PELLE NO-TAIL Pulls Through GÖS TA KN UTSSON Translated by Stephanie Smee and Ann-Margrete Smee TEACHING NOTES
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Stephanie and Ann-Margrete Smee After working as a lawyer in Sydney and London, Stephanie Smee made her literary translation debut with an English translation of the Countess de Ségur s Fleurville Trilogy. Her mother, Ann-Margrete Smee, is now retired, having worked as a government translator, court interpreter and, for many years, a language teacher. Gösta Knutsson Gösta Knutsson (1908 1973) was a Swedish children s author and radio producer. The first Pelle book was published in 1939, followed by many more books, comics, films, plays, music and television programs. Pelle No-Tail is beloved in Sweden and around the world, with translations appearing in Polish, Finnish, Danish, German, Dutch, Norwegian and Portuguese.
TEACHING NOTES Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through By Gösta Knutsson (Translated by Stephanie Smee and Ann-Margrete Smee) SYNOPSIS (PLOT) The third book in the classic series Pelle No-Tail re-introduces Sweden s favourite cat. Pelle is a fixture of life in his town of Slottsbacken, and has longstanding relationships with the neighbourhood cats. Here, he meets new cats through his travels, but some of the old crowd continue to tease him. The story opens with the family discussing swing music, and soon Pelle is repeating the conversation to Måns, who is angered by what he misconstrues as Pelle s boasting. Måns devises a plan to embarrass Pelle in front of the whole neighbourhood, and hosts a Big Swing Fair, inviting cats from far and wide to attend. Måns takes every opportunity to bully Pelle, and at times other cats join in. Måns invites Pelle to sing, and Pelle does a good job, but he is publicly shamed by Måns, who has set Pelle up by using his song as an example of old-fashioned music. Pelle is followed on stage by the famous singer Alice Jams Karlson. Alice sings a mean song about Pelle, and the audience laughs at him. But when the song is over, Laban, a new cat who sleeps on a grand piano, stands up for Pelle and maintains that he did a good job with the song. Then the townsfolk question Måns about the proceeds of the fair, and Måns is forced to admit that he was going to take the money for himself, instead of giving it to charity. This does not go down well with the other cats, and they punish him. 1
p e l l e n o - t a i l p u l l s t h r o u g h It is summer, and the family are about to holiday in the Bergslagen Forest. When Pelle tells Måns where he s going, Måns is jealous, and tries to scare Pelle by telling him about wild dogs that roam the town. But Pelle is getting wise to Måns, and he doesn t believe him, challenging him to provide details. Måns realises he s going to have to work hard to scare Pelle, so he forces Fritz and Frida to throw a party so that other cats can tell scary stories about the ghosts in their neighbourhoods. But Pelle isn t scared by these stories, and he comes up with rational explanations for each one. Then Måns makes up a story about a Bergslagen troll that eats cats, and finally Pelle is truly scared. The family travel by train and then bus to reach Bergslagen. When they arrive Pelle makes a new friend, the cat Siggebo-Sigge, who has spotty paws, compared to Pelle s pink ones. But Pelle notes that all paws have the same function, no matter how they look. Siggebo-Sigge shows Pelle around town, and it turns out that there are no dogs, and that Måns was indeed lying. They come upon Musical Musse, a cat who sings songs according to where the birds sit on powerlines, using the image as a score. Then Siggebo-Sigge leads Pelle to an old woman milking a cow: If you just sit down next to her and look at her intently, you usually get a taste. Siggebo-Sigge announces that he usually has a nap after eating, as is the Bergslagen custom. As it s getting late Pelle wants to go home, but he follows Siggebo-Sigge into the forest when suddenly he finds himself alone and face-to-face with the Bergslagen troll, who is going to eat him. Pelle is really scared and tries to run away, but then he wakes up and realises he was dreaming. Suddenly, Siggebo-Sigge announces that the real Bergslagen troll is arriving! But it turns out he s just a kitten, with a nickname the town have given him due to his black fur. Pelle sends Måns a postcard telling him that he met the Bergslagen troll. In Bergslagen, the family go fishing for perch at the lake. Birgitta has great success and catches eight fish, but when one finally bites at Mama s bait, she is distracted and somehow manages to fling the fish into the high branches of a nearby birch tree. It s too high up to reach so they leave it there, but once everyone s gone Pelle climbs up the tree and grabs the fish, and takes it to share with Siggebo-Sigge. When Pelle returns home, he tells Måns about the perch in the birch. Måns doesn t believe him and wants to teach him a lesson, so he gets a group of cats together to go fishing. He tells them all to put their tails into the water to use as bait, and of course this means that Pelle is left out. But before long Måns starts carrying on, and it turns out that a fish has bitten his tail and won t let go. 2 blackincbooks.com
