Moomintroll, a brave and loyal friend

Although he can be a sensitive character, anxious not to offend and susceptible to being teased (especially by Little My…), Moomintroll is bold and courageous whenever it is required of him. He is inclined to look for the positives in any situation and to embrace every experience that presents itself, making him a lot of fun to spend time with!

Moomintroll loves to go on adventures, safe in the knowledge that he can always return to the warm and welcoming Moominhouse at the end of the day. During these adventures, he and his friends often find themselves in a spot of bother, and Moomintroll frequently emerges as the brave – but modest – hero. He once saved Sniff from a crocodile with a pair of woolly trousers and rescued Snorkmaiden from a poisonous bush of the dangerous Angostura family. Occasionally he needs to be rescued himself…

“Moomintroll is keen to make friends with everybody he meets.”

Moomintroll is keen to make friends with everybody he meets and can find it difficult when his advances are spurned – for example, by haughty sea-horses or the Dweller Under the Sink… but his very best friend is Snufkin, and he has a particular affection for Snorkmaiden. He is always very thoughtful and considerate of others, which might be why he develops a special understanding of the Groke, even though she is widely feared by the other residents of Moominvalley. Despite being a very sociable sort, Moomintroll sometimes needs time and space to himself. 

What is Moomintroll’s favourite pastime?

Moomintroll adores the sea and is a most excellent swimmer and diver. He has a large collection of pearls he has brought up from the seabed. Most of these he gives to Snorkmaiden so that she can be ‘the most beautiful Snorkmaiden in the world,’ although he keeps the biggest for his mother to wear in her nose. Moomintroll’s other interests include discoveries, secrets, and mysterious paths.

Which season does Moomintroll love best?

Moomintroll’s favourite season is spring because that’s when his best friend Snufkin returns to Moominvalley each year. Between waking up from hibernation and the first warm spring day, Moomintroll must make do with reading and re-reading Snufkin’s short but reassuring letters, which promise that he will return once the winter is through.

A little-known fact about Moomintroll:

Moomintroll’s only direct relatives are Moominmamma and Moominpappa, but Sniff and Little My have essentially been adopted into the family, and there are all sorts of guests who are welcome to stay for as long as they wish. One winter, Moomintroll discovers a distant ancestor hiding inside a cupboard in the bathing house where Too-ticky lives. That episode is described in the book Moominland Midwinter (1957), where a reluctant Moomintroll has to mature and learn how to survive the cold and hostile winter as his parents continue their habitual winter sleep.

Moomintroll quotes:

• “I can’t tell you except that something is going to happen… Something dreadful and unnecessary that nobody knows much about.” (Comet in Moominland, 1946)
• “Now I’ve got everything. I’ve got the whole year. Winter too. I’m the first Moomin to have lived through an entire year.” (Moominland Midwinter, 1957)
• “Isn’t life exciting! Everything can change all of a sudden, and for no reason at all!” (Moominpappa at Sea, 1965)
• ”Here’s litte Moomintroll, none other
  hurrying home with milk for Mother.”
  (The Book about Moomin, Mymble and Little My, 1952)