doesn't want the new teacher to get mad at him. When the teacher asks him what the names of Jesus' parents are, he replies "Jocke and Majken". Only from the giggles of his classmates does he realize that he said something crazy. Then the teacher teaches science. At the end of the lesson, the students should write an essay on the subject matter they learned. The teacher observes Anders. She thinks this is having a hard time. The teacher gets to know her students better and better and helps them develop further.

One day the teacher is sitting in front of the class with a pale face. She looks sad and desperate. The children only learn that they have received a letter with black borders. They don't understand why the class is suddenly not as fun as it was before. It's really bad for Anders. He dives into his own fantasy world and does not take anything with him from the class.

The teacher feels bad, she knows that she is neglecting the children. However, she can only think of her own grief.

One day there was a knock on the teacher's front door. In front of the door is a bouquet of flowers with a lovely letter from Anders. The letter gives the teacher courage again. She realizes that the students need her and is deeply touched. She decides to get a grip on her grief and to be there for the children. Finally she smiles again. The letter brought her new courage to face life.

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Anders was first published in 1940 in the magazine Landsbygdens jul . In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Filiokus

Filiokus is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Kalle is a cheeky ten year old boy. His father has been dead for several years. Kalle treats his mother Brita like a servant. He doesn't listen to her and is unkind to her. Brita can't help but wonder what will become of her boy later. So she makes her way to Finn-Tilda, an old woman who has a reputation for being smarter than ordinary people. Finn-Tilda gives her a wall clock. Brita hangs this in the kitchen. When Kalle comes into the kitchen, he is surprised that the clock has no hands. Then suddenly the dial opens. A little boy barely bigger than a hand comes out of the clock and says it's now a quarter past four. Then the boy introduces himself. His name is Filiokus. When Brita comes in, Kalle enthusiastically tells her about the clock. But when Brita asks him if she can help him get firewood, he refuses on the grounds that he is tired and that his mother can do that. Filiokus comes out of the clock and says that his mother can do it, of course, as soon as she makes bread for him, prepares his sandwich, washes his shirts and socks. Then Filiokus laughs out loud. Kalle is embarrassed and does his job. It is the same again and again when Kalle does not want to do his chores, wash himself, go to sleep or do not want to get up. Filiokus can convince Kalle to help his mother again and again and finally Kalle himself offers to fetch the water from the well for her or to clean the hut. For this he is praised by Filiokus. Kalle is proud of himself. He is happy to see how happy his mother is now. That is why he would now like to do everything to ensure that his mother remains as satisfied as she is now. One year after Brita's visit to Finn-Tilda, she comes to pick up the watch with Filiokus.

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Filiokus was first published in Landsbygdens Jul in 1934 . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

reception

Vivi Edström calls the story terribly moral.

Kampen om Fredrik

Kampen om Fredrik ( The Fight for Fredrik ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Juttan explains to the future bride how she has to fight for her future husband Frederik so that he does not leave her early. However, she has some strange ideas!

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Kampen om Fredrik was first published in Damernas Värld on November 13, 1947 . In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Dialogue på Bröllopsdagen

Dialog på Bröllopsdagen ( Dialogue on the Wedding Day ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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On May 14, 1947, Mats met his future partner when he was on his way to the pharmacy. She speaks to him on the street, because she talked to her friend about what qualities women need to have in order for men to marry them. The two of them also want to hear an answer from a man and ask Mats. Mats thinks the still unknown woman is cute and asks her if they can take a walk through Djurgården. He also explains that his future wife should be similar to her. The two experience a wonderful spring together and become engaged. They remember this time on their wedding day. However, Mats's wife tells Mats about an experience that she believes she has had with him. However, the experience was actually with her ex-boyfriend Ludde. Mats gets jealous. He asks his wife what she would say because he kissed her in the Södertälje tunnel, but it would actually be Anna-Lisa. Now Mat's future girl is getting jealous. The two argue. In the end, they apologize to each other and reassure each other that they only love one another.

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Dialog på Bröllopsdagen was first published in 1948 in issue 39 of Damernas Värld magazine. In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Mitt fiasco som fru

Mitt fiasko som fru ( My failure as a woman ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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It is a reply to an article in the weekly Idun . At the time, it was common for men to wear white shirts at work. These should have stiff collars and cuffs. For this, the shirts were often pressed flat in cleaning companies with special machines. This broke the buttons. As a rule, women were held responsible for replacing the buttons.