t e a c h i n g n o t e s At Christmas time, the family return to Övrabo for a holiday, and Pelle meets up with his old friend, the wise Big Stina. The pair visit Jonas, the barn cat, and he tells them about an Övrabo Christmas tradition where cats dip their paws into a pail of milk, and lick the milk off. Big Stina doesn t like the sound of it, but Pelle tries it. Back at the house, Birgitta decorates the Christmas tree, and the family talk about the story of Gulliver and the tiny human Lilliputians from Gulliver s Travels. Before long, Pelle finds himself surrounded by hundreds of tiny cats, the Lillipusses, and they capture him and tie him up just like Gulliver. But Pelle makes friends with the Lillipusses after they feed him hundreds of tiny rats, and he helps them fight off the Blefuscu cats who come across the water. The Blefuscu cats retreat, but before long they return with another cat bigger than Pelle. It s Måns, and he has a lot of other big cats with him, to help him fight. Pelle realises the Lillipusses are going to lose, but then... he wakes up! It was all a dream. Back home, Måns has found out that his shed is going to be knocked down, and he ll have nowhere to live. He blames this on Pelle, even though Pelle is not responsible in any way. Pelle suggests that Måns has a ceremony to decorate his Christmas tree, so that everyone can go to the shed one last time. Måns invites Pelle, but at the dinner he gives food to everyone except Pelle. Then he and Bill and Bull try to play a trick on Pelle by creating a false broadcast over the radio saying that due to rationing it is illegal to wear bows. But Bill mispronounces a word, and everyone realises what has happened. Then, when Måns tries to humiliate Pelle by putting a candle on his tail stump, the candle falls and sets Måns tail on fire. Papa is training in the army, and the family have a chance to visit him, so they fly to Gotland. Måns stows away in the plane, and spreads a rumour around town that Pelle is a spy. The town cats try to catch Pelle and imprison him, but the General s cat, Rosa, stops them. She recognises Pelle because she used to be known as Ingrid, and is an old friend of Pelle s. The cats lock Måns up instead. QUESTIONS What do you do during holidays? What transport have you taken to go on holidays? The real Bergslagen troll a nickname. Do you have a nickname? Pelle sent a postcard to Måns. Imagine you re in a foreign place and write someone a postcard. blackincbooks.com 3
p e l l e n o - t a i l p u l l s t h r o u g h THEMES This book for children is an adventure story that deals with self-confidence, imagination, meeting new people, and Sweden. Prevailing themes throughout the Pelle series are bullying and embracing people s differences. Self-Confidence Throughout his adventures, Pelle is often victimised, but good prevails in the end and the bullies are reprimanded. Pelle is older than he was in the previous books, and more mature, so he is more confident in himself and his convictions. When the cats try to scare him, he stands his ground, and when he finds himself in new places or new situations he embraces any differences between himself and others, and always sees the best in other cats. No matter what adventure Pelle is having, he always has a positive attitude, and he always does the right thing. Imagination: Dreams Pelle has two dreams in this story, and they each display a sense of symbolism through imagination. Like people, Pelle takes elements of real life and dreams about them. In the first instance, he has a simple foreboding dream about getting lost in the woods and eaten by a troll. But his second dream is more complicated and speaks to bigger issues in his life. Imagination plays a big role in many elements of the story. Meeting New People Wherever Pelle ends up, he always meets new people and makes new friends. Here, each of Pelle s many adventures, real or imagined, takes him to different places and introduces him to different kinds of cats. Sweden While Pelle s story is universal, there are some key elements that reflect its original setting. Character names and place names are key examples, but the setting, customs and food are all emblematic of Sweden. WRITING STYLE The book has been translated from Swedish by Stephanie Smee and Ann-Margrete Smee. A classic, popular Swedish children s book, it 4 blackincbooks.com
t e a c h i n g n o t e s was first published in 1942, and the translation is faithful to that era s writing style. The translation is also faithful to the location where the book was originally set; many Swedish locations are mentioned, character names are Swedish, Swedish expressions are peppered throughout the book, and Swedish cultural traditions are explained. The story is presented from Pelle s point of view; his relationships with other cats are explored, and humans are almost secondary to the story. We hear Pelle s thoughts and feelings, and see him embracing the differences between cats from different places. The writing style is lighthearted and humorous, even though it deals with some important social issues. This is especially interesting to note since the book was originally published during World War II, a time when differences between cultures and people were not celebrated in some parts of the world. STUDY NOTES These discussion points and activities are designed to assist the teacher to present the book to the students. They encourage extended discussion and further thought about the content or style, and are not intended to be prescriptive. CHARACTERS Activity: Who is your favourite new character? Write five adjectives that describe them. Activity: Create a timeline showing what happens in Pelle s adventures. Activity: What song would you have sung at the Big Swing Fair? In groups, write a song that reflects the current day. THEMES Self-Confidence Activity: Write a list about the kinds of things are you confident about. Discussion point: As a class, discuss what self-confidence means. Discussion point: Discuss how Pelle s self-confidence benefitted him in the story. blackincbooks.com 5
