Tuesday 27 April, 2004

Childhood idol

Found this picture on the Net of my great Childhood idol Suursyömäri (I translate it roughly as the Grand Eater). Grand Eater hails from Hinku ja Vinku, an animated series shown in Finnish children's program called Pikku Kakkonen.

Most episodes of the show consisted of two piglets (Hinku and Vinku) running away from the Grand Eater, who would proceed to eat pretty much everything apart from the two piglets who would escape, usually by climbing up a tree. I always questioned this tactic, partly as it deprived the Grand Eater of his richly-deserved meal, but also as I found the idea of pigs climbing up trees highly suspicious.

In this touching picture, you can see the Grand Eater on the left. It is the great spherical creature voraciously consuming something that I believe is buch of apples where terrified Hinku and Vinku are hiding.

Grand Eater's existence had great many admirable qualities: single-mindedness (in chasing the piglets), dedication to its cause (to eat everything), reliability (it would never fail to eat everything it could, and a few things it couldn't), strong character, decisiveness, and in the end, capacity for love greater than life.

Truly one of my childhood heroes.

Posted by Dragon at 27 April 23:36, 2004
Comments
# 1 - rannva (on April 28, 2004 04:58 AM):

I remember Pikku Kakkonen very well too. Only I have less fond memories of it. I guess because first when I began watching it (in black and white no less!) I couldn't understand Finnish. Don't get me wrong, I did watch the show - but I did not like Hinku and Vinku especially much. I guess I focused more on their fear and scared attitude (which I found pitiful even at my then young age) than the Grand Eater's great persona. My favorite part of PK was the last part, where Nukkumatti/Sandman came to visit. I really thought the short segments were nice. I did not like Lasse Poysti's story-telling - he drove me crazy! There was another show on PK that had a character with long flappy ears, and he would use the ears to helicopter himsef up and away at the end of each show... can't remember the name of this funny-looking character, but it was always my favorite.

Thanks for telling us about Hinku and Vinku -- I actually like them now that I'm older! :)


# 2 - Yoe (on April 28, 2004 05:39 AM):

Kössi Kenguru ? :)


# 3 - ystävä syöpä (on April 28, 2004 01:09 PM):

i think it was called 'käytöskukka', but people always saw it as 'hinku and vinku'. easy mistake to make.


# 4 - ystävä syöpä (on April 28, 2004 01:13 PM):

www.elokuvakontakti.fi/lastenelokuvat/kaytoskukka.htm


# 5 - Dragon (on April 28, 2004 02:05 PM):

Käytöskukka, you are right. And Rannva, I agree, Nukkumatti puppet animation was tremendously well done. Eastern European craftsmanship, I believe.


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