One woman explains that her failure as a wife shows up every morning when her husband tries to put on a man's shirt. She describes how he stands in front of a large pile of shirts and looks at each shirt. The shirts went to a dry cleaner, but something is wrong with every shirt. Sometimes buttons are missing, sometimes buttons are only half there, sometimes the collar of the shirt is shrunk. After inspecting the shirts, the man drops each and every shirt on the floor. The woman feels worse and worse. She did not wash the shirts, but feels personally responsible for all shirts. Then a miracle happens. The man finds a useful shirt and leaves the house. The woman looks around the room. It looks like a battlefield with all the white shirts on the floor. Then the woman gets dressed. She sees that her blouse is missing buttons as well. Very calm, very feminine and submissive, she sits in a corner sewing in the buttons, thinking deeply about her failure as a woman.

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Mitt fiasko som fru was first published in 1949 in issue 49 of the weekly Idun . In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Johansson blir vetlös

Johansson blir vetlös ( Johansson gets angry ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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The story tells of Johansson and his wife Manda. Johansson drinks a lot of alcohol. He hides the alcohol from Manda. However, Manda spies on him and tries to find his hiding places. This kind of hide-and-seek gives marriage the kind of thrill that would otherwise not have existed. Manda teases Johansson about his alcohol consumption, which makes Johansson angry. He beats his wife. Johansson is devastated for violating his wife. He doesn't apologize to her, but tells his old neighbor Nils-Enok about it. Johansson promises to never hit his wife again, no matter what. However, it is difficult for him to keep the promise. Manda doesn't talk to him anymore after the violence, but ignores him. Some time later, she behaves as always towards him. One day Manda caught Johansson again with a bottle of alcohol. She cuts them in two. Johansson roars so loudly that Manda runs away in shock. Johansson runs after her. Manda flees to the roof. Johansson's loud roar also makes the neighbors curious. You look out the windows and watch the couple. Manda tells her husband to go home and lie down.

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Johansson blir vetlös was first published in 1955 in the last issue of Söndagsnisse-Strix magazine. Per-Martin Hamberg , a good friend of Astrid Lindgren's, commissioned Lindgren to do this. In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Jultomtens underbara picture radio

Jultomtens underbara bildradio ( Santa Claus' wonderful picture radio ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Lars af Backagården meets Santa Claus in a cave. There he sits with headphones in front of a high-tech device with which he can observe the children and families. There's Olle, for example, who yells and kicks his mother. Santa explains that this is why Olle will not get a rocking horse for Christmas. Kalle annoys his sister and pulls her by the hair. Since he doesn't even apologize at the request of his mother, he doesn't get any Christmas presents. Santa Claus then tells us that he observed Lars when he kept making trouble for his mother while shopping. However, Santa Claus also saw that he was so kind to his grandfather and read to him. That outweighs Lasse's bad behavior. Lars is relieved. Then Lars sees Karin, the daughter of a poor woman, on the screen. She lovingly takes care of her mother. She clears the dishes so that her tired mother can lie down. She should therefore get the largest and most beautiful doll. Then Santa Claus shows Lars the room where the toys are made. Lars sees tons of toys: cars, trains, planes, tin soldiers, construction sets, etc. He is allowed to take a harmonica with him. On his way home, he happily blows the harmonica.

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Jultomtens underbara bildradio was first published in 1933 in the newspaper Stockholms Tidningen . In 1937 the article appeared again in the magazine Landsbygdens jul . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

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According to Jens Andersen, Lindgren's version of St. Nicholas is “quite demanding”. The story plays "with the terrifying thought that Santa Claus can monitor every single citizen from an early age and thus act as a moral guardian."

Också en Morsdagsgava

Också en Morsdagsgava ( Also a Mother's Day Present ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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The two sisters Annastina and Lillstumpan want to give their mother a kitten for Mother's Day. However, they still have to wait for the cat to give birth to their young.

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Också en Morsdagsgava was first published in 1940 in the magazine Mors hyllning . The story was later rewritten as Something Lively for the Lame Peter ( Nånting levande åt Lame-Kal ). Here, however, it is not the mother who gets the kitten, but the sick boy Peter. In 2013 Också en Morsdagsgava appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

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Jens Andersen calls the story one of the often "overlooked pearls" among Astrid Lindgren's early works. The story begins in a "space to be alone". Lindgren's four-year-old son Lasse also wanted this after a "failed kindergarten visit in the fall of 1931".

Sakletare

Sakletare ( searcher of things ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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While her mother is baking, Kajsa decides to go on a treasure hunt. She tells her interested mother that she wants to find gold and diamonds. Then Kajsa goes out and finds countless beautiful things outside. She is on the move until she finally gets tired. But unfortunately she got lost. Andersson comes by from Lövhult, who is just bringing the milk to the farmers. He brings Kajsa home to her mother. She was already worried about her daughter and is overjoyed to see her.

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Sakletare was first published in 1941 in the magazine Mors hyllning . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

When Kajsa got lost in the forest and wants to cheer up a bit, Kajsa sings the song I en djup, oändlig skog . It is a song by Carl Olof Rosenius that also appears in a few other Astrid Lindgren stories and was also played at Astrid Lindgren's funeral.

