Leopold's love

By : Lars S. Arndal

Leopold the Piglet has long been loved both in Denmark and various other countries for the day when he was in a bad mood. He hit those who were smaller than he, he shouted nasty things at Mrs Sylte and splashed mud at Trunte. In general, there were no limits to the way in which he terrorized his surroundings ‑ and all simply because he had got a sum wrong on the blackboard the day before, for which he had been teased by his class mates and been held head down while they poured a glass of water down his trouser leg. The story of Leopold's meanness was captured in the book Den dag Leopold blev ond(The Day Leopold Got Angry) by the Danish children's author and illustrator Dina Gellert.
   In Gellert's new book about Leopold: Den dag Leopold blev forelsket (The Day Leopold Fell in Love), the little piglet is far more peaceable, though without this affecting the story's charm and humour. Leopold is on holiday in Pig Bay with his mother, and the charming Grisnelda becomes the object of his nascent and thus rather hesitant affections. But Leopold is young and has to undergo a great many trials and tribulations, and he has to have serious doubts about the meaning with love and life before all opens up before him once more.

While reading this amusing story, we find our attention caught not only by the delightful nature of the story itself, but also by Dinah Gellert's magnificent illustrations, which charmingly capture Leopold's perspective on the world. We literally crawl with him up on to the 10 meters diving board and stand trembling like him when he looks down into the mud in the swimming pool, and our toes curl at his foolhardiness and his unsuccessful attempts to demonstrate his manly valor.
   Falling in love in this book relates not only Leopold, but also to the reader, who cannot help once more falling in love with the charming little piglet that has to endure so much suffering, but who is already well on the way to becoming world famous.

This article has earlier been brought in Dansih Children’s Literature no 13

Translated by W. Glyn Jones