Facing a childhood fear in the Moomin Shop

I had a trip to London last week and it included a brief visit to the Moomin Shop. In among the delightful toys I encountered a literary character that scared me hugely when I read the Moomin books as a kid. 

The entrance has loads of Moomin artwork.

And the shelves inside were laden with delightful toys. 

And some lovely books

At the bottom of the bookshelves is a basket of Grokes. Now the Groke wasn't the character that scared me (when I read Moominland Midwinter). If anything it made me sad. The Groke was always cold and just wanted to be warm, which is why it was drawn to bonfires and would sit on them - which put them out. 

(Years ago I did a 'Which Moomin character are you?' quiz and apparently I am a Groke.)

No, the characters that terrified me were...

... the Hattifatteners. 

I was talking to my Mum about them later and realised the Hattifatteners were the first characters that scared me. I'd read the Narnia books and wasn't particularly scared by the White Witch and I can't remember ever being scared of any other book characters.

But the Hattifatteners were creepy and weird. They were quiet and could give electric shocks. They had their own mysterious purposes and seemed dangerous somehow, because they were indifferent about harming other creatures. 

I had a faint 'brrr' shudder of revulsion when I saw the cuddly Hattifattener. I wasn't expecting that reaction. Some childhood scars stay tender. 

And, yes, I bought a Groke. I could just about squeeze it into my case