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Jens Andersen, calls Sakletare one of the often "overlooked pearls" among Astrid Lindgren's early works. Astrid Lindgren penetrates deeply with the story "into the magical world of the child's imagination". She shows a close and respectful relationship between children and adults.

Olle and Svipp

Olle och Svipp ( Olle and Svipp ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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When Olle brings his shoes to the cobbler, he sees the dog Svipp lying on a leash there. It is the meanest dog in the village. Svipp barks loudly and threatens to bite. But Olle is not afraid of him. He brings him food and puts it down for the dog. From then on, Olle comes to Svipp every day, even after his shoes have long been repaired. He can get closer and closer to the dog and eventually even stroke it. One day the shoemaker gets sick. Therefore, Olle takes care of the dog and goes for a walk with him every day. But when the shoemaker is healthy again, the walks are over. The shoemaker thinks Svipp is a watchdog and only there to guard the house. Olle makes that pretty sad. He cannot be reassured. Then it's Olle's birthday. His parents give him Svipp because they bought him from the shoemaker. Olle and Svipp are overjoyed.

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Olle och Svipp was first published in Landsbygdens jul in 1942 . The story was later rewritten to the chapter How Ole got his dog ( Hur Olle fick sin hund ) of the book We Children from Bullerbü ( Alla vi barn i Bullerbyn ). While the story was originally described from an authorial narrative perspective, the story in Wir Kinder aus Bullerbü becomes a first-person narration. Here Lisa from Bullerbü reports on the events. The name of the shoemaker also changed. 2013 Olle och Svipp appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

Två små bröder

Två små bröder ( Two little brothers ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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The brothers Lasse and Pelle live with their parents on a farm. Pelle is seven years old and Lasse is five. Pelle is very brave and is not afraid of anything. He supports his little brother when he is a little more anxious.

One day Pelle discovers a dead sheep in the stable. Next to the sheep is a little lamb. Lasse sees the lamb too. He is sad because the lamb does not get milk from its mother and therefore threatens to die. But his father Brevid can reassure him. He explains to Lasse that he can bottle the lamb. Lasse is immediately enthusiastic. But Pelle explains to Lasse that it is an arduous difficult task and that he would not want to do it himself. Pelle had rabbits. At first it was nice to take care of them. However, he had to take care of them every day. He couldn't play then, but had to bring them something to eat. But Lasse is not deterred by Pelle's stories either, and so he finally feeds the lamb for the first time. He loves the little creature right away. The lamb also loves Lasse and follows him everywhere. Now Pelle is getting jealous. He suggests to Lasse that the two of them can take care of the lamb together. Lasse agrees, but the lamb always follows Pelle.

Some time later, Lasses and Pelle's mother explains to the two that their laying hen lays the eggs somewhere in the yard. Let Lasse and Pelle find the hen's hiding place. For every egg they find, they get five cents. Pelle finds three eggs and gets 15 cents. But the hen lays the eggs somewhere different every day. It also cackles so loudly that it can be heard all over the courtyard. Therefore, Lasses and Pelle's mother would like to have the hen slaughtered. But now Pelle does not want to let the laying hen die and is committed to it. The mother gives in and gives Pelle the laying hen. She is a great pet to Pelle. For him, the egg hunt is like playing hide and seek. He also gets 5 cents for each egg, while Lasse gets nothing for his little lamb. But Lasse helps Pelle find the eggs. The two of them still experience a lot with their pets and realize that life with them is not that easy.

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Två små bröder was first published in 1947 in the magazine Mors Hyllning . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist. Astrid Lindgren tells in the chapters I get a lamb and Pontus goes to school from the book Always funny in Bullerbü a similar story.

Mors-Dagsgåvan

Mors-Dagsgåvan or Morsdags-gåvan ( Mother's Day present ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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It will be mother's day soon. Pelle loves his mother very much. That's why he wants to give her a wonderful Mother's Day present to show her how much he loves her. He only has five cents and so he thinks about how he can get money. He decides to go to the guest house and sing for the old ladies there. They laugh and are enthusiastic about Pelle. They give him cocoa and cake and, much to Pelle's delight, two crowns too. Pelle uses these to buy a perfume. On Mother's Day, Pelle's siblings, Gunnar and Lisa, bring their mother's food to bed. Then Pelle comes in and gives his mother the perfume, which she is very happy about.

