![]() First edition | |
Author | Thorbjørn Egner |
---|---|
Original title | Karius og Baktus |
Translators | Mike Sevig and Turi Olderheim |
Illustrator | Thorbjørn Egner |
Language | Norwegian |
Genre | Children's literature, fantasy |
Published | 1949 |
Publisher | Gyldendal, Cappelen |
Publication place | Norway |
Karius and Bactus ( Norwegian: Karius og Baktus) is a Norwegian children's novel written and illustrated by playwright Thorbjørn Egner. The book was first published in 1949 and produced as a 15-minute puppet animation film by film director Ivo Caprino in 1955. An English translation by Mike Sevig and Turi Olderheim was published in the United States in 1986. [1] [2] [3]
The main characters are Karius (black haired) and Bactus (red haired). Their names are puns on Caries and Bacteria, and they are two small " tooth trolls" that live inside cavities in the teeth of a boy named Jens. They have a very good life, especially when Jens eats white bread with syrup and fails to brush his teeth afterwards. Eventually their homes are destroyed by the work of a dentist and they are rinsed out of Jens' mouth through proper dental care. [4] [5]
The story of Karius and Bactus, with its humorous illustrations and important message, has become a classic of Norwegian children's literature. Since its publication, the idea of "tooth trolls" has been used as a pedagogical device for generations of Scandinavian children. [6]
![]() First edition | |
Author | Thorbjørn Egner |
---|---|
Original title | Karius og Baktus |
Translators | Mike Sevig and Turi Olderheim |
Illustrator | Thorbjørn Egner |
Language | Norwegian |
Genre | Children's literature, fantasy |
Published | 1949 |
Publisher | Gyldendal, Cappelen |
Publication place | Norway |
Karius and Bactus ( Norwegian: Karius og Baktus) is a Norwegian children's novel written and illustrated by playwright Thorbjørn Egner. The book was first published in 1949 and produced as a 15-minute puppet animation film by film director Ivo Caprino in 1955. An English translation by Mike Sevig and Turi Olderheim was published in the United States in 1986. [1] [2] [3]
The main characters are Karius (black haired) and Bactus (red haired). Their names are puns on Caries and Bacteria, and they are two small " tooth trolls" that live inside cavities in the teeth of a boy named Jens. They have a very good life, especially when Jens eats white bread with syrup and fails to brush his teeth afterwards. Eventually their homes are destroyed by the work of a dentist and they are rinsed out of Jens' mouth through proper dental care. [4] [5]
The story of Karius and Bactus, with its humorous illustrations and important message, has become a classic of Norwegian children's literature. Since its publication, the idea of "tooth trolls" has been used as a pedagogical device for generations of Scandinavian children. [6]