When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town
When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town is a 1955 Norwegian children's book written and illustrated by Thorbjørn Egner, which tells the story of Kardemomme. It is considered one of the most important works in Norwegian children's literature. The book includes many songs which are connected to the story. The story has been adapted into a play and television program. The criminologist Nils Christie considered that Egner had contributed significantly to criminology in Norway due in part to this book.
Plot summary
The book is about the peaceful town of Kardemomme and the people there, as well as the only characters which stir up serious trouble. They are the three robbers, Casper, Jasper and Jonathan who live outside the town and regularly enter to steal the things they need. The robbers get arrested and are treated well in jail. In the end they are reformed, and in the final chapter, they become the heroes of the day when they extinguish a fire in the tower of the town. Finally, Casper becomes the town's fireman, Jasper becomes the town's circus manager and Jonathan becomes a baker.Characters
Main characters
- The Robbers — loud, prone to quarreling with each other, and live very cluttered. They live in a strange house, with a kind lion to protect them.
- Constable Bastian — the cheerful policeman who is concerned in making sure that everyone is happy.
- Aunt Sophie — a middle-aged woman who is the aunt of Camomilla. Sophie is extremely strict, and the only song she sings is "Aunt Sophie's angry song", where she expresses dismay over the horrid state of affairs in the town, and disdain for a number of the people. Regarding Bastian, she sings, but Sophie is also a sympathetic character, well-organized and capable of giving sympathy to those who deserve it.
- Tobias — the old wise man in the tower with a long beard. His job is to give the town's weather forecast from the balcony of the tower in which he lives.
Minor characters
- Kamomilla — Aunt Sophie's young niece. She likes to play the piano.
- Tommy — the young son of the merchant/ town orchestra's French horn player.
- Enoksson the Tram driver — runs the city's tram. He also plays in the city orchestra.
- Simonsson the barber — the town's barber. He also plays the clarinet in the city orchestra.
- The butcher, the baker and the merchant — after they eventually get tired of the robberies, they decide to stop the robbers once and for all.
- Polly Parrot — a parrot who sings at the Cardemom Fair.
- Camel — a camel who sings at the Cardemom Fair.
Music
Theme park
The setting of Kardemomme by was made into part of a theme park in Kristiansand Zoo in 1991. Thorbjørn Egner lived to see the theme park under construction, but not to see it completed.Law
Law of Cardamom is the only law in Cardamom Town. The law is simple and liberal:Songs
- Politimester Bastians vise
- Visen om været
- Trikken i Kardemomme
- Røvervise
- Lille Kamomilla spiller
- Kardemommesangen
- Den talende kamel
- Tante Sofies sinte vise
- Røverfangevise
- Røvernes letevise
- Røvernes vise om Tante Sofie
- Sofies sinte vise i røverhuset
- Røvernes vaskevise
- Glade røvere
- Hestedans
- Papegøyen fra Amerika
- Hurrasang for Tobias
- Fru Bastians vise
- Røvernes vaskevise i fengslet
- Barbermestervise
- Hurrasang for røverne
Film adaptation
The book was made into a film in 1988, directed by Bente Erichsen.Publication history
- First introduced in radio programs for children in 1955
- 1955, Norway, ?, pub date ? ? 1955, hardback
- 1956, play version
- 1976, US, Anchorage Press, pub date ? December 1976, paperback
- 1993, Norway, J W Cappelens Forlag AS, pub date ? ? 1993, paperback