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Mors-Dagsgåvan in 1939 for the first time in the magazine Mors Hyllning published. In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

The stora råttbalen

Den stora råttbalen ( The Big Rat Ball ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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The rats and mice roam the houses. You're having a big party. Among those present there are very respected mice and rats, but also those less respected, such as Ms. Skrape. She came to the party with her daughter Mitzi. Ms. Skrape is a widow and could not collect so many pieces of cheese to be a respected person. Therefore, the young men are not very interested in dancing Mitzi with their daughter. Then Pyotr, a beautiful, respected mouse, comes to the festival. He comes from one of the most respected rat families in a nearby train station community. Mitzi is immediately enthusiastic about him and watches him on the dance floor. But Pyotr also notices Mitzi. He invites them to dance. The two dance a long time. That same night, Pyotr asks if Mitzi would like to marry him. She agrees. The two spend a wonderful life together and together they have 519 rat babies.

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Den stora råttbalen was first published in 1936 in Landsbygdens jul magazine. In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

reception

According to Jens Andersen, this story is a "satirical portrayal of the social mechanisms involved in a man-made festival". This makes this fairy tale more suitable for adults than for children.

Måns börjar skolan

Måns börjar skolan ( Måns goes to school ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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When Måns was seven years old, he started school. On the way to school he meets Viktor, who goes to the same school. While Måns is always well groomed, Viktor's clothes are dirty, old and broken. So Viktor is a little jealous of Måns. From then on Viktor Måns made life difficult. He annoys him at school and on the way to school. Often he doesn't mean it at all, he just wants to try out his martial arts on Måns. Måns doesn't dare to talk about his problems with Viktor at home, because the adults wouldn't understand him anyway. In his dreams he becomes a boxer and this time it is he who beats Viktor. When Måns is visiting his grandmother one day, he tells her about his experiences. He also reports about his wish to beat up Viktor. His grandmother thinks about it for a moment and says that Måns should treat other people exactly as he wants to be treated himself.

In winter, the lake at the school freezes. Viktor throws Måns' hat on the ice. Since the lake has not frozen over for long, Måns is afraid that the ice will not hold up. However, he has no choice but to go on the ice and get his hat. He can do it too. Viktor is surprised that the ice holds so well and throws his own cap on the ice far away to get it too. Unlike Måns, Viktor crashes through the ice. When Viktor calls for help, Måns remembers his grandmother's words that he should treat other people as he wishes himself to be. Måns believes that he would want someone to help him. So he fetches a wooden plank and pulls Viktor out of the water. Måns is celebrated as a hero at school and Viktor hugs Måns gratefully. The two have become friends.

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Måns börjar skolan was first published in Landsbygdens jul in 1942 . In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

The story is about child bullying. The story is based on Lindgren's experiences from her own childhood, as well as the things she learned as a mother and in dealing with other parents. Visits to the park with their children played a special role. In doing so, she not only observed the children's play, but also talked to other parents about their experiences with the children.

Vännevän och harungen

Vännevän och harungen ( Vännevän and the bunny ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Little Vännevän lives in a house with his grandparents and siblings. While his siblings help their grandparents, Vännevän wanders around the forest. There he befriends the animals and helps them in emergency situations. One day he meets a little rabbit who has lost its mother. Vännevän promises to take care of him. He takes the rabbit home with him and from then on the two are constantly on the move together.

One day two evil wizards come to the valley. They threaten the animals in the forest and eventually catch the little rabbit. When they argue who owns the hare, Vännevän ties their tails together and climbs a tree. The magicians fail to untie the knot. So Vännevän explains that when the magicians promise to leave the valley and never come back, he will untie the knot. The wizards reluctantly consent. You leave the valley and never come back.

Then Vännevän goes home with the rabbit. There he strokes him and tells him he doesn't need to be afraid of the magicians anymore because they have left the valley. Eventually Vännevän and the little rabbit fall asleep together on the moss.

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Vännevän och harungen was first published in 1940 in Landsbygdens jul magazine. In 2013 the story appeared in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

reception

Vivi Edström thinks that the fairy tale gives a special feeling to the forest, similar to Ronja the robber's daughter later . It is particularly suitable for very young children.

Pomperipossa in Monismanien ( Pomperipossa i Monismanien )

→ Main article : Pomperipossa in Monismania

Pomperipossa in Monismanien is a satirical fairy tale about taxes by Astrid Lindgren. It was first published in the daily Expressen . In Germany, the story appeared in the newspaper Die Welt, among others .

Short stories from anthologies by other authors

Mama's little Nickon ( Mammas lilla Nickon )

Mom's little Nickon , also Mom's little Nicka ( Mammas lilla Nickon ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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19-year-old Nickon is fortunate to have two admirers: Karl-Henrik and Olov, who both had to work as soldiers during the outbreak of the First War. Karl-Henrik is a beautiful young man who knows the history of literature well. Nickon is immediately enthusiastic about him. Nickon's first impression of Olov is less good, however. She thinks he's ugly. Nickon is also not interested in the business issues Olov talks to her father about. Nickon's mother also prefers Karl-Henrik. Nickon's father, on the other hand, believes that if Olov hits his father, he'll be a really good businessman.

