"Listen now my dear friends, I will tell you all a story,"
"What a lad was doing, it was long time ago."
But the memories still remain alive in the Smålands valleys
"In Katthult, Lönneberga, he lived this little lad."
Emil in Lönneberga,
he who lived on Katthult farm
in Lönneberga parish in the province of Småland,
have you possibly heard of him?
Not one single person in Lönneberga I can assure you that
did not know of this terrible little boy in Katthult.
This Emil, who was up to more mischief than the year has days
These poor Svensson family in Katthult had a harsh time.
What's happened now?
"Good grief, he was an impish boy,"
"he second was to none."
and Emil was the name he had, yes, Emil was his name.
Yes, poor Svensson's in Katthult, that has such a dreadful boy!
One example
When his father had left his hat behind at the Katthult stream
What did Emil do with it ...?
There was no evil behind it, he just wanted to see if it could float.
Good grief, he was an impish boy, he second was to none.
and Emil was the name he had, yes, Emil was his name.
Emil was a decent boy, in that he rarely did the same mischief twice,
but found out new ones all the time.
I didn't get a boot out of you, you bastard!
No, those boots were not waterproof,
but maybe another pair.
One fine character Emil had, was, that he had a yearn for testing things.
In what other way could you otherwise learn?
Yes, they seem to hold water better than mine.
How could that be?
Emil!
Just you wait!
Open the door, you wicked brat!
I'm not that stupid, am I?
Open!
Oooh!
This toolshed had an advantage.
It could be hasped both from the outside and from the inside.
Emil's father hasped it from the outside,
when he would prevent Emil from getting out,
whilst Emil hasped it from the inside,
when he would prevent his father from getting in.
Two good and wise decisions!
Well then, stay there and ponder over your mischief!
You have a need for that!
Every time Emil spent his time in the toolshed,
he carved a funny looking little wood figure.
This must be the biggest collection of wooden figures in all Småland.
Yes, it was indeed an imposing collection.
And it is constantly growing ... one by one.
Katthult was a well maintained little farm, amid apple trees and lilacs.
It was surrounded by fields, meadows and grows.
This is were Emil lived
and his father of course. His name was Anton Svensson.
And Emil's mother. Her name was Alma Svensson.
What's for dinner today?
Meat soup. Yum, I like that!
And Emil's sister, Ida. Good grief, always this meat soup!
A farm hand, who's name was Alfred, and a milk maid who's name was Lina.
Keep turning the handle.
Don't stop! Keep turning!
I will.
And Krösa-Maja, we mustn't forget her.
She was an agile old crofter's widow living in a cottage in the woods.
She was often seen in Katthult,
giving a hand with the laundry, with cramming and other work.
and frightening Emil and Ida
with her ghastly stories about ghost-children,
phantoms, wraiths, murderers and other evils.
Of course there were also animals in Katthult.
Two horses, Hankus and Jullan,
Two oxen,
Eight cows and three heifers,
Cooows!
Three pigs
Ten sheep and lambs,
Fifteen hens and one rooster,
and one cat.
You're a nice cat, Månsan.
Emil had two possessions he loved the most:
first, it was a cap, that his father had bought when he had been to town,
the second was a wooden gun, that the kind-hearted Alfred had carved.
Hardly one single day passed, without Emil doing mischief.
Peace and quiet, was a rare state in Katthult
Eeemiiil!
And all Lönneberga was indeed well informed.
Because Krösa-Maja ran about and told everyone in the whole district.
Listen,
and you'll get to know what Emil, the wicked boy has done!
Emil's mother had a fine handwriting.
Every evening she wrote down Emil's mischief in a blue notebook.
Emil's father found this needless.
To what purpose, if I may ask?
All the mischief that brat is doing.
This way, you're wearing our pencil out. Has that ever crossed your mind?
When I do, I'll buy a new one.
You don't fear expenses!
Emil's mother made this note:
"Help me God with that boy!"
"He's spent this whole day in the toolshed."
This night something terrible happened in Katthult.
But this time, Emil was not the culprit.
Why are you shouting like that, dear girl?
It was a rat. It was running across my face!
Good grief! So we've got rats in the kitchen. That's a fine thing
They can devour our bread and pork! And me!
Well yes, but think of the bread and the pork.
Better think of that!
Here's the rat-hole.
What a scoundrel!
We must fix that hole.
And Lina, you must have the cat in your bed from this day on.
And I'll place my little mousetrap at the rat-hole.
Fine, but let's go to bed now.
And Lina, try to get yet some sleep. Soon it's milking time.
Calm down, I'm coming.
Every morning, when Lina was away milking the cows,
Emil's father used to have a cup of coffee in the kitchen, in quiet solitude.
He liked to sit like this, all by himself,
listening to the birds' singing and to the hen's clucking,
drinking his coffee.
So, you're arisen this early, Emil?
Yes, I'm going to set my mousetrap.
Good,
but the rat won't be back until this night, understood?
I know, and then it will be caught, that's fore sure.
Yes,
Rats will fear this day!
How many wooden figures have you made? Have you counted them?
Yes, there's 97 of them.
I'll be damned! Have you done all that mischief?
Yes.
All those wooden figures still exist,
but for one, which his mother buried behind the currant bushes,
because of its likeness to the dean.
"You mustn't depict the dean that way", his mother said.
I tell you Alfred,
when I've got an even 100, I'll have a party here in the toolshed.
I see.
Who are you going to invite?
Only you!
You and me, Alfred. You know that.
That's for sure, you and I, Emil.
Now Månsan, you'd better catch that rat for me this night.
"God, the children's loving friend, to me, a child, you peace will send. Where ever I step ..."
Now, everyone in Katthult was asleep.
Lina was sleeping on a lumpy mattress in the kitchen sofa,
as did thousands of milking maids all over Småland.
