Topelius - Sakari Topelius

Finnish author and historian. Born in the remote village of Kudnes in the west of the country. Educated by his father, a doctor and collector of traditional poetry, and by the great national poet Runeberg, he entered university at the age of 15 and studied history. His three volumes of poetry, Flowers of the Heather (1845-54), and four volumes of W. Scott-style historical novels, A Doctor's Tale (1851-66), combine beautiful descriptions of nature with patriotism, stirring up the patriotism of the Finnish people under Russian rule and making his name immortal. However, it was his eight volumes of fantasy fairy tales, Readings for Children (1865-96), filled with love, courage, and goodwill, that made him famous worldwide. While asking the world to "at least once become a god's country ruled by love," he hoped that children would realize this ideal, and devoted his soul to writing about 300 fairy tales. As the father of modern fairy tales, he is more popular in Scandinavia than Andersen. He received the highest honor from the Swedish government and the Swedish Academy. "Hoshi no Hitomi" and many other works have been translated into Japanese.

[Shizuo Takahashi]

"Hoshi no Hitomi" (translated by Midori Watanabe) (1979, Shueisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

フィンランドの作家、歴史学者。西部の寒村クードネスに生まれる。医者・伝承詩採集家の父や、国民的大詩人ルーネベリの教育を受け、15歳で大学生となり、歴史学を学んだ。詩集『ヒースの花』三巻（1845～54）、W・スコット風の歴史小説『軍医物語』四巻（1851～66）は、美しい自然描写と祖国愛とが融合し、ロシア治下のフィンランド国民の祖国愛をかき立て、彼の名を不朽にした。しかし、世界的に名声を博したのは、愛と勇気と善意に満ちた幻想的な童話集『子供のための読物』八巻（1865～96）であった。「一度は愛の支配する神の国となるべきだ」と、高い理念を世に問いながら、子供たちにその実現を期待し、精魂を傾けて約300話の童話を残した。近代童話の父として、北欧ではアンデルセンをしのぐ人気を得ている。スウェーデン政府・同アカデミーより最高の栄誉を受けた。『星のひとみ』ほか他数が邦訳されている。

［高橋静男］

『渡部翠訳『ほしのひとみ』（1979・集英社）』

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