Nickon's mother advises Nickon to choose the man she really loves. She herself had bowed to her parents' choice, married the rich Jonas Svednerg and abandoned the man she really loved. A decision she still regrets. However, her husband does not know anything about it.

Nickon spends a lot of time with Karl-Henrik over the next few days. Meanwhile, Olov has received a curfew for rebellious against a sergeant. At first Nickon is happy to be able to spend the time alone with Karl-Henrik. However, she quickly realizes that Karl-Henrik likes to hear himself talk and does not respond to her feelings at all. So Nickon is happy to see Olov again. After the first kiss between Karl-Henrik and Nickon, Nickon realizes that Karl-Henrik is incapable of loving anyone other than himself. She explains to Karl-Henrik that they cannot become a couple because they cannot love him would love.

Nickon is disappointed that not everything turned out the way she wanted. She lets out her anger on Olov and is mean to him. Suddenly Olov pulls her close and kisses her. But then he stops and says he has to go. Nickon doesn't want Olov to stop, however. She realizes that she fell in love with him. The two get engaged. When Nickon tells her mother about his engagement to Olov, she is horrified. She explains to Nickon that she told him to follow her heart, to which Nickon replies that she did just that.

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The story takes place in the summer of 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War. Mama's little Nickon was first published in 1955 in the anthology Rosen från bilen: noveller för ungdom by Lindgren's friend Elsa Olenius . In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng. The story was first published in German in 1960 in the book Wohin die Wolkenzüge by Giesela Hartmann (ed.). Torberg Doeler translated the story as Mom's little Nickon . In 1981 the story was again translated into German by Anna-Liese Kornitzky . She appeared as mom's little Nicka in the book Dtv junior reading book: new stories, poems and pictures for young and old to laugh and think by Maria Friedrich (ed.).

Astrid Lindgren's sister Ingegerd Lindström was also called Mammas lilla Nickon .

reception

According to Lena Törnquist, values ​​like honesty and fairness are seen as more important in this story than a beautiful appearance.

Encounter with Mrs. Blomkvist ( Möte med fru Blomkvist )

Encounter with Mrs. Blomkvist ( Möte med fru Blomkvist ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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A young, newlywed reporter finds it terrible to just write about the unhappy marriages of celebrities. He would rather hear about happily married couples and decided to write a column about them. He would like to meet couples and ask them about their love life. The first thing he met Ms. Blomkvist was on the street. Since she seems to be an ordinary woman and not a celebrity, the reporter decides to ask her questions. But things are going differently than he thought. Ms. Blomkvist has a lot of negative things to say about her alcoholic husband who, when drunk, throws household items at her. The reporter desperately tries to find good things in the couple's marriage. But he fails. Ms. Blomkvist, reports that she has ten or twelve children whose names she does not remember exactly. The family lives together in only one room. In addition, the man's lover also lives with them and the mother-in-law sleeps in the kitchen. It all sounds so terrible that the reporter tries to persuade Ms. Blomkvist to give marriage counseling. Ms. Blomkvist says, however, that her husband wouldn't do that anyway. The reporter explains that he is sorry that she is with such a disgust. Ms. Blomkvist replies that she loves her husband and doesn't want to read any nonsense about him in any celebrity magazine.

Then she goes home to a pretty little town house in Farsta. Mr. Blomkvist is waiting for her, hugs her and kisses her and kisses her affectionately on the cheek. Then he put his hand on her stomach. She is seven months pregnant. Her husband is a little concerned that she won't overexert herself. He prepares dinner for her and sings a song about the fact that his wife is his whole world, his life, everything ... He is looking forward to the first child with her. The woman smiles and says that sometimes she can be really mean and sometimes she would also lie when it suits her.

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The story was first published in 1982 in the anthology Mera Fnitter: en rolig bok av kvinnor . In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng. The story appeared in German in 2003 in the book Unter Murders und Elchen . The book was published by Holger Wolandt.

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Brevet ( The Letter ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Lena Björkman lives with her husband Erik and their two children at Parkgatan 20 in Stockholm. One day she receives a love letter in which a man named Bert writes about his love and affection for her. She quickly realizes that the letter is actually addressed to another Lena two doors down. Lena shows her husband the letter and explains that it is unfortunately not for her. When Erik asks why Lena said unfortunately, she explains that she is a little jealous because of the love the man has for his beloved. Erik reads the letter again and decides to hand it over to the recipient. On the way to the recipient, Erik imagines the recipient. When she receives such a love letter, she must be a desirable dream woman. Erik loves his wife and thinks she is a great mother. However, he also doesn't know whether he still feels a lot of passion every day. He envies Bert for his feelings, the adventure and the excitement. When he meets the supposed dream woman, however, he is deeply disappointed. She has a pretty, but completely expressionless doll face. She dismisses the letter writer as an idiot. Erik becomes thoughtful. Because of this woman, he suddenly no longer valued his own relationship and everything he had. He is ashamed. Suddenly he feels a great need for his wife and sets off to meet her. When he gets home, he kisses Lena. He declares that he is a fool and the happiest man in Northern Europe. Lena says that there is no doubt about it, especially that he is a fool and smiles contentedly.