p e l l e n o - t a i l p u l l s t h r o u g h Imagination Activity: Write another chapter in the Gulliver s Travels story. What would have happened if Pelle hadn t woken up? Activity: Draw a picture of a scene with the Lillipusses and Pelle. Discussion point: Pelle has a lot of dreams. What kinds of things do you dream about? Meeting New People Activity: Write a profile of a new person who you ve met. Activity: Write a diary entry about what you did on the weekend, and how it relates to the season. Was it cold? Did you light a fire or go ice-skating? Was it hot? Did you go for a swim or eat an ice-cream? Discussion point: What are some of the activities you do during each season? Sweden Discussion point: Discuss the similarities and differences between Australia and Sweden in relation to Pelle s story. What food does he like? What food do you like? Where does Pelle s family go on holidays, how do they get there and what do they do there? What about your family? Activity: Write down one or two of your favourite things about Sweden you ve learned through reading this story. WRITING ACTIVITIES Write a blurb for Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through. Write about a new place for Pelle to visit: what is it like? Who will he meet there? Write a postcard to one of the characters from Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through to tell them about your holiday. 6 blackincbooks.com
t e a c h i n g n o t e s TEACHING NOTES From The Adventures of Pelle No-Tail Book 1 By Gösta Knutsson (Translated by Stephanie Smee and Ann-Margrete Smee) THEMES This book for children is an adventure story that deals with bullying, embracing people s differences, having a positive attitude and exploring the world around you. Bullying Pelle can t understand why people pick on him and look down on him because he doesn t have a tail. He can t help it if he doesn t have a tail, he thinks. This is a strong theme throughout the book: accepting someone who is different from you. Activity: Draw a table, and on the left side list the ways someone can be a friend; on the right, list some of the ways someone can be a bully. Discussion point: As a class, discuss what bullying is, and how it is different from having an argument with someone. Discussion point: Discuss the reasons some people might bully others. Discuss strategies to help someone who is being bullied. Discussion point: Discuss how the students think Pelle might feel about being picked on for a physical attribute that he can t help. Embracing people s differences Throughout his adventures, Pelle meets many different animals and people. They re all very different, but Pelle likes them all for exactly who they are. blackincbooks.com 7
t h e a d v e n t u r e s o f p e l l e n o - t a i l Big-Stina tells him there s nothing wrong with having no tail; in fact, there are some great things about not having a tail. For her, Pelle s lack of a tail is no issue. Pelle learns about some strange human customs at Easter and Christmas time. Still, he gives them a chance and joins in, finding that he has a great time. Activity: In groups, have children survey each other, collecting information about things such as eye colour, hair colour, hair type, hobbies, favourite sport, and so on. Have them create a bar graph to present to the class, showing the differences within each group. Activity: In groups, write down all the ways you can think of that someone might be different from others. Discussion point: Vocabulary talk about what a stereotype is. People with a disability can experience this; some people assume someone with a disability can t do certain things, when they actually can. Discuss how getting to know someone can help avoid stereotyping them. Activity: In small groups, identify some questions you could ask to get to know someone better; e.g. ask about their hobbies, favourite music, favourite sport, pets. Discussion point: Vocabulary talk about what diversity means. It can apply to diversity in cultures, in abilities, and so on. What are the benefits of having diversity in our community? Discussion point: Pelle learns about how Swedish people celebrate Christmas. Discuss how a Swedish Christmas is different from the way Christmas is celebrated in Australia. Discuss other traditions that students celebrate in their homes here in Australia. 8 blackincbooks.com
ALSO AVAILABLE The Adventures of Pelle No-Tail In the first book, Pelle leaves the farm where he was born and goes to live in the city. There Pelle must get used to life with his new family. But in the city, he also meets the nasty tomcat, Måns, who loves nothing better than to make life difficult for Pelle. Will Pelle be able to stand up to Måns and his foolish friends, Bill and Bull? Find out in The Adventures of Pelle No-Tail. Further Adventures of Pelle No-Tail In the second of the Pelle No-Tail series, Pelle again has to put up with Måns and his friends, Bill and Bull, doing their best to make fun of his missing tail. Måns does everything he can to come up with ways to poke fun at Pelle, whether it s at the Spring Fête or at the cats great general knowledge quiz. But Pelle refuses to let Måns get him down, and instead he has all sorts of new adventures. While on holiday with his family, he plays ship s cat on an exciting outing to a desert island. But as darkness falls, he wonders will he ever make it back to shore?
PELLE NO-TAIL Pulls Through It s time to sing! When Måns asks Pelle to sing a song at the Big Swing Fair he is organising, Pelle is pleased. Maybe Måns has decided to be his friend? But, as always, Måns has other things in mind. What tricky things is he planning? And can Pelle stand up for himself? Find out in this fun-filled adventure featuring Sweden s favourite cat. In these charming books now published for the first time in English since their publication in Swedish more than seventy years ago children will delight in the adventures of Pelle, the cat whose tail was bitten off by a rat when he was a kitten. Recommended for ages 6 9 ISBN: 9781863959476 RRP: $14.99 To request a complimentary reading copy of Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through, please contact Sophie Shanahan on education@blackincbooks.com blackincbooks.com/education To order copies of Pelle No-Tail Pulls Through, please contact United Book Distributors on +61 3 9811 2555 or orders@unitedbookdistributors.com.au or contact your local bookseller or education supplier. For all other enquiries, please contact Black Inc. Level 1, 221 Drummond St, Carlton, Victoria 3053 Phone: +61 3 9486 0288 Fax +61 3 9011 6106 Email: enquiries@blackincbooks.com