Pippi Långstrump

Pippi Långstrump (Pippi Longstocking in Spain, Pipi Longstocking, Pipa Mediaslargas, Pippi Mediaslargas and occasionally Pepita Mediaslargas or 'Pita' simply in Latin America) is a literary character created by the Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren.

Description

Her full name is Pippilotta Viktualia Rullgardina Krusmynta Efraimsdotter Långstrump (daughter of Efraim Långstrump).

She is endowed with great strength and, reflecting the author Astrid Lindgren's extraordinary love for animals, she owns a polka dot horse called "Little Uncle" (in Swedish, Lilla Gubben, that is, "Little Boy") and a marmoset monkey called "Mr. Nilsson". She is an orphan of a mother, and her father, Efraim Långstrump, is a pirate, king of the Congolese. Pippi lives in her house called Villa Kunterbunt (in the Swedish original, Villa Villekulla ), accompanied only by her pets. Characteristic of her is her red hair, styled in two almost horizontal braids, out of a spirit of contradiction. She is an imaginative girl and rebels against all conventionality: she usually cooks crêpes on the floor, walks backwards, or sleeps with her feet on the pillow; She wears a patchwork dress, shoes that are too big for her, and she wears different colored stockings above her knees, which is where her name comes from. She also has a trunk with many gold coins, with which she buys candy or whatever she needs.

Although she is only nine years old, she is the strongest girl in the world, even stronger than any man, since she can lift her horse with one hand. She can also do the cleaning with great speed. She has two friends nicknamed 'Bonnie and Clyde Jr.' Swedish style" – So that they are not confused with the homonymous American gangsters of the 1930s –, Annika and Tommy Settergren, who accompany her on her adventures.

When he cleans his house he usually washes his feet first, spills the water basin and puts some brushes on his feet with which he skates and cleans at the same time.

Character creation

Astrid Lindgren began the story of Pippi in the winter of 1941, when her seven-year-old daughter was in bed sick with lungs, and asked her to tell her a story. Lindgren thus invented a very fanciful story, which later she would not only hear her daughter, but also her friends. Two years later, Ella Lindgren broke her leg and began writing the story, the manuscript of which she gave to her daughter as a gift for her tenth birthday. Lindgren sent the manuscript to the publisher Bonniers, but it was rejected. In 1945 she decided to participate with her story in the literary contest organized by the publishing house Rabén & Sjögren, where she won first prize. From then on the book achieved great success and was translated into approximately 70 languages. The Pippi books are illustrated by Ingrid Vang Nyman. In 1969, a television series was filmed. In the 90s, a cartoon series based on Pippi's adventures was broadcast.

The character of the anarchist girl is reminiscent in no small way due to her rebellious and imaginative character of her previous English equivalent, Guillermo Brown, also composed of a writer, Richmal Crompton, like Astrid Lindgren, a feminist and suffering from leg problems.. But Guillermo's character is realistic and does not move in the realm of fantasy. Pippi is in reality what Guillermo tries to be with almost always comic and destructive effects.

Books

Main series

Pippi Långstrump (Pippi Longstocking) (1945):

Pippi lives together with her cercopithecus named Herr Nilsson and her horse in Villa Kunterbunt on the edge of an unnamed city. According to the protagonist, his mother has died and his father is king of an island in the South Sea. In his neighborhood live the children Thomas and Annika Settergren who accompany Pippi on his adventures.

The book has eleven chapters and each one covers one or two adventures. The events in the stories always arise from the everyday world of children, but they end up becoming unusual adventures due to the unusual way in which Pippi perceives the world.

Pippi Långstrump går ombord (Pippi Longstocking embarks) (1946):

This second novel has nine chapters and, like the first, each chapter is individual and does not have a direct relationship with each other. In this book, the story takes on an exotic tone with the visit of the protagonist's father and it is discovered that he is actually the king of some islands in the South Sea. With the arrival of his father, Pippi wants to embark on a trip with him. However, that means he would have to part ways with his friends, Tommy and Annika, who are saddened to hear the news. Finally, the protagonist decides to stay in Villa Kunterbunt to be able to continue embarking on new adventures with her best friends.