Emils father, mother and little Ida was sleeping in the chamber next to the kitchen.
Alfred was sleeping in the scanty farm hand shed, as did thousands of other farm hands in Småland.
Yes, every living soul in Katthult was asleep, man and beast.
Månsan alone was awake, chasing rats, but not in the kitchen.
Emil lay wide awake in his bed in the chamber pondering: Maybe it's not that good
to place the mousetrap next to the rat-hole.
The rat might become suspicious, when it sees it right away.
Maybe I should place it in Lina's face.
There's where the rat use to walk in the nights.
But she would wake up of course, easily scared as she is.
Under the table ... That's the spot!
I reckon the rat use to search for bread crumbs there.
And then it'll see the pork morsel.
Afterwards, Emil went to bed, highly pleased with himself.
Oh goodness gracious!
Emil
Oh, they're shouting with pleasure, because the rat is dead!
Emil
Quickly, get down to the toolshed!
When father is free from the mousetrap, I fear your last moment has arrived.
Oh God!
Mother, my gun!
Your gun, well yes.
Emil's mother locked from the outside, to prevent Emil from getting out,
and Emil, as usual, from the inside, to prevent his father from getting in.
He thought it was for the better not to see his father in some hours.
His mother was of the same opinion.
Emil sat down and began carving his 98th figure,
and was pleased that he would reach 100, one of these days,
so he could have a 100-figure-party.
In the afternoon he was let out, as usual. - Emil!
- We'll have "palt" for dinner. - Oh, lovely!
You might not know what "palt" is.
They has just slaughtered a pig, and then you must take the opportunity to make palt.
It's made of pig's blood, rye flour and spices and cocked to black lumps.
Then fat pork is added.
It tastes like blood pudding, but different and much better.
I'm going to eat eighteen.
Father will never allow you to. And by the way, you're fed up with one.
- Speaking of father; where is he? - He's resting outside.
Usually, Emil's father never took a nap until after dinner.
He was unusually tired today. I suppose this could happen, if you wake up in a mousetrap.
Emil was ashamed when he saw the bandage on his fathers big toe,
so he thought of making his father in high spirits again.
Father, we'll have palt for dinner. Look!
Look father, what a lot of sludge!
Oh my!
- Oh, help me God! - Eeemil!
Oh no Emil, hurry down to the toolshed!
You wicked brat!
Just you wait!
Now dear master Anton in Katthult is finished!
Emil the wretched boy has beaten him into blood!
Try and scrape together just some to at least one or two palts.
Oh no, what's wasted is wasted.
Hi, hi, we won't have anything for dinner today.
Oh yes, Emil's mother told Lina to make potato pancakes instead.
You may not know what potato pancakes are either?
It's a sort of pancakes with grinded potatoes added, and it tastes much better than it sounds, I can assure you.
No, dinner simply has to be ready now.
It's far beyond dinner time.
Yes!
I'm tired of running here letting you out!
"Sicken blows!"
Do you intend to run about in the nightshirt all day long?
Honestly, Emil is not to be blamed,
that his father entered that very moment, with a raving hunger, and got
Emil
No, the toolshed, Emil!
Emil
Is it my fault that dad is in the way, everywhere?
I cannot even set a mousetrap without he getting stuck in it!
It was not in this way he had in mind to celebrate his 100-figure-party!
It was Saturday evening, so he couldn't even invite Alfred as intended!
"When Herman wooed her, a fumbling start,"
"he was unfaithful and cold in heart."
"Amanda, love, I don't feel no more,"
"another girl knocks upon my door."
"my bride she is as from heaven send,"
"Don't cry Amanda, this is the end."
What a scoundrel!
"Amanda fainting falls down to earth,"
"Those words he said had so little worth."
"Oh God Almighty will punish thee,"
"for being untrue and false to me."
No, this evening did not turn out according Emil's intention.
Is this supposed to be justice, he sitting here in his nightshirt this whole, long Saturday?
Emil was angry.
But obviously it was the toolshed they wanted him, the Katthult people.
And their wish will be fulfilled!
In this very moment, Emil took a dreadful decision.
He intended to stay in the toolshed for the rest of his life.
Lonely and abandoned of everybody,
he would stay here until his life came to its end.
Then they finally will be content!
But don't you try enter the toolshed!
Then I'll fire!
Emil. Emil, dear.
You've nothing to fear any longer.
Father has calmed down, so you can come out now.
Ha!
Why do you talk like that? Come out now, Emil.
I'll never come out again!
And don't try to come in. I'll shoot if you do!
Please come out, so that we at least can have a talk.
... but ... Emil ...
- Emil! - I said no!
Emil is in the toolshed, and says he'll never come out again.
What kind of twaddle is that?
You must go there and bring him to reason, Anton.
Emil
Well then, you'll come out when you're hungry.
Ha, ha!
Emil's father didn't know about the box Emil had hidden in the fireplace.
A handsome little food supply,
oh yes indeed! Being a cunning boy, he'd made precautions not to starve to death in the toolshed.
Or I'll have to use brute force,
because you cannot stay in there the whole night.
Just you try!
I'll shoot the first person that enters!
Emil ...
Emil
come out and let's go to the lake for a swim, the two of us.
Oh no! Just you be sitting on that bench with Lina!
Be my guest! I stay here.
He can remain in there until he's bored. Let's go to bed.
- But ... - Come.
Always the same. Always. Now he won't even let us sleep at night.
But, Anton.
I wish we could be sure he indeed will stay there, that wicked child.
That would really please me!
This was a cheerless Saturday evening.
Of course Emil's parents
missed their little boy, who usually sleeps in his little bed in the corner
with his furry head on the pillow
hugging his cap and his gun.
"Amanda goes to the nearby lake,"
"her bond with life she intends to break."
