Carlson is a popular fairy-tale character created by Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren. He became popular and loved in the USSR, especially when a series of cartoons about him came out. In Sweden itself, this hero is not particularly loved, considering him a liar, a boor, an egoist, a bouncer and an instigator. Much closer to the Swedes is another Lindgren heroine - Peppy Long Stocking.
Swedish and Soviet Carlson
The image of Carlson, created by Soviet animators, differs significantly from the original character. In the cartoon, he became a good-natured fat man who wants to be friends with everyone. If he likes to “play pranks”, then he does it not out of wickedness. Therefore, apparently, he loves to play with Toddler - a child who was the only one who could understand him. Carlson even melted the heart of Freken Bock, a strict and arrogant "housekeeper." Like every child, Carlson loves to eat jam.
but the book does not indicate his addiction to jam. Most of all, the original Carlson loves meatballs and whipped cream cake. Freken Bock never made friends with him. By the way, the cat Matilda, who brought with herself a freken Bock, is also an invention of Soviet animators.
Of course, the authors of the domestic cartoon could not transfer from the book the fact that "the best friend of children" Carlson is smoking a pipe. According to Soviet tradition, only negative characters can smoke in cartoons (such as Wolf in "Well, wait a minute!").
Carlson's Syndrome
The "Carlson syndrome" is usually called the psychological peculiarity of children under seven years old who feel the need for an imaginary friend. Such a need arises from forced loneliness. However, the original reason for such a name does not arise. After all The kid is lonely only in the Soviet cartoon. Lindgren has little Svante - a spoiled child, whom everyone loves - parents, brothers and friends. In fact, he does not lack friends.
In the book, Toddler’s mother is a housewife, and she rarely leaves the house. The “housekeeper” is hired only for the period when she leaves for treatment. And in the cartoon, mom, like most Soviet women, goes to work.
In the cartoon, Carlson is jealous of Toddler for the dog presented to him. And in the book, he is jealous only of his friends - Christopher and Gunnil.
Carlson and military aircraft
When Carlson arrives in Stockholm, journalists are initially perplexed. They call an unknown creature a "flying keg."
However, in the same way, the Swedes called the SAAB 29 fighter jet, which was in service with the Swedish army in the middle of the twentieth century.
Is Carlson an Estonian?
The artistic image of Carlson, known throughout the world, was created by the artist and illustrator Ilon Wikland, who is of Estonian origin. Even before World War II, she and her parents moved from Estonia to Sweden.
In Stockholm, a young artist met Astrid Lindgren and has since become a regular illustrator of her books. Ilon Wykland can be considered the real "mother" of Carlson (then Lindgren, it turns out, is his "father").
Absolutely nothing is known about Carlson's real parents. He himself bears a name, which is a surname, and one of the most common in the Scandinavian world: Carlson for the Swedes means the same as for the Russians - Kuznetsov.