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Brevet was written in the 1940s. In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng. It's not clear if the story was published before that.

Bibban

Under the title Bibban , Astrid Lindgren tells a story in the form of four fictional letters: Om Epiktetos och vårhatten ( About Epiktetos and the Spring Hat ), Om platser ( About Places ), Om övertid ( Overtime ) and Om Bertil och fosterlandet ( About Bertil and the fatherland ).

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Bibban goes to work, thinking about the latest spring hat. She actually wants a hat like this, but distracts herself with thoughts of the Greek philosopher Epictetus . Former employee Sonja visits the office. She now has a well-paying new job and is wearing a beautiful hat. Bibban has to think long and hard about Epictetus to forget Sonja's beautiful hat. ( Om Epiktetos och vårhatten )

Bibban works together with Kaja, Britta and Vivi in ​​a law firm. She reports on her last two jobs. In a call center, she called her boss and pretended to be a dissatisfied customer. The boss didn't know how to deal with the supposed customer and called Bibban for help. However, when he found out that Bibban was responsible for the call, he fired her. She got a new job as a secretary. There he made a letter salad with a typewriter and left this job voluntarily without another word ( Om platser ).

Bibban works quite a bit of overtime in her office. In addition, her boss reports on his unhappy marriage. He makes suggestive remarks and wants to take her out to dinner later. But Bibban fell in love with Bertil, a civil engineer. She knows that Bertil is also very fond of her and dreams of marrying him later. She rejects her boss's offer. ( Om overtid )

Bertil and Bibban spend a wonderful time together. Then Bertil is called to military service. The two say goodbye in tears. Bibban is proud that Bertil is defending her country. In her office she almost feels like a hero because her boyfriend serves her country. But then she receives a letter from him. His job is to process the vacation requests. Bibban is disappointed that Bertil does not hold a key position in national defense. She wants him to be sent home immediately. ( Om Bertil och fosterlandet )

background

Bibban's letters were written in the 1940s. In 2014 they appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng. It is unclear whether the letters were published before that. The letters Om platser and Om övertid are based on Lindgren's own experience as an office worker.

reception

Lena Törnquist thinks that Om Epiktetos och vårhatten shows that it wasn't long ago in Sweden too that women mostly wore headgear. A spring hat was a must at the time. This should be kept in mind when discussing the customs of other cultures, such as the hijab of Muslim women. In the past, Swedish traditional costumes always included headgear for married women. The spring hat could be seen as a holdover from that.

Fröken Palmkvist for the semester

Fröken Palmkvist får semester ( Miss Palmkvist gets vacation ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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The 36 year old Ms. Palmkvist is happy to finally get out of her office and get a vacation. While on vacation, she meets the engineer Vikner, who is assigned to her dinner table. He is almost as old as she and still a bachelor. Mrs. Palmkvist falls in love with the likeable man. One day Mrs. Zetterström shows up. She is not even 23 years old. She gets along well with the engineer straight away and spends a lot of time with him. The two get engaged. Ms. Palmkvist overhears Ms. Zetterström telling the engineer that she first had the impression that he was interested in Ms. Palmkvist. The latter replies that he was never interested in this manic old woman. Tears run down Mrs. Palmkvist's cheeks. It wasn't that long ago that she went for a walk with her parents as a young girl. She doesn't feel much older now. Still, she has to find that her value on the marriage market at this age is zero. She decides to spend her last day at home and go to the cinema in the evening. She also thinks she will be lucky to have a job during this time.

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Fröken Palmkvist får semester was written in the 1940s. Lindgren wanted to sell the story to Folket i Bild magazine, but got a rejection from publisher Ivar Öhman. When Lindgren later read her own script again, she found that Öhrman was right in rejecting the story. In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Fröken Nettel vill inte skriva böcker

Fröken Nettel vill inte skriva böcker ( Mrs. Nettel doesn't want to write books ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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In 1971, Ms. Nettel was one of the last women who had not yet written a book. A publisher pricks up the ears and tries to get Ms. Nettel to write a book. The publisher does not react to Ms. Nettle's statement that she cannot write books. When she says that she might as well do other honorable work, the publisher asks what if everyone reacts like her. Then people would be forced to reread the previous year's books. Ms. Nettel replied that if everyone were to write there would no longer be anyone reading the books. The publisher does not react to this, but suggests you write poems, novels or children's books. So she could write about Anders, who meets a squirrel in the forest. Ms. Nettel replies that she has already written a children's book and that it is something special because Anders does not meet a squirrel but a hedgehog in the forest. The book is published. It has sold 34 copies, far more than most of the other 718,000 books published this year.