Pippi Långstrump i Söderhavet (Pippi Longstocking in the South Seas) (1948):

In the first four of the eleven chapters of the novel, Pippi continues causing problems in the adult world until one day she receives a letter from her father. In this one, he invites her to travel to the southern seas and spend time on the islands. There, Pippi and her two best friends, Annika and Tommy, enjoy the place along with the local children. The only ones who come to cause problems are a shark and two pirates. In the last chapter, the three boys are back in Villa Kunterbunt. However, the protagonist brings with her something that will make the children happy after her return: the magic pill Krummelus to never become adults.

Compilation

• Boken om Pippi Långstrump (The book of Pippi Calzaslargas. Compilation of the three books of the series (1952). Published in Spanish as Pippi Calzaslargas. All stories (2013, Blackie Books).

Illustrated versions

• Känner du Pippi Långstrump? (Do you know Pippi Calzaslargas?) (1947).
• Pippi flyttar in (Pippi moved) (1969).
• Pippi ordnar allt (Pippi fixes everything) (1969).
• Pippi är starkast i världen (Pippi is the strongest in the world) (1970).
• Pippi håller kalas (Pippi makes the party) (1970).
• På rymmen med Pippi Långstrump (From leak with Pippi Calzaslargas) (1971).
• Pippi Långstrump har julgransplundring (Pippi Calzaslargas removes the Christmas tree) (1979).
• Pippi Långstrump i Humlegården (Pippi Calzaslargas in Humlegården) (2000).
• Pippi Långstrump på Kurrekurreduttön (Pippi Calzaslargas on Kurrekurredutt Island) (2004). (Text of Pippi Calzaslargas in the South Seas. Schoice of Karin Nyman).

Adaptations

Movies

Several films have also been created, adaptations of Astrid Lindgren's books. In Swedish there are about eight films from 1949 to 2001, including films with actors and cartoons. In Olle Hellbom's films, Pippi was played by actress Inger Nilsson, and Pippi's house was recreated on the island of Gotland.

TV series

Outside Sweden, the character of Pippi is best known thanks to the television series filmed in 1969, with scripts by the author herself, played by Inger Nilsson in the role of Pippi and directed by Olle Hellbom.

In the United States, a television special was filmed in two parts, both broadcast in 1985 on the program ABC Weekend Special on the ABC television channel (American Broadcasting Company).

In Spain, both books and television series were censored for years, but over time the censorship was relaxed and the 1969 Swedish series ended up being broadcast for the first time in 1974. Spanish Television broadcast it with the title Pippi Longstocking, Pippi retaining the name Pippi Langstrump, and being presented in the Spanish dubbing with the full Hispanicized name of "Pippilotta Victualia Rogaldina Socominsa, daughter of Efraim Langstrump." The 1974 broadcast was not the only one and Televisión Española rebroadcast some reruns, such as the one in 1979 or the one in 1987. Antena 3 television also broadcast it at the end of the 1990s, in the Club Megatrix program. In 1998 the series came out on VHS and later on DVD.

Two television series were broadcast in Puerto Rico: during the 1970s, the Swedish version dubbed in Spain and broadcast in 1974, and at the end of the 1980s, the American version, which was barely successful.

Animated series

In the 1970s a Swedish television series was created based on the stories from the Pippi books. This series was at one point re-edited in the United States, where the character is called Pippi Longstocking, and with that name it has been broadcast in some Spanish-speaking countries.

Others

Appears as a cameo in the Japanese role-playing video game Mother/Earthbound Zero.

Theme park

In the author's hometown, Vimmerby, is the amusement park dedicated to Peppy Longstocking. The park, whose original name is Astrid Lindgrens Värld (Astrid Lindgrens' World), is only open in summer. It is dedicated entirely to this character; with attractions, restaurants, shops, and shows.