Comet in Moominland Read Online Free PDF Page A

banks float by. Now and then Moomintroll contemplated the clouds and wondered whether he would see the comet if they divided. But they never did. Often he longed to tell Sniff about the great sky-monster that they were going out to look for, but it was too much of a risk. Sniff would only get in a panic.
    Three times they saw the Hattifatteners, the little white creatures who are for ever wandering restlessly from place to place in their aimless quest for nobody knows what. Once they were fording the river in a shallow place and twice passing by in their small light boats. They seemed more restless than usual, hopping along at a great speed, but as they can neither hear nor speak it wasn't much use Sniff and Moomintroll even saying 'hullo' to them.
    The banks looked different now. Silver poplars, plumtrees and oaks had disappeared, and dark trees with heavy branches stood alone on the deserted sand, while in the distance greyish-yellow mountains climbed steeply towards the sky.
    'Oh dear,' sighed Moomintroll. 'Isn't this river ever going to end?'
    'Shall we have a game of poker?' suggested Sniff.
    Moomintroll shook his head.' I don't feel like it,' he said.
    'Then I'll tell your fortune,' Sniff persisted. 'Perhaps you've got one of those lucky stars shining on you.'
    'Thanks,' said Moomintroll bitterly. 'I've had just about enough of stars. With or without tails.'
    Sniff sighed deeply and sat for a long time disconsolately watching the strange landscape, with his nose between his paws. Suddenly his eye was caught by something out of the ordinary. It looked like a yellow ice cream cornet upside down, and was the first brightly coloured thing they had seen for a week. It was down by the edge of the water, and had what looked like a flag flying on top.
    As Moomintroll and Sniff got nearer they heard quite unmistakable sounds of music, and it was cheerful music too. They strained their ears excitedly, drifting slowly nearer. At last they could see it was a tent, and gave a shout of joy.
    The music stopped, and out of the tent came a snufkin with a mouth-organ in his hand. He had a feather in his old green hat and cried: 'Ahoy! Ship ahoy!'
    Moomintroll caught hold of the rudder and the raft swung towards land.
    'Off with the painter!' shouted Snufkin, hopping eagerly

    up and down. 'Fancy that! What fun! Coming all this way just to see me!'
    'Well - we didn't exactly,' began Moomintroll, clambering ashore.
    'Never mind!' answered Snufkin. 'The main thing is that you're here. You'll stay the night, won't you?'
    'We should love to,' said Moomintroll. 'We haven't seen a soul since we left home, and that was ages ago. Why in the world do you live here in this desert?'
    'I'm a tramp, and I live all over the place,' answered Snufkin. 'I wander about and when I find a place that I like I put up my tent and play my mouth-organ.'
    'Do you like this place?' asked Sniff in surprise, looking at the desolation all around them.
    'Certainly I do,' said Snufkin. 'Look at that black velvet tree with the beautiful grey colours beyond; look at the mountains that are deep purple-red in the distance! And sometimes a big blue buffalo comes to look at himself in the river.'
    'You aren't by any chance - er - a painter?' asked Moomintroll rather shyly.
    'Or perhaps a poet?' suggested Sniff.
    'I am everything!' said Snufkin, putting on the kettle. 'And you are discoverers I can see. What are you thinking of discovering?'
    Moomintroll cleared his throat and felt very proud. 'Oh, everything,' he said. 'Stars for example!'
    Snufkin was deeply impressed.
    'Stars!' he exclaimed. 'Then I must come with you. Stars are my favourite things. I always lie and look at them before I go to sleep and wonder who is on them and how one could get there. The sky looks so friendly with all those little eyes twinkling in it.'
    'The star we're looking for isn't so very friendly,' said Moomintroll.' Quite the contrary in fact.'
    'What did you say?' said Sniff.
    Moomintroll went a