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Fröken Nettel vill inte skriva böcker was presented for the first time in 1971 at the Sällskapet Nya Idun . The company was founded in 1885 by Ellen Key . It served to bring together women who were scientifically active in literature and art, and is still active today. At meetings, the members present publications from their own area. In 2014 the story appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng. It's not clear if the story was published before that.

reception

According to Lena Törnquist, the reader can read between the lines of Lindgren's criticism of the constant search for new author names and new book titles, as well as the shorter life of the books.

Goddag tant Fia ...

Goddag tant Fia ... ( Schönen Tag Aunt Fia ... ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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A niece meets her aunt Fia and has a little chat with her. The aunt thinks she is deaf and says that she has a lame leg. Then she tells about her brother Archibald, whose daughter has just married.

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Goddag tant Fia ... was first published in the member magazine of the Astrid Lindgren-sällskapets (Astrid Lindgren Society) and was called Språkövning från Ofvre Östermalm ( Ofvre Östermalm's language practice ). In 2014 Goddag tant Fia ... appeared in the book Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier och noveller för vuxna , edited by Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng.

Jorma och Lisbet

Jorma och Lisbet ( Jorma and Lisbet ) is a story by Astrid Lindgren.

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Lisbet learns from her mother that they will soon be taking in a little Finnish boy. Jorma is his name and a short time later a boy comes into her house with a scared look. The boy finds it difficult to settle in at first, but then he befriends Lisbet. He tells her about his life. His father is fighting in the war. Jorma doesn't think he'll come back, unless his father has defeated all the Russians. He tells Lisbet's mother that he misses telling her mom. Thereupon she explains that he can call her "Mama", which comforts him a little, even if he misses his other mom very much. In the evening the family prays for the safety of Jorma's parents.

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Jorma och Lisbet first appeared in 2013 in the book Jultomtens underbara bildradio och andra berättelser, 1933–1947 , edited by Lena Törnqvist.

Astrid Lindgren wrote the story in the 1940s. During the war years, 7,000 Finnish refugee children came to Sweden to live in foster families, protected from Stalin's attacks. Astrid Lindgren's brother Gunnar Erickson had good Finnish contacts. So one day he was standing in front of his sister's door with a small, intimidated Finnish boy. The boy was brought to Sweden from Turku by plane. He fought back tears. Erickson and the boy were gone as quickly as they came. This experience inspired Lindgren to write the story Jorma och Lisbet .

A Christmas in Småland a long time ago ( En jul i Småland för länge sen )

→ Main article : A Christmas in Småland a long time ago

Astrid Lindgren reports on a Christmas experience from her childhood in 1913.

