The room had lost its morning light, the glow of expectation and potential. The daylight was now gray, and the new day was already used, a little soiled by mistaken thoughts and makeshift undertakings.

— Tove Jansson

The star we're looking for isn't so very friendly," said Moomintroll. "Quite the contrary, in fact."" What did you say?" said Sniff. Moomintroll went a bit red. "I mean -- stars in general," he said, "big and small, friendly and unfriendly, and so on."" Can they be unfriendly?" asked Snuffing." Yes -- ones with tails," answered Moomintroll. "Comets." At last, it dawned on Sniff. "You're hiding something from me!" he said accusingly. "That pattern we saw everywhere, and you said it didn't mean anything!"" You're too small to be told everything," answered Moomintroll." Too small!" screamed Sniff. "I must say it's a fine thing to take me on an expedition of discovery and not tell me what I'm supposed to be discovering!

— Tove Jansson

The voice of the waves was now mixed with strange sounds; laughter, running feet and the clanging of great bells far out to sea. Snuffing lay still and listened. Dreaming and remembering his trip round world. Soon I must set out again, he thought. But not yet.

— Tove Jansson

Thingummy and Bob sighed contentedly and settled down to contemplate the precious stone. They stared in silent rapture at it. The ruby changed color all the time. At first, it was quite pale, and then suddenly a pink glow would flow over it like sunrise on a snow capped mountain -- and then again crimson flames shot out of its heart, and it seemed like a great black tulip with stamens on fire.

— Tove Jansson

Thingummy whispered something again. The Helen nodded. "It's a secret," he said. "Thingummy and Bob think the Contents is the most beautiful thing in the world, but the Broke just thinks it's the most expensive." The Stork nodded many times and wrinkled his forehead. "This is a difficult case," he said. Thingummy and Bob have reasoned correctly, but they have acted wrongly. Right is.

— Tove Jansson

We sat talking on a rock. The air was filled with the tang of sea-weed and of something else that could only have been the ocean smell. I felt so happy that I wasn't even afraid it wouldn't last.

— Tove Jansson

We've decided to wake a miss for you because you are nice. We want a booby as roomful as ours." Everybody had seen the Hobgoblin laugh, but nobody believed he could smile. He was so happy that you could see it all over him -- from his hat to his boots! Without a word he waved his cloak over the grass -- and behold! Once more the garden was filled with a pink light and there on the grass before them lay a twin to the King's Ruby -- the Queen's Ruby.

— Tove Jansson

What are you thinking of discovering?" Moomintroll cleared his throat and felt very proud. "Oh, everything," he said. "Stars, for example!" Snufkin was deeply impressed." Stars!" he exclaimed. "Then I must come with you. Stars are my favorite things. I always lie and look at them before I go to sleep, and wonder who is on them and how one could get there. The sky looks so friendly with all those little eyes twinkling in it.

— Tove Jansson

When Mats came in the evenings, they would drink tea in the kitchen while reading their books and talking about them. If Kari came in, they were quiet and waited for her to leave. The back door would close, and Kari would have gone.“Does your sister read our books?” Anna wanted to know.“No. She reads literature.

— Tove Jansson

When they reached the top of the hill they turned and looked down at the valley. Moominhouse was just a blue dot, and the river a narrow ribbon of green: the swing they couldn't see at all. "We've never been such a long way from home before," said Moomintroll, and a little goose-fleshy thrill of excitement came over them at the thought.

— Tove Jansson