"Fare-well you brute, who turned love to ice,"
"One day we will meet in Paradise."
I'd like to have had a word with that Herman.
Why?
A promise is a promise!
Don't forget that, Alfred.
But I cannot be blamed for what this Herman did?
Just you don't do the same! But I haven't promised you anything.
have I? Yes you have!
I could go with Alfred for a short swim,
and sneak into the toolshed afterwards.
Yes, I will!
Emil was certain who had hasped the door from the outside.
I'll show her, that hag!
Hello old moon, look at one who can really climb!
What's the matter?
Look, a "myling", on the roof!
No ...
I recognize that little myling.
A "myling" was the ghost of a dead child. In old days everybody in Småland feared them.
Krösa-Maja had told many a ghastly story about mylingar.
Come down, Emil!
Oh no!
I will pull down this toolshed and never again be placed in it!
Come down and let's go for a swim.
Jump!
What do you say about Lina? She thought she saw a myling!
Well then ...
that's what I got out of this Saturday evening.
You're in fact a good swimmer!
Yes, thanks to you, Alfred.
You and I, Alfred.
You and I, Emil, that's for sure.
That's the end of that day,
but more days followed with more mischief.
"Now I'll let you know how he got in the bowl with meat soup"
"headfirst made a deep dive, and jammed he was indeed."
"in his mother's soup bowl 'cause his ears was far too big,"
"So they went to town to the doctor in great speed."
"Good grief, he was an impish boy, please listen to my voice."
"If you one only soup bowl have, don't fill it up with boys."
This day in Katthult they had meat soup with vegetables for dinner.
Do you have to slurp like that, Emil.
Yes, otherwise you don't know that it's soup you're eating.
Everyone had his fill, and then the bowl was empty,
but for a drop at the bottom. Emil had decided to get that last drop.
The sole way of getting access to that drop, was to put the head in and lick it up.
Don't do that Emil
I'm Jammed
My dear child!
Just a second and I'll help you out. A dimwit's acting!
Why on earth should you put your head into it?
That's nothing to be done about! He's trapped.
Oh, this lovely soup bowl! In what do we serve the pea soup on Thursday?
Did you think the boy should stay in the bowl until Thursday, you silly?
Good Lord, what do we do now?
We'll have to use the poker,
and break the bowl with it. Are you out of your mind?
The bowl costed 4 crowns! Let me try.
Poor Emil.
Don't worry, Emil.
I've never seen anything like this! Stop it! Stop it!
Put me down. Let me go, don't you hear me?
Emil is crying.
No, I don't! It's meat soup.
We must make use of the poker. That cannot be avoided.
That must never be done! The bowl costed me 4 crowns.
We'd better go to the doctor in Mariannelund.
He only charges 3 crowns. In that way we gain 1 crown.
A good idea! Let's do that. Father
Buy something for me at the same time.
Buy and buy! I never hear another word.
Harness the horse, Alfred.
We'd better be at the doctor's before he closes.
Yes, all of a sudden they were all in a hurry in Katthult.
I simply have to tidy him up a little, if it can be done,
since he's going to the doctor.
We cannot comb his hair. No, that cannot be done.
And we cannot wash his ears.
No,
but that's a necessity; I know that for sure.
I have to have a go for it just the same.
What now then.
Oh no!
What now then?
I'm jammed!
Yes,
that what happens.
Are you out of your minds everybody?
Who's the next to squeeze himself into that bowl?
By all means! Do that! We'll take the big hay-cart.
I can take everyone in Katthult to Mariannelund.
No, we must leave your ears as they are, all the same.
- Then I had some benefit of this bowl. - Yes.
This misery, will it never end; year after year always the same!
Good luck!
This will be a subject in Lönneberga.
Well yes, I reckon you'll see to that, Krösa-Maja.
Look after little Ida carefully!
Yes, I will. See you, Emil!
Good bye!
And good bye with the soup bowl.
What on earth is this ...?
Oh, that little brat! Poor Svensson's, that's all I have to say!
Oh look! It must be Emil.
Emil, Emil
It's amazing, all that he can find out!
Here we go, becoming a common laughing-stock.
It's not that fun.
No, it isn't
But remember that you'll gain 1 crown. You don't do that every day.
He couldn't be by his senses! No!
Good afternoon, Jocke.
How are you? By all means.
It is a peculiar hat he's got, Emil.
Are those in fashion?
No they're not!
It was all but often Emil visited Mariannelund, so he enjoyed himself all the same,
though he saw nothing but the tip of his boots beneath the rim of the bowl.
"Up and down, down and up, piglets crow in spruce fir top."
"and a mouse in our house swears and wears a blouse."
"Lambs drink brandy, eggs are filled with candy."
"Dogs are meowing, pigs and hogs they crow."
"Up and down, down and up, piglets crow in spruce fir top."
"A cow gallop, a sheep on top, halt please, I say stop!"
Here you see the prince, riding on his horse.
Oh my, how did this happen?
A mishap, nothing else.
- Are your ears cold, lad? - No.
What use do you have of that gizmo on your head?
Otherwise my ears would be cold.
Emil did indeed know how to gain a laughter.
Next please.
I find your case more serious, so you can go first.
Oh tank you, can we really? Yes
Thank you!
Just a minute, please.
I read here that you have a cough plus chest-pains.
No, what really is the matter is that our son ... my son
Well, he's got jammed, our son.
How do you do ... in there?
I'm fine, thank you.
There flew 4 crowns away!
So, it costed 4 crowns, that bowl?
I daresay, that was a blessing in disguise for you.
You see, I charge 5 crowns, sometimes more.
Pulling a head out of a soup bowl is no easy matter! 5 crowns?
I thought you only charged 3 crowns, sir.
Upon my honour no, 5 crowns, not an "öre" less!
