{{Short description|Moomin character}} {{Infobox character | series = Moomins | image = | alt = | caption = Statue of Snufkin outside a Moomin shop | first = ''Comet in Moominland'' | creator = Tove Jansson | species = Snufkin (More commonly known as fan-term Mumrik) | gender = Male | relatives = Joxter (''father'')<br>Mymble (''mother'')<br>Mymble's Daughter (''older half-sister'')<br>Little My (''half-sister'')<br>And numerous other half-brothers and -sisters }}
'''Snufkin''' (original Swedish: '''''Snusmumrik'''['''en''']'' or '''''Mumrik'''['''en''']'', Finnish: '''''Nuuskamuikkunen''''') is a character in the Moomin series of books written by Swedish-speaking Finn Tove Jansson, appearing in six of the nine books; his first appearance is in the second book, ''Comet in Moominland''.{{sfn|Jones|1984b|pp=29–30}} He is the best friend of the series' protagonist, Moomintroll, and lives a nomadic lifestyle, only staying in Moominvalley in the spring and summer, leaving for warmer climates down south every winter.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ghs3sNQpEXgC&q=snufkin&pg=PT310|title=The Novel Cure: An A to Z of Literary Remedies|first1=Ella|last1=Berthoud|first2=Susan|last2=Elderkin|date=5 September 2013|publisher=Canongate Books|isbn=9780857864260|access-date=16 December 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-kK2BQAAQBAJ&q=snufkin&pg=PA104|title=Children's Literature, Domestication, and Social Foundation: Narratives of Civilization and Wilderness|first=Layla|last=AbdelRahim|date=5 December 2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135104603|access-date=16 December 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref> He is the son of the elder Mymble and the Joxter, and is half-brother to the Mymble's daughter and Little My.
Snufkin serves as the main protagonist in the 2024 video game ''Melody of Moominvalley''.
== Description == Snufkin wears old green clothes and a wide-brimmed hat that he has had since birth. He lives in a tent, smokes a pipe and plays the harmonica. Snufkin also has a great dislike for authority figures such as the Park Keeper and the many regulation signs and fences he erects.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/hemulens-2/#1f36c02b|title=Hemulens, great lovers of rules and responsibility|website=Moomin.com|date=16 January 2023|access-date=27 March 2024}}</ref> At one point, he sabotages the Park Keeper by planting Hattifatteners in his garden, causing them to grow and drive him out. He has a great hatred for all symbols of private property, even losing his temper with the Hemulen after the latter attempts to put up a sign declaring "Moominvalley".{{sfn|Jansson|1974|p=77}}
Snufkin's age is never specified outright in any of the books. He has had more mature conversations with Moominpappa and is notoriously wise and mysterious. However, he enjoys playing with Moomintroll and other children, and sometimes acts just as childishly as them. He is also referred to as young and/or a child multiple in the series, and is younger than Little My, though he is easily twice her size. In times of conflict, others often turn to Snufkin for help, and he enjoys the unreserved admiration of the inhabitants of the valley for his wisdom. His advice is also followed. Snufkin's way of thinking reflects a wide range of philosophical views. He is undoubtedly one of the most multi-faceted characters in ''The Moomins''. Snufkin has said that no one should own more than they can handle, and he cannot understand his friend Sniff's affection for worldly things. Snufkin once even throws his tent in the gorge, because he thinks it is not worth clinging to useless property, preferring instead to write a poem when he sees something beautiful.<ref>{{cite book | author = Sirke Happonen | title =Muumiopas | year =2012 | page =174 | publisher =Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura | isbn = 978-952-222-363-0 | language = fi }}</ref>
==Inspiration==
Tove Jansson based the character of Snufkin on her friend and one-time fiancé, Atos Wirtanen.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 August 2015 |title=Who inspired Tove when creating Snufkin?|url=https://www.moomin.com/en/blog/who-inspired-tove-when-creating-snufkin/ |website=Moomin}}</ref> A typical feature of Snufkin, to come and go independently without caring for others, is inspired by the nature of Atos Wirtanen; at the time, Wirtanen was the center of Jansson's life, but Wirtanen was so busy working as an MP that he came and went, leading to the failure of their relationship.<ref>{{cite book |last=Karjalainen |first=Tuula |title=Tove Jansson – Tee työtä ja rakasta |year=2013 |pages=162–163 |location=Helsinki |publisher=Tammi |isbn=978-9513169633 |language=fi}}</ref> Wirtanen's style was also borrowed in the recognizable green hat of Snufkin.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Laitinen |first=Anne |title=Muumit ensimmäisenä lehtenä julkaissut Ny Tid palkittiin |magazine=Turun Sanomat |date=7 November 2006 |location=Turku |publisher=TS-Yhtymä |language=fi}}</ref>
==Reception==
The character has a mostly positive reception.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=83VcAAAAMAAJ&q=snufkin|title=Tove Jansson|first=W. Glyn|last=Jones|date=1 January 1984b|publisher=Twayne Publishers|isbn=9780805765632|access-date=16 December 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UpczYeUuXUgC&q=snufkin&pg=PA89|title=Boys And Girls Forever|first=Alison|last=Lurie|date=11 January 2011|publisher=Random House|isbn=9781446434475|access-date=16 December 2016|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name="auto"/>
==See also== * ''Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
{{Commons category|Snufkin}}
* {{cite book |last=Jansson |first=Tove |title=Moominvalley in November |year=1974 |publisher=Penguin Books |location=London |isbn=978-0-374-45309-1}} * {{cite book |last=Jones |first=W. Glyn |title=Vägen från Muminsalen |year=1984 |publisher=Bonniers |location=Hangö |isbn=91-0-046191-1 |language=sv |ref=none}}
{{The Moomin Series}}
Category:Literary characters introduced in 1946 Category:Moomin characters Category:Fictional hoboes Category:Male characters in film Category:Male characters in animation Category:Male characters in comics Category:Male characters in literature