Little My, small but fierce

…But still, Little My is loyal, protective, and an honest friend, and her bravery makes her a good person to have around in a crisis. She lives with the Moomins in the Moominhouse.

Little My loves drama and adventure and is ready for any situation that comes her way. New experiences don’t faze her – she is content to take her chances floating away in a biscuit tin in Moominsummer Madness (1954) and is soon off exploring her new island home in Moominpappa at Sea (1965).

“Little My never shies away from a difficult situation.”

She can be a little irritable and enjoys teasing the others, but she never shies away from a difficult situation and often does things her friends are unwilling or unable to do. For example, in Moominpappa at Sea (1965), she clears the glade of ants for Moomintroll, who wishes the ants to be gone but doesn’t want the guilt of harming them on his conscience. She can be very blunt and sometimes tells people things that they don’t want to hear, but she is also always willing to offer solutions to other people’s problems. She readily shares suggestions for how to help the Invisible Child, Ninny, and often comes up with ideas others wouldn’t have.

Little My is the sister of the younger Mymble and the daughter of the elder Mymble, but she lives with the Moomin family. She is also half-sister to Snufkin. With her copper-coloured hair tied up in a bun and a red dress to match her fiery temperament, she first appears in The Exploits of Moominpappa (1950). 

How little is Little My? 

‘My’ means the smallest in existence, so that gives you some idea! When we first meet her in The Exploits of Moominpappa (1950), she is described as being the smallest of all the Mymbles, so small that you can hardly see her. She fits easily in Snufkin’s pocket and can hide in a milk jug.

What is Little My afraid of? 

She is notoriously not afraid of anything. She is fearless, daring, and fascinated by disaster. While others run away from frightening situations, Little My runs towards them!

A little-known fact about her:

Little My doesn’t have the same musical talents as her half-brother Snufkin or Too-ticky, but you can often find her humming monotonous little tunes to herself as she goes about her business. 

Quotes: 

• ‘Little My took a flying jump from her sister’s shoulder and landed on one of the shelves. She stared in a mirror and cried: “Look! I’m growing smaller all the time! I can’t even see myself anymore.”’ (Moominsummer Madness, 1954)
• “Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.” (Tales from Moominvalley, 1962) 
• ‘“When I grow up, I’m going to become a pirate.” The joys of motherhood didn’t interest Little My, and she probably knew the facts of life anyway.’ (Moominpappa at Sea, 1965)
• “I don’t care a fig for other people’s secrets. And I certainly don’t broadcast them all over the place. Anyway, they all come out sooner or later.” (Moominpappa at Sea, 1965)
• ‘And there was Little My, slinking up the slope more like a movement than anything else, you could see so little of her. She was just a glimpse of something determined and independent that had no need to show itself.’ (Moominpappa at Sea, 1965) 
• “I’m Little My! And I bite because I like it!” (Moomin builds a house, 1956)
• “I’ll always manage” (Moominvalley turns jungle, 1956)