Stinky, a loveable rogue

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Stinky is a small, irate creature who is often causing trouble for the other residents of Moominvalley. He is a villain, and proud of it! He’s never one to let an opportunity for personal gain pass him by, and he always has a scheme or a racket on the go. Even though Stinky's a known criminal, the Moomin family takes some pride in being on good terms with him. Stinky has a fuzzy body, skinny legs and two little antennae instead of ears.

Stinky is a greedy character who mostly thinks about himself. He will help others out from time to time, but only if there’s profit or pleasure to be had in it for himself. For example, he helps Moomintroll get rid of some uninvited house guests, but in exchange starts to eat the house. Stinky will eat absolutely anything and much prefers chomping on bits of building and furniture to pancakes or ice cream.

“Moominmamma has a soft spot for the criminal.”

He is pleased to have a reputation as a crook, although his criminal plans are rarely as successful as he’d like them to be. He usually gets caught in the act or has his plots foiled before he can do too much harm.

 

He is straight-talking, often irate, and frequently exasperated by the naivety of the Moomin family. They are rather fond of him, though. Particularly Moominmamma, who has a soft spot for the criminal. She has even been known to hide him from the police, and when Moominmamma’s handbag is stolen by another thief, Stinky steals it back. 

Stinky first appears in the first Moomin comic strip, ‘Moomin and the Brigands’ (1954).

A little-known fact about him:

Stinky’s interests include anything that might help him rob a bank, and ‘Manhattan Dynamite’, which is a bootleg liquor that he encourages Moominpappa to help him make and distribute illegally.

Stinky quotes

  • “Dear Stinky, may I invite you for a weekend? You see – er – my guests…”
    “I see. You want me to stink them out.”
    (Moomin and the Brigands comic strip, (1954)
  • “What are you doing, Stinky?”
    “Eating your house. It has a rather good taste!”
    “Can’t I bring you some pancake instead?”
    “No! But bring me some salt, your chairs need it badly.”
    (Moomin and the Brigands comic strip, (1954)
  • “Hello, Stinky. It’s been a long time.”
    “You look just as rotten as you did last time.”
    (Moomin’s Winter Follies comic strip, (1955)
  • “Stinky dear, you really shouldn’t steal so much.”
    “That’s the only thing I’m really good at.”
    (Club Life in Moominvalley comic strip, (1957)