 Karlsson with Svante "Lillebror" (little brother) Svanteson on a Russian stamp (1992). | |
| |
| Author | Astrid Lindgren |
|---|---|
| Original title | Karlsson på taket |
| Country | Sweden |
| Language | Swedish |
| Media type | Print (hardcover andpaperback) |
Karlsson-on-the-Roof (Swedish:Karlsson på taket) is a character who features in a series of children's books by the Swedish authorAstrid Lindgren. Lindgren may have borrowed the idea for the series from a similar story aboutMr. O'Malley in the comic stripBarnaby (1942) byCrockett Johnson.[1]
Karlsson is a very short, plump, and overconfident man who lives in a small house hidden behind a chimney on the roof of "a very ordinary apartment building on a very ordinary street" inVasastan, Stockholm. When Karlsson pushes a button on his stomach, it starts a clever little engine with a propeller on his back, allowing him to fly.
In his own opinion, Karlsson is the best at everything. He befriends Svante Svantesson, a seven-year-old boy and youngest member of the Svantesson family, who is often referred to as "Little Brother", Swedish:Lillebror.
Karlsson is quite mischievous and likes to make fun and prank others. He often gets Lillebror into trouble, as Karlsson usually disappears just before Lillebror's family arrives leaving him to deal with the consequences of Karlsson's actions.
At first, parents, siblings and friends of Lillebror don't believe that Karlsson is real, and consider him to be an imaginary friend, but after they meet him in person they begin to like the little flying man.
Another character to encounter Karlsson isFröken Bock (Miss Hildur Bock), a strict nanny who undergoes an emotional transformation after meeting Karlsson.
Karlsson's predecessor is Mr. Lilyvale (Swedish:Herr Liljonkvast). Mr. Lilyvale was a small, flying, friendly old man, and fantasy friend of Lindgren's daughter Karin. In the evening he visited her in her room. Lindgren's daughter explained that Mr. Lilyvale could not be seen by anyone else because he flew away or hid as soon as someone entered the room. Astrid Lindgren wrote the bookIn the Land of Twilight about Mr. Lilyvale. At that time, Mr. Lilyvale was friendlier, less selfish, bossy or self-centered. He also had no propeller.[2][3] According to Astrid Lindgren, Mr. Lilyvale later turned into Karlsson.[4]
The characters' names are often changed in English-language translations:
There are three Karlsson-on-the-Roof books:
Translated books and cartoon adaptation of the series became popular in theSoviet Union. "Lillebror" has been changed to (Russian:Малыш,romanized: Malysh), which means "Junior" or "Little boy". Other characters' names have not been changed.
The two Soviet animated filmsJunior and Karlson[6] (1968) andKarlson Returns[7] (1970), directed byBoris Stepantsev atSoyuzmultfilm studio are among the most celebrated and loved cartoons in Russia and otherformerly Soviet countries.[8][9] Karlsson was voiced byVasily Livanov and Junior byKlara Rumyanova in both animated films, while Fröken Bock was voiced byFaina Ranevskaya in the second film. In 1971, the character was also adapted for the stage at theMoscow Satire Theatre, where Karlsson was portrayed bySpartak Mishulin.
A live-action version,Världens bästa Karlsson, was released in Sweden in 1974, as was an animated film in 2002.
A Ukrainian military unit during theRussian invasion of Ukraine named itself after Karlsson-on-the-Roof and took the name "Karlsson-on-the-Roof Battalion".[10]