But now the boy has managed to cure himself.
He did yes. Yes, he did!
Then we won't have to pay at all?
No, you haven't.
That's ... that's really pleasing.
Really pleasing
Be my guest.
You'll find a dustbin on the outside. There you can throw away the shards.
Good bye.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Dustbin! Over my dead body! We can glue this together.
Just think of it; we have gained yet a crown! What should we buy for that one?
Buy! We're not going to buy anything!
It was nice of you to fix it, so we didn't have to pay anything.
So it's only right that you'll have 5 öre.
- Thank you. - You can put it in your piggy bank.
Had Emil been an ordinary kid, nothing else would have happened this day.
Bur Emil wasn't an ordinary kid. Guess what he did?
Oops!
Oh my
What's the matter?
The 5 öre coin!
It's in my stomach.
Good gratious, is that really so?
Yes!
Father, how are we going to get the coin out of our boy?
We must return to the doctor's.
So, that's how you have figured it out?
You want me to pay the doctor 5 crowns to get out a 5 öre coin?
What marks in maths did you have in school?
I'd surely want to know that!
It is in here, but I don't mind.
I can be my own piggy bank, and keep the 5 öre coin in there.
You're out of your mind both of you.
Anton, I didn't mind when he ate his trouser buttons, but a 5 öre coin!
This could be bad for him,
Believe me. A coin is much harder to digest.
- Is that so? - Yes.
- So you mean it could be dangerous? - Yes!
Then let's return.
So, did you forget something?
- No ... - No, this time Emil has swallowed a 5 öre coin.
A 5 öre coin. I daresay! And he did swallow it?
Yes, our Emil is capable of anything.
Well would it be possible to let him have an operation for 5 ... 4 crowns.
And you can keep the 5 öre coin!
Nice try! It is my coin!
No, an operation is a bit to overdo it.
Believe me,
the coin will come out on Thursday, at the very latest.
Nature will fix that, I promise.
But you must eat four buns.
You see ...the coin
the coin could use some company, in order not to irritate your stomach.
What do we owe you this time;
for the prescription I mean?
Nothing!
Thank you. Very pleasing, thank you!
Thank you, sir. Good bye. All right.
Next please!
He didn't charge anything.
Just imagine all that money we've gained!
We've never done this good business before!
True! He's a good doctor.
Let's go to the baker's and buy buns for Emil.
Never in a lifetime. Buns! We have buns enough at home!
- I'm hungry now! - Yes, Anton.
If a can borrow 5 öre, then I can buy my own buns.
And I'll pay you back in a couple of days.
- Sure as eggs are eggs. - Really?
The best medicine I've got in my entire life.
"Still going strong he is my horse,"
"limping on all four he does of course,"
"but I do not care!"
Emil's father showed unusual mirth.
It was a long time since he'd made this good business.
"... on this smooth road!"
Lina, they're coming!
They're here!
Home sweet home!
My dear little Ida! Come to mother.
- Oh my! - Yes indeed ...
... provided nobody touches it.
Did you hear, Alfred?
Meat soup will be served once again in Katthult!
It's a very nice soup bowl.
Lucky that father could mend it!
How could you get your head inside it in the first place?
Easy as duck soup! I just did like this.
Outch, I'm jammed!
You wretched child!
No!
Two days later Emil's father got back the 5 öre coin;
a small comfort.
Here you are.
At least I do pay my debts.
This is the story about Emil in the soup bowl.
"Listen now my dear friends, I will tell you all a story,"
"What Emil was up to a sunny day in May."
"Up the Katthult flagpole he did hoist his little sister,"
"Looking at her when she was floating in the wind."
"Good grief, he was an impish boy, but Ida was content."
"She was maybe the only child, who could sail in the air."
There was to be a party in Katthult this Sunday.
The cow is about to calve! Hurry!
Must she really calve today, when we're having a party?
It's Broka. We must have a look. No, not now, not when you're neat and clean!
Oh, it's high! Yes
We do have a high flagpole.
If I was up there, I probably could see Mariannelund.
- Shall I hoist you up? - Don't be silly. That cannot be done.
We don't know until we've tried.
I do want to see Mariannelund!
And you will!
Now the guests arrived in a long row, and the flag was hoisted.
One of the guests was the refined Mrs Petrell. She came all the way from Vimmerby,
to taste the delicate, homemade sausage of Alma Svensson's.
And the dean with his wife.
Refined and well-bred people was seen at this party; indeed not only peasants.
How do you do, my dear Mrs Petrell?
- What a blissed weather we have! - Yes.
- Yes indeed. A true weather for a party. - How wonderful to be out in the countryside!
Tell me what you see from up there.
- All sorts of things. - Tell me.
I can see the Lönneberga church.
- Don't you see Mariannelund? - No.
- Shall I let you down? - No, I like to see Lönneberga.
Ah ... and the flag is hoisted, of course it is.
Mrs Petrell was very near-sighted, so this is what she saw:
something red and white that showed no likeness to the Swedish flag.
- Welcome. - Howdy.
Excuse me for not greeting you,
We had a calving cow. She simply had to calve this party day.
Dear Anton, you must give me an explanation to this.
Why have you hoisted the Dannebrogen?
... Well Anton?
"Dannebrogen"?
Emil didn't know that word.
He didn't have a clue that this meant the red and white Danish flag.
But this he knew that the red and white up his flagpole
was not a Dannebrog.
Thast not a Dannebrog. It's just little Ida.
It's just me. I can see all Lönneberga
Ida!
You wretched child! What are you doing?
No! I want to stay up here.
Don't put me down. Oh No
Ida ... Ida! I want to stay up here
What did I tell you?
- Ida! - Wretched child!
Now it'll be the toolshed ... for life!
- She wanted to see Mariannelund. - So, she wanted it herself.
