Finn Family Moomintroll by Tove Jansson Page A

buss afout?' asked Thingumy.
    'My handbag, of course, dear!' said Moominmamma.
    'Your black one?' asked Thingumy, 'that you can see yourself in, and that has pour fittle lockets?'
    'What did you say?' asked Moominmamma, who was far too excited to listen to them.
    'The black one with pour fockets?' repeated Thingumy.
    'Yes, yes,' said Moominmamma. 'Run out and play dears, and don't worry me now.'
    'What do you think?' asked Bob when they got into the garden.
    'I can't bear to see her so miserable,' said Thingumy.
    'I suppose we must bake it tack,' said Bob with a sigh. 'Pot a wity! It was so nice to sleep in the pittle lockets.'
    So Thingumy and Bob went to their secret hiding place, which nobody had discovered yet, and pulled Moominmamma's bag out of a rose tree. It was exactly twelve o'clock when they went through the garden dragging the bag between them. The hawk caught sight of the little cavalcade, and went off at once to spread the news over Moomin Valley, and soon the stop press news announced:
    Moominmamma's handbag found. By Thingumy and Bob. Touching scenes in Moominhouse...
    'Is it really true?' Moominmamma burst out. 'Oh, how wonderful! Where did you find it?'
    'In a trose ree,' began Thingumy. 'It was so nice to sleep...'
    But just then lots of people came rushing in to congratulate them and Moominmamma never found out that her bag had been used as a bedroom by Thingumy and Bob. (And perhaps that was just as well.)
    After that nobody could think of anything but the big August party which was to be held that night, and everything had to be got ready before the moon rose. How nice it is to prepare for a party that you know will be fun, and to which all the right people are coming! Even the Muskrat showed some interest.
    'You should have a lot of tables,' he said. 'Little tables and big ones - in unexpected places. Nobody wants to sit still in the same place at such a big party. There will be more fidgeting than usual, I'm afraid. And first you must offer them all the best things you have. Later on it's all the same what they get because they'll be enjoying themselves anyway. And don't disturb them with songs, and so on - let them make the programme themselves.'
    When the Muskrat had produced this surprising piece of worldly wisdom he retired to his hammock to read a book on 'The Uselessness of Everything'.
    'What shall I wear?' the Snork Maiden asked Moomintroll, nervously, 'the blue feather hair decoration or the pearl diadem?'
    'Take the feathers,' he said. 'Just the feathers round your ears and ankles. And possibly two or three stuck into the tuft of your tail.'
    Thanking him she rushed away and collided in the doorway with the Snork who was carrying some paper-lanterns, and who muttered crossly about the uselessness of sisters, before he strode on into the garden and began hanging the lanterns in the trees.
    Meanwhile the Hemulen was arranging firework set-pieces in suitable places. They had Bengal Lights, Blue-Star Rain, Silver Fountains, and Rockets that exploded with stars.
    'This is so dreadfully exciting!' said the Hemulen. 'Couldn't we let one off just to try?'
    'It wouldn't be visible in the daylight,' said Moominpappa. 'But take a squib and let that off in the potato cellar if you like.'
    Moominpappa was busy on the veranda, making punch in a barrel. He put in almonds and raisins, lotus juice, ginger, sugar and nutmeg flowers, one or two lemons, and a couple of pints of strawberry liqueur to make it specially good.
    Now and again he had a taste... It was very good. 'It's a pity about one thing,' Sniff remarked. 'We haven't any music - Snufkin isn't here.'
    'We'll use the wireless,' said Moominpappa. 'You'll see - everything will be all right - and we'll drink the second toast in Snufkin's honour.'
    'Whose is the first then?' asked Sniff, hopefully.
    'Thingumy's and Bob's of course,' said Moominpappa.
    The preparations were getting more and more frenzied. The entire population of the valley, the woods, the