Short stories from picture books and Astrid Lindgren's compilations

• Everyone goes to sleep : the story was originally written as a song. The song was later published in the form of a picture book. It can be read as a short story in which a cat watches all animals and humans go to sleep.
• Dearest sister : Barbro has a secret twin sister who lives in a garden among the rose bushes.
• When Adam Engelbrecht got really angry : One day the bull Adam Engelbrecht gets very angry and scares people off. Only a little boy can slow him down.
• When the Bäckhult farmer drove into town : When the Bäckhult farmer drove into town, he lost a little calf. Johan finds this and is overjoyed because his family's cow recently passed away.
• The dragon with the red eyes : a girl finds a dragon in the pigsty and remembers this experience as an adult.
• The elf with the handkerchief : Lena is given a beautiful handkerchief that she gives to an elf in the evening.
• Something alive for the lame Peter : Peter has a lame leg. His two friends Annastina and Stummelchen absolutely want to give him a kitten for Christmas.
• Goldi : Eva's mother is in the hospital. Therefore Eva lives with her aunt and her daughter. They treat Eva badly. So Eva only remains her doll Goldi.
• Big Sister, Little Brother : A big sister wants to tell her brother a story. But he doesn't want to listen at all and tells his own version of the story.
• Good night, Mr. Tramp! : One day three siblings let a tramp into their house.
• In the Land of Twilight : Göran is sick in bed. One evening Mr. Lilienstengel came and took him to the land of twilight.
• There are no robbers in the forest : Peter visits the doll Mimmi in her doll's house and helps her protect her pearl necklace from the robbers.
• Junker Nils von Eka : Nils is sick in his bed, then suddenly he finds himself in a knight's castle. He is Junker Nils von Eka and is supposed to free the king.
• Sounds like my linden tree : When Malin's parents die, she ends up in a desolate poor house.
• Cuckoo Funny : Gunnar and Gunilla have a very special cuckoo clock.
• Märit : When Jonas Petter is nice to Märit one day, Märit falls in love with him, which tends to annoy him. Then a misfortune threatens and Jonas Petter threatens to be killed by a stone.
• No, I don't want to go to bed yet! : Lasse doesn't want to go to sleep yet. His neighbor lets him see through her magic glasses and shows him how the animals go to sleep.
• Nils Karlsson-Däumling : Bertil befriends Nils Karlsson-Däumling. This one is tiny and lives in a small mouse hole under Bertil's bed.
• Pelle moves out : Pelle's father accuses Pelle of stealing his pen, which Pelle did not do. Pelle feels that she has been treated unfairly and wants to move into the garden shed.
• Peter and Petra : The little dwarf children Peter and Petra want to go to school.
• Polly helps the grandmother : When Polly's grandmother is injured, Polly takes over her duties.
• The princess who didn't want to play : A princess has a huge playroom with the most beautiful toys, but she doesn't want to play. Then one day she meets another girl with a wonderful doll.
• The Mirabell doll : Britta-Kajsa receives a seed from which a talking doll grows.
• The robber Assar Bubbla : The robber Assar Bubbla steals Astrid Lindgren's Pippi Longstocking script.
• Rupp Rüpel: the scariest ghost from Småland : A grandmother tells her two grandchildren the creepy story of the ghost Rupp Rüpel.
• Collective August : Collective August really wants to have a rabbit and tries to earn money for it.
• The sheep on Kapela : Stina is kidnapped into the realm of the underground.
• Sonnenau : Two poor children discover a wonderful paradise in Sonnenau.
• Under the cherry tree : Ann tells an old lady a fictional kidnapping story.
• Christmas in the stable describes the Christmas story.
• Who jumps the highest? : The mothers of two boys fight over which of their boys is best. This competition carries over to the boys too.

Short stories about characters from Astrid Lindgren's book series

Only new short stories about the characters from the book series are mentioned here, no books or short stories that only consist of chapters from the respective novels, see also the list of works by Astrid Lindgren .

• Bullerbü : Christmas in Bullerbü , Funny Bullerbü , Children's Day in Bullerbü
• Michel from Lönneberga : When little Ida also wanted to do mischief , Michel's mischief number 325 , Just don't skimp, said Michel from Lönneberga
• Pippi Longstocking : Pippi in the park , Pippi Longstocking celebrates Christmas , Pippi loots the Christmas tree , Pippi out of control
• Madita : Look, Madita, it's snowing
• Lotta from Krachmacherstraße : Of course , Lotta can ride a bike , Lotta can do almost anything , of course Lotta is a happy child
• Peter and Lena : I also want to have siblings , I also want to go to school
• Tomte Tummetott : Tomte Tummetott , Tomte and the fox
• Holidays on Saltkrokan : Jule and the pirates

See also

• List of adaptations of Astrid Lindgren's works
• Astrid Lindgren's plays
• List of Astrid Lindgren's works

Individual evidence

• Lars Bergtsson (2014): Bildbibliografi över Astrid Lindgren's skrifter 1921-2010. Sweden. Salikon förlag.

1. ↑ ^{a b} Here is ... Adriaan van Dis (also Van Dis in de IJsbreker ): episode from May 21, 1989.
2. ↑ Draken med de röda ögonen. .
3. ↑ Read in December 2016 .
4. ↑ ^{a b c d e f g h i} Jens Andersen (2017) Astrid Lindgren. Your life
5. ↑ ^{a b c} Vivi Edström (2020): Astrid Lindgren och sagans makt . Lindhardt and Ringhof
6. ↑ Vivi Edström (2020): Kvällsdoppet i Katthult Lindhardt og Ringhof. P. 97
7. ↑ Barnboken, Volumes 19-22 .
8. ↑ Astrid Lindgren's stubbornness .
9. ↑ Christmas in the far north .
10. ↑ Lena Törnqvist (1997): Astrid Lindgrens tidiga berättelser. In: Barnboken, 20 (1997), 2, pp. 2-15
11. ↑ Vivi Edström (2020): Astrid Lindgren: Vildtoring och lägereld. Lindhardt and Ringhof.
12. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Lena Törnqvist and Gallie Eng (2014) Före grupp 8 - mycket före. Kåserier and noveller for Vuxna
13. ↑ Werner Fischer-Nielsen (2018): Astrid Lindgren og kristendommen . Lindhardt and Ringhof.
14. ↑ Astrid Lindgren (2016): Samuel August from Sevedstorp and Hanna i Hult: Barndomsminder and essays . Gyldendal
15. ↑ Pippi Longstocking - a child of war .