- She wanted to see Mariannelund. - Bah! Now it's the toolshed for you.
- She did want to see Mariannelund. - Stay here ...
and ponder over your mischief!
And ponder over your mischief!
I simply do not accept this!
But I don't care about their old party.
Goddamn, what a lot of nettles!
It was easy to work up an appetite in this larder!
Smoked hams and sausages were hanging in the ceiling,
and round "palt breads" in long lines.
Emil's father liked "palt bread" with pork and white sauce.
He was very old, this Johansson.
Oh dear, we've forgotten about Emil!
He's been sitting in there far too long. Please Anton, go and let him out.
Well ... my intention was never to keep him there this long.
Maybe not, but we've had some peace and quiet.
You can come out now, Emil.
- Emil is not here. - What? ... How remarkable ...!
Where could he be?
He must have escaped through the window, that imp.
This cannot be! No feet has trodden in these ...
At least not a human foot.
Could he have flown away?
Oh yes he can! He could have been turned into a dove.
I cannot see a single dove.
Maybe that is Emil?
I doubt it, my little Ida.
Alma. Alma!
Emil has disappeared.
Emil
Lina used to sing about a poor girl who was turned into a dove and flew to Heaven.
So why couldn't Emil have been turned into a hen?
He couldn't be else where but in the toolshed. Don't you see that?
But he isn't!
Where is he then, if he isn't in the toolshed?
Look for yourselves.
Emil!
What are these?
He's gone; that's for sure.
Who on earth has made all these wooden figures?
Nobody but our little Emil has made them.
And now he's gone!
Emil, don't fly to heaven!
I'll give you chicken fodder as much as you can eat,
as long as you stay in Katthult.
Come forth, Emil!
Poor people in Katthult, they searched and searched!
They searched in the woodshed and in the mangleshed, but no Emil.
In the sheep house, in the hen house, in the laundryshed, but no Emil.
I know. The subterraneans must have taken him, the goblins.
They will regret it! Tell the subterraneans that, with my greetings.
They searched the stable, the barn and the pigsty, but no Emil.
Then they looked in the well.
Maybe The Old Man in the Well has caught him.
If so, he's finished! Come forth
Where are you?
But no Emil.
Then everybody headed for the stream.
Luckily he wasn't found there either.
Yes, "Näcken", the evil water spirit
has taken him! He always covets children.
Children are easiest to capture.
Bah, Emil will break that habit of his in no time!
should it at all be Näcken, who has him.
Bah, Näcken hasn't got Emil.
Of course he must be somewhere.
Don't despair, he will turn up.
No ... I don't think so.
I had hoped this would be a fine and merry party.
He ... he ...
Anton ...
what on earth shall we do?
It's time to bring forth the food.
We cannot let the guest starve to death. They're invited to dinner.
We'd all better return to the house!
Wasting the food won't ease our troubles.
Well said of Emil's father, because everyone was hungry from all the mourning and searching.
Alma ... the sausage.
The sausage? ... Oh my, I've forgotten the sausage!
Lina, go and get the sausage, will you.
Well, many a child has disappeared and never turned up again.
We all know that.
My dear Krösa-Maja, we mustn't think of the worst, really not!
What's the matter with you?
Where's the sausage?
If you all please follow me, I'll show you something.
What foolishness is this?
Follow me ... and I'll show you this foolishness of mine.
You do have an odd milk maid.
Yes, she differs from all milk maids in Lönneberga, but let's join her.
What are you up to, Lina?
Lina
- Emil, our little boy! - Oh yes, Emil, sweet little Emil.
He isn't turned into something. At least not that much.
Is he alive?
Yes, praise be to God, he's alive!
Wake up, Emil.
He has obviously been eating sausages.
Right. Now maybe you know why I couldn't bring you any sausages.
You really did frighten us, my little Emil.
Imagine how one tiny boy, found stuffed with sausage, could create such great happiness!
He's alive, and that's all that counts.
- Oh yes. - No matter the sausage!
But I left one behind. I know I did.
We must give that one to Mrs Petrell.
She's second to no one but Emil, devouring sausage!
The evening darkened and the party in Katthult came to an end.
The guests returned to their own homes.
Give my gratitude to Emil for saving one sausage. That was very civil of him!
- Good bye. - Good bye.
Everyone was content. They'd all got a new story
about poor Svensson's in Katthult and their impish boy.
Autumn was gloomy with rain and rough weather.
Hey there, you lazy ox, this day is not ended yet.
Do you hear that, you lazy ox.
Lucky for Alfred, he had little Emil as a discussion partner.
They had an important subject to examine.
Lina both acts as and believes that you're going to marry her.
But you don't intend to, Alfred?
No, I dare not.
The worst, however, is that I dare not tell her.
Do you want me to tell her?
I dare, I promise I do!
Well ... you must say it properly, nicely. You cannot rush straight ahead!
"My Alfred the sweetest thing for us, for you and me,
is to rest in the graveyard side by side."
"Where no delusive friends may ever do us part,"
"In Heaven we wed, I'll your bride."
"And now the floor is shining, tjo littan, littan lej."
Now Månsan it's time for you to catch the big barn-rat.
You wicked child, look what you have done!
I'm scrubbing all day, trying to keep the house clean,
then you bring half Småland in the kitchen.
- Indeed! - Calm down, Lina.
Yes, you stick to him, whatever he does! Get out!
She's so meticulous. Marrying her is not an easy bargain.
- No. - My gosh!
The autumn darkness fell heavily upon Katthult.
Already 3 o'clock PM the kerosene lamp in the kitchen had to be lit.
And everybody in the kitchen was busy with his and her own tasks.
Emil's mother spun a nice, white yarn for socks to Emil and Ida.
Lina and Krösa-Maja carded the wool.
