Free Moominsummer Madness by Tove Jansson Page B

the Hemulens.
The Management
    'A play?' said the Hemulen thoughtfully and took off his glasses again. Deep in his heart stirred a faint, unhemulic memory of his childhood. Quite, his aunt had taken him to the theatre once. That was something about a princess who went to sleep in a rosebush. It had been very beautiful. The Hemulen had rather liked it.
    Suddenly he knew that he wanted to go to the theatre again.
    But who would guard his prisoners?
    He knew of no Hemulen who could possibly find the time. The poor jailer racked his hemulic brain. He pressed his snout against the iron bars of the cage that stood in the shadow beside his chair, and said: 'I'd like so much to go to the theatre tonight.'
    'The theatre?' said Moomintroll, pointing his ears.
    'Yes, The Lion's Brides' explained the Hemulen and pushed the playbill between the bars. 'And now I can't imagine whom I could get to watch you in the meantime.'

    Moomintroll and the Snork Maiden read the playbill. They looked at each other.
    'I suppose it's about some princess or other,' said the Hemulen plaintively. It's ages since I saw a little princess.'
    'Of course you'll have to go,' said the Snork Maiden. 'Is there really no one who could watch us?'
    'Well, there's my cousin,' replied the Hemulen. 'But she's too kindhearted. Perhaps she'd let you out.'
    'When are we going to be beheaded,' the Fillyjonk suddenly asked.
    'Oh, dear me, nobody's going to behead you,' replied the Hemulen, quite embarrassedly. 'You'll just have to sit there until you confess. Then you'll be sentenced to painting new notices and writing out "Strictly forbidden" five thousand times each.'
    'But we're innocent,' began the Fillyjonk.
    'Yes, I know,' said the Hemulen. 'I've heard it before. They all say that.'
    'Listen,' said Moomintroll. 'You'll be sorry for the rest of your life if you don't go to that play. I'm certain there are princesses in it. The Lion's Brides.'
    The Hemulen shrugged his shoulders with a sigh.
    'Now don't be foolish,' said the Snork Maiden entreatingly. 'Let's have a look at your cousin. I suppose a kindhearted jailer is better than none, anyway!'
    'Perhaps,' replied the Hemulen sourly. He rose and shuffled off through the bushes.
    'There you are!' said Moomintroll. 'Remember out dream on Midsummer Night? About lions! A big lion that was bitten in the leg by Little My! But I wonder what they are up to at home!'
    'I dreamed that I had a lot of new relatives,' said the Fillyjonk. 'Wasn't that horrid? Now, when I'm rid of the old ones.'
    The Hemulen returned. He was accompanied by a very small and thin Hemulen with a timid look.
    'Do you think you can watch these for me?' he asked.
    'Do they bite?' the small Hemulen whispered. She was evidently quite a failure (from a hemulic point of view). The Hemulen snorted and gave her the key.
    'Certainly,' he said. 'They'll bite your head off, snip-snop, if you let them out. Cheerio, I'm off to dress for the first night.'
    As soon as he had disappeared, the little Hemulen seated herself and began crocheting. Now and then she glanced at the cage. She looked frightened.
    'What are you making?' the Snork Maiden asked kindly.
    The small Hemulen gave a start. 'I don't know, really,' she whispered anxiously. 'I just feel a bit more secure with my crocheting.'
    'Couldn't you make it into slippers, it's such a nice slipper colour,' suggested the Snork Maiden.
    The small Hemulen examined her crocheting and thought for a while.
    'Don't you know anybody who has cold feet?' asked the Fillyjonk.
    'Yes, I've got a girl friend,' said the little Hemulen.
    'I know one too,' the Fillyjonk continued in a friendly tone. 'My aunt. She's working at a theatre. There's such a cross-draught they say. Must be an unpleasant place.'
    'Here's quite a draught, too,' said Moomintroll.
    'My cousin, ought to have thought of that,' said the little Hemulen shyly. 'If you wait a bit I'll crochet slippers for you.'
    'I suppose we're dead before they're finished,' Moomintroll