Tomten - Paperback

by Spencer Harden (Author), Georgia Stylou (Illustrator), Viktor Rydberg (Author)

In the middle of winter and late at night, an old friend returns for his annual visit to take care of the animals and look after the inhabitants of the old farmhouse. He goes through his regular routine but becomes perplexed by an undying question for which he cannot find the answer. "Generations come and generations go, but where do they come from and to where do they go?"This is a new translation of the original poem and should not be confused with the adaptation by Astrid Lindgren. Also known as "Midvinternattens K ld r H rd" (Midwinter Night's Cold Is Hard), the original poem was written in Swedish by Viktor Rydberg and first published in the magazine "Ny Illustrerad Tidning" in 1881. While outwardly being an idyllic Christmas poem, the poem asks deep questions about the passage of time and the meaning of life.

Author Biography

Abraham Viktor Rydberg, 1828 - 1895, was a Swedish philosopher, author and poet. A central figure of late Romanticism in Sweden, Rydberg's verse is distinguished for its majestic lyricism and mystery of human existence. Georgia Stylou lives in the ancient city of Thessaloniki, Greece where she paints water colors illustrating the wonderful and innocent fantasies of childhood. Spencer Harden lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with his wife, Anne, a native of Sweden. Together they have four children and celebrate all the wonder and magic of Swedish traditions and folklore.