Emil's father was pegging shoes,
and saved a lot of money, they otherwise must have paid the shoemaker.
Alfred mended his own socks, and that was highly needed.
Emil and Ida was playing under the drop-leaf table
like children in Småland have made for centuries.
Oh my, can you wear out shoes, Alma!
The way you're walking, I'll have to buy a new pair of shoes.
Continually, continually!
- At least every tenth year. - Right you are.
Your shoes could be spared a step now and then.
You could go with bare feet.
- At least in summer. - Yes, and jump on one leg in winter.
What on earth are you doing?
We have a wolf under the table.
Emil says that Månsan is a wolf.
If so, you have never seen a wolf.
- Have you? - Indeed I have!
In the old days, wolfs roamed Småland in big packs.
We were greatly infested by them here in Lönneberga.
All handy men dug deep wolf pits.
Many wolves fell into them and were shot.
One winter evening when I was young,
I heard a pack of wolves howl in the woods.
By cracky, did I run!
Then you must have been afraid, Krösa-Maja?
Indeed! ... But can you guess what was even worse?
No, what?
There were also werewolves!
Werewolves, what's that?
A werewolf is ... no, I don't even dare to mention it.
A werewolf, well ... one part is a man,
the other part is a wolf.
He's out stalking at night when the moon is full.
He's almost like a ghost, you see.
Good grief!
Should you meet a werewolf in the night, you're done for!
A more gruesome beast doesn't exist.
People should stay at home at night, if you ask me,
and not run about in the moonlight.
Right!
Krösa-Maja, please
don't frighten the children like that.
Yes, please do! Tell us about murderers, ghosts and mylingar and all this.
- Oh no, no more stories. - But tell us at least how to dig a wolf pit.
Next morning, Emil started to dig a wolf pit.
He thought that once you have a wolf pit, you'll soon get a wolf.
The main thing is to get it ready before the snow.
When the snow comes and the cold, then the wolves leave the woods.
Good grief!
By the way, I think Alfred will give me a hand.
And he did, otherwise the wolf pit would never have been finished.
When it's covered by snow the wolf will fall right into it.
Wham, and there he is!
- Yes, wham, and there he is! - Wham, and there he is!
Now he longed for winter to come, and one day it was there.
Winter came some weeks before Christmas, and the snow was falling for days.
Katthult was covered by the snow, and Lönneberga, and all Småland.
This was a busy time! In Katthult Christmas was thoroughly celebrated with lots of food.
Room was scarce, due to all the different sorts of sausages piling up,
and hams, brawns, meatballs and a lot more.
Everything had it's origin in the newly slaughtered pig.
And candles! Candles were important at Christmas.
Emil's mother and Lina worked almost a whole night, making candles.
Big candles, small candles, branched candles. Christmas must shine!
Emil's father found some oats sheaves he'd saved for the sparrows.
This is one big waste of food ... and foolishness.
But sparrows must also eat at Christmas.
Hmm, I think I'll save this for next Christmas.
Yes.
Everything living must eat at Christmas.
All the "fattighjons" in the workhouse.
You might not know what a "fattighjon" is and a workhouse?
Be pleased that you don't have to know.
In old days every parish had its workhouse.
Imagine a miserable cottage with two or three rooms,
a filled with poor, worn out and aged persons,
sitting there idly in filth, lice, starvation and misery,
then you know what a "fattighjon" is and a workhouse.
So, Jocke, there you are!
What did I tell you?
Didn't I tell you to keep indoors?
He wasn't far away this time. I caught him within minutes.
Don't do that again!
I've other duties than chasing you.
And you don't have wits enough to cope on your own.
Do you understand?
Look, she walks like a roaring lion amidst the sheep.
This was about "The Commander". She was in charge in the workhouse.
Emil's mother had sent her son to the workhouse with some food for Christmas,
sausages, ham, brawns and more,
and a box of snuff for Albert's grandfather.
Enter!
Oh, who is coming? Isn't it Emil himself?
Mother has sent me with some food for you, Christmas food.
God bless her!
Yes, God bless her!
She has a good heart.
That dear mistress in Katthult!
She knows the need of the poor.
The snuff is for Alfred's grandfather only.
So ... well then, he'd better get it.
- Merry Christmas everybody! - Merry Christmas!
Give your mother our greatful greetings.
I will.
Let's have a look.
- Couldn't we eat some of it right away? - That would make you happy, wouldn't it?
On Christmas Eve will this be eaten!
I am so hungry Not until Christmas Eve.
I'll put it in my cupboard in the attic,
and God have mercy upon the one who touches it!
Christmas is here.
Emil was silent and calm all trough the Christmas Day service.
He behaved so well, that his mother had to write this down in the notebook.
"That lad is really pious," "and at least he does no mischief in church."
Emil and Ida were playing with their Christmas gifts,
and Katthult was half asleep in peace.
This day was Boxing Day, and Emil's parents were invited for a Christmas feast in Skorphult,
at the other end of the parish.
All Lönneberga knew about Emil ... so the children were not invited.
It was Lina's duty to stay behind as babysitter, but she urged to join the others in the sledge.
She wished to visit her mother, living in a cottage near Skorphult,
and she whined for not being allowed to go.
Don't whine like that, Lina.
You may come with us, for God's sake.
- Oh can I really? - I'll take care of the children.
But you know Emil!
Emil is a sweet little lad. At least he does no mischief at Christmas.
No mischief! Understood?
- Did you her that? - Yes.
Giddap!
Let's have some fun!
Sicken blows!
He's not here yet? Strange.
Where could he be?
He must have gone to Katthult ... as always.
What business does he have in Katthult?
I reckon he has one or two things to discuss this time.
What do you mean by that?
Klossan, go to Katthult and get Stolle-Jocke back here. Immediately!
- What ... you don't mean that! - Yes.
