Free Tales From Moominvalley by Tove Jansson

Moominmamma. 'You can't go about reminding the kid about those things. Now pick apples and don't talk rubbish.'

    They all picked apples.
    After a while Ninny's paws became clearer again and climbed one of the trees.
    It was a beautiful autumn morning. The shadows made one's snout a little chilly but the sunshine felt nearly like summer. Everything was wet from the night's rain, and all colours were strong and clear. When all the apples were picked or shaken down Moominpappa carried the biggest apple mincer out in the garden, and they started making apple-cheese.
    Moomintroll turned the handle, Moominmamma fed the mincer with apples and Moominpappa carried the filled jars to the verandah. Little My sat in a tree singing the Big Apple Song.
    Suddenly there was a crash.
    On the garden path appeared a large heap of apple-cheese, all prickly with glass splinters. Beside the heap one could see Ninny's paws, rapidly fading away.
    'Oh,' said Moominmamma. 'That was the jar we use to give to the bumble-bees. Now we needn't carry it down to the field. And Granny always said that if you want the earth to grow something for you, then you have to give it a present in the autumn.'
    Ninny's paws appeared back again, and above them a pair of spindly legs came to view. Above the legs one could see the faint outline of a brown dress hem.
    'I can see her legs!' cried Moomintroll.
    'Congrats,' said little My, looking down out of her tree. 'Not bad. But the Groke knows why you must wear snuff-brown.'
    Moominmamma nodded to herself and sent a thought to her Granny and the medicine.
    Ninny padded along after them all day. They became used to the tinkle and no longer thought Ninny very remarkable.
    By evening they had nearly forgotten about her. But when everybody was in bed Moominmamma took out a rose-pink shawl of hers and made it into a little dress. When it was ready she carried it upstairs to the eastern attic room and cautiously laid it out on a chair. Then she made a broad hair ribbon out of the material left over.
    Moominmamma was enjoying herself tremendously. It was exactly like sewing doll's clothes again. And the funny thing was that one didn't know if the doll had yellow or black hair.
    *
    The following day Ninny had her dress on. She was visible up to her neck, and when she came down to morning tea she bobbed and piped:
    'Thank you all ever so much.'
    The family felt very embarrassed, and no one found anything to say. Also it was hard to know where to look when one talked to Ninny. Of course one tried to look a bit above the bell where Ninny was supposed to have her eyes. But then very easily one found oneself staring at some of the visible things further down instead, and it gave one an impolite feeling.
    Moominpappa cleared his throat. 'We're happy to see,' he started, 'that we see more of Ninny today. The more we see the happier we are...'
    My gave a laugh and banged the table with her spoon. 'Fine that you've started talking,' she said. 'Hope you have anything to say. Do you know any good games?'
    'No,' Ninny piped. 'But I've heard about games.'
    Moomintroll was delighted. He decided to teach Ninny all the games he knew.
    After coffee all three of them went down to the river to play. Only Ninny turned out to be quite impossible. She bobbed and nodded and very seriously replied, quite, and how funny, and of course, but it was clear to all that she played only from politeness and not to have fun.
    'Run, run, can't you!' My cried. 'Or can't you even jump?'
    Ninny's thin legs dutifully ran and jumped. Then she stood still again with arms dangling. The empty dress neck over the bell was looking strangely helpless.
    'D'you think anybody likes that?' My cried. 'Haven't you any life in you? D'you want a biff on the nose?'
    'Rather not,' Ninny piped humbly.
    'She can't play,' mumbled Moomintroll.
    'She can't get angry,' little My said. 'That's what's wrong with her. Listen, you,' My continued and went

    close to Ninny with a menacing look.