I must have my gun, and put The Commander to death!
Calm down, Emil. It's risky to be that vexed!
I don't care, because now I am vexed!
Look, Lill-Klossan is coming!
- Yes, she is. - To bring me home.
Yes indeed! She had hidden all of it in her cupboard in the attic.
And when she brought it forth on Christmas Eve,
a tiny stump of a sausage was missing.
Then she was raving mad, and she said,
if that person, who had stolen the sausage did not confess ...
then you'll have a Christmas Eve, that'll make the angels in Heaven cry.
And that how it was.
All Christmas trough we have had nothing but rancid herring to eat.
But The Commander ...
she sat on her room, and ate blood pudding and sausage,
so that you wondered why she wasn't filled up to her ears.
I watched her once every hour.
She did nothing but eat, and eat and eat.
And every now and then she used some of Jocke's snuff.
My snuff.
We'd better go now, Jocke.
The poor are surely to be pitied, grandfather.
I know a person who will have a big feast!
- Who? - I will!
I'll invite all the poor in the workhouse to a feast here in Katthult. At once!
Not The Commander ... or?
No, but the others.
Emil, are you sure this is not a mischief?
Well Emil, is it?
No, it isn't. It's that sort of scheme that'll make God's angels clap their hands.
- Mother would like it too. - But father ...?
Emil worked his will ... he always did.
"Up and down, down and up, piglets crow in spruce fir top.
"And a mouse ..."
At the same time The Commander used the last of Stolle-Jocke's snuff.
She was a bit mournful, as often happen when you have done wrong,
and have eaten too much food.
- Good evening. - Good evening, dear Emil.
Oh, little Emil. What do you want?
Did I possibly forget my clasp-knife at my last visit?
No Emil, I haven't seen a clasp-knife.
Have any of you seen Emil's knife here?
No, I haven't seen it.
No Emil, no one has seen it.
Then I must leave you.
Was the food to your liking? The sausages and the brawns?
Oh yes, oh yes ...
Give our greetings to your mother; everything was so tasty.
I will when she comes back.
Mother and father are at the feast in Skorphult today.
The Christmas feast in Skorphult!
So, they're having a feast?
To be sure! And seventeen curd cakes! How about that?
Oh my!
All these ... curd cakes!
Believe me, she'll be heading for Skorphult.
What a hag! She's locking the door.
We'll have to bring them out through a window.
But they all have inner windows. Those cannot be opened.
How are we getting you out? Is there a window that can be opened?
The one in the attic.
Yes there was; the window in The Commander's own room.
Luckily Alfred was so big and strong, and the fattighjons so thin and light.
Don't drop her. She's as close as can be my fiancée. What's what you're thinking
You cannot make me join this foolishness.
Don't you want to join the feast?
My legs cannot go to feasts any more.
A pity, but I'll let the others bring some food to you.
God bless you for that, Emil.
We run ahead and prepare for your arrival.
You see, I become breathless. That makes my pace so slow.
Right you are.
Imagine when The Commander is back and finds the workhouse empty!
That serves her right!
The workhouse without a living soul. She must face that!
I haven't been to a Christmas feast for twenty years.
Well, then it's about time!
Good grief! I have never seen ...
Lo! There is light and bliss without end.
Welcome, all of you!
Thank you.
This will be some feast!
I want you to know
what was on the table in Katthult
that evening on Boxing Day
There was ...
one dish with blood bread,
one dish with cooked pork sausage,
one dish with brawn,
one dish with liver pâté,
one dish with smoked sausage,
one dish with meat-balls,
one dish with veal chops,
one dish with spare ribs,
one dish with barley-grain sausage,
one dish with potato sausage,
one dish with pickled herring salad,
one saucer with salted and cooked beef,
one dish with beef tongue,
one dish with mince-meat sausage,
one dish with the big Christmas ham,
one dish with the big Christmas cheese,
and loaf bread, syrup bread and light rye bread,
one tankard of juniper ale and one jug of milk,
one tureen with rice porridge,
one dish with curd cake,
one bowl with prunes,
one dish with apple cake,
one bowl with whipped cream,
one bowl with strawberry jam,
one bowl with ginger pears,
plus one suckling piglet, roasted whole and decorated with icing.
Little Ida watched them gobbling all the food.
She understood that only a starving person could eat like that.
Then she was frightened.
She recalled, that all their relatives from Ingatorp was coming tomorrow.
and this evening all the feast food would be finished.
Emil, are you certain this isn't a mischief?
We're having guests from Ingatorp tomorrow.
They are fat enough already.
- Better all the food is eaten by those who really need it.
Yes.
What! What's this?
Where are you?
Where are ye all?
The Commander was more afraid than she had ever been before.
Who can walk through locked doors?
No others than the angels in Heaven.
There could be no other explanation, thought The Commander.
The poor miserable ones she had swindled of their food and snuff.
God's angels had brought them to a better place that the workhouse.
She alone was left behind in groaning and misery.
What's this whining about?
Who was that? What do you want?
Is that you, lying there?
Where are all the others?
I won't tell you.
Tell me, or I'll show you!
Now I've surly "tagit tabberas" on the herring salad.
Now I've surly "tagit tabberas" on the spare ribs.
They said: "tagit tabberas".
That means 'tabula rasa', they've emptied the dishes and left nothing.
That's why this feast ever since was called "The Big Tabberas in Katthult".
I can tell you that is was told about for decades afterwards,
in Lönneberga and in other parishes.
Only the piglet remains.
By cracky, he looks like a little ghost. He is not for me!
No, I've never seen such an ogre.
But Blissed-Amalia ... we've forgotten about her.
Shall we bring it to her?
Alright, let's take the piglet even if he looks like a ghost.
Is that alright, Emil?
Well ... let her have the piglet.
"A small and needy child I am,"
"yet so content and free."
"I know my Father good and dear,"
"will care for you and me."
"He loves me, warms me when I'm cold,"
"His hand will guide my way."
"His love for me is more than gold,"
The Commander is ashamed.
She dare not knock at the door and be let in.
She's first going to peep through the window,
and be assured of if her inmates are really having a party.
She need a box or something to step on.
She walks around searching ...
and she did find something,
but not a box.
She found A sausage!
I'm well fed up already, but a sausage is a sausage.
This is how they caught wolves in the old days in Småland.
The banquet is over,
and my days in sorrow will also come to an end.
I'm so fully fed that I can hardly walk.
Well, let's bring forth the wood sledge, Alfred.
In a great haste they all flew down the slopes at Katthult,
and they all shouted for joy,
because it was so long since they rode a sledge.
It certainly is fun to ride in a sledge.
Arriving to the workhouse, they found the door open. Strange!
They entered and stumbled to bed, totally exhausted from food and the sledge ride,
but in a higher spirit than for many a year.
But the miserable Commander was not in a high spirit.
This wolf pit of Emil's was indeed deep.
But she had no intention to cry for help ... yet.
She was ashamed, and she was convinced she would be able to cope on her own.
What's that sound?
I've caught a wolf in my wolf pit!
Mother!
That wolf has a strange howl.
Listen.
A werewolf!
Emil was disappointed, founding out what kind of werewolf he had got.
Then he got an idea. Maybe he could domesticate The Commander,
and make her more benevolent to Stolle-Jocke and the others.
Come and look what a shaggy beast I've got in my pit!
Emil, is that really a werewolf?
Certainly! A mean old werewolf,
and they are the most dangerous ones.
Yes, they are the greediest.
Right, that one has been a glutton all her live.
But this is the end.
Alfred, bring me my gun.
No please Emil, don't you see who I am?
In this moment The Commander was struck by utmost fear.
How could she have known that Emil's gun was just a toy?
A wooden gun that Alfred had carved.
Did you hear what the werewolf said, Alfred?
No ...
Neither do I care. Bring my gun.
Don't you think this werewolf resembles The Commander?
- Yes, but The Commander is much worse. - Oh yes.
I wonder who really took that sausage from the cupboard?
I did. God have mercy upon me for that.
I took that sausage. I did.
Alfred, don't you see that it really is The Commander and not a werewolf?
Yes! Holy smoke, what a mistake we made!
Give her a hand, Alfred.
Take it!
I did take the sausage,
but I had forgotten that on Christmas Eve. I swear!
A good thing she got some time to remember.
Wolf pits are not that bad after all!
Third day of Christmas came.
That was the day for the Ingatorp relatives to arrive.
Woe! What kind of feast was this to be?
By all means! There was some salted pork in the larder,
Fried pork with rich onion sauce, that's a dish for a king!
But Emil's mother wrote in the blue notebook:
"The evening of the third day of Christmas, in despair."
"He's spent the whole day in the toolshed, poor child."
"He certainly is pious that lad,"
"but sometimes I think he must be stark mad."
In the end of March came the last blizzard that winter.
On the first of April the ice broke up in the Katthult stream.
Fourteen days later the fields lay bare.
At the time for the spring ploughing, more snow.
Then spring arrived with great haste.
Winter and spring were passed. Summer had come and life was the same as always.
Wretched child! Just you wait!
- Emil. - Calm down, Anton
Calm down! I'm calming down the best I can!
Where's my wooden shoe?
I am calm!
However, at some occasions Emil was content being a nice boy smacking flies.
"They were to meet in this flower dell,"
"and now she rests at the cooling well."
"She felt alone and begun to walk,"
"Alas no Alfred with loving talk."
There was a fly walking on your behind.
"By agony her mind was stirred,"
"when a shot from the wood she heard."
"She almost fainted, she found,"
"Alfred so bleeding deadly upon the ground."
Good grief, what gloomy songs you sing!
Lina, give me a hand, will you.
Alfred, have you talked to her?
- Talked about what? - That you don't want to marry her.
No, I haven't
Why don't you tell her?
Well ... that must be done courteously.
It's a delicate matter. I don't want to make her sad.
But you have to tell her soon.
Well yes, I will.
Only I could find out a polite way!
"The maiden said now is fall, lovingly will none me call."
"Disappear like a dream, life's an empty stream."
"Nothing gives me joy, until I meet my boy."
"World, oh you are so amiss, with no love no bliss."
"In my grave tears I'll cry, with no love I'd rather die."
"Nothing more I beg thee, truelove come to me."
So, there you are, Lina.
Well Lina, since long I have wanted to tell you something.
What could that be, sweet Alfred? What will you tell me?
That marriage we've spoken of for years,
Well, marriage is just bullshit. Let's blow that of.
Well, those were his exact words, poor Alfred.
I shouldn't have told you. I don't want to teach you more swear words than you already know.
But have in mind that Alfred was a poor farm hand in Lönneberga, whilst you're not.
He was unable to find a more polite way to tell Lina, poor man.
By the way, Lina wasn't at all depressed.
Bullshit! That's what you think. Just you wait and see!
In that moment Alfred knew that he would never get away from Lina.
This very evening he wanted to feel free and happy.
So he and Emil went down to Katthult Lake, to catch perch.
The evening was as beautiful, as it can almost only be in Småland
The blackbirds were singing, and the mosquitoes were buzzing.
They were sitting on a rock, hardly saying anything,
still they enjoyed each others company.
Do you know what I'm going to do tomorrow, Alfred?
No.
Some kind of mischief?
Well ...
I don't know.
I never know until afterwards.
"Good grief, he was an impish boy," "he second was to none."
"and Emil was the name he had, yes, Emil was his name."
English subtitles made by Aliquis.