History Literature / WhenTheRobbersCameToCardamomTown

* PollyWantsAMicrophone: The parrot from America (whose name actually ''is'' Polly) doesn't ''really'' have a lot of dialogue, though in the animated movie it's somewhat more talkative and ''devinitely'' understands everything it says. It even gives Tobias the AffectionateNickname "Beardy."

* BrickJoke: Early in the story, Jasper eagerly suggests that the robbers steal the Talking Camel and use it as a riding animal for their nightly town visits, but is quickly shut down when Casper points out a few flaws in this plan, like how difficult it would be to handle a camel ("How are we even supposed to get it through doors?"). In the book that's where it ends -- but in the animated movie, when the robbers are surprised and arrested in the butcher's shop, Jasper manages to escape through the door. He sees the Talking Camel stand in the street nearby, sees his chance at finally getting to steal the camel like he wanted, jumps up on its back and tells it to "giddiyap!" ...and the camel just gives him a deadpan look and remains perfectly still, refusing to go anywhere with him. He ends up getting arrested along with the others.

* JobSong: "The barber song"

* NiceGuy: Constable Bastian is the kindest, friendliest policeman ever. He's not a ''good'' or ''effective'' policeman, partly because he's a bit of a LovableCoward and partly because he's just too ''nice'' for his job. He never wants to enforce the law and would rather just walk around the town, chatting amicably with everyone he meets, arrange parties and celebrations, and maybe help out with small problems that generally has nothing to do with his job. In any other town than Cardamom he'd probably be a complete joke as a policeman, but since this town mostly has friendly and law-abiding citizens he manages very well, and is one of the most popular and well-liked people in town. He plays absolutely no role in the arrestation of the robbers, but it's his kindness towards them while they're in prison that really kicks off their HeelFaceTurn.

* PityTheKidnapper: The robbers kidnap aunt Sophie so that she can cook and clean for them. She immediately turns this around and makes them wash and clean not only their home, but [[HatesBaths themselves]] as well! When constable Bastian, the baker and the sausage maker show up to save her, she doesn't want to leave, because she's determined to make the robbers into decent people. In the end the robbers can't take her ordering them around anymore, and when she falls asleep, they return her to her home.
* PollyWantsAMicrophone: The parrot from America.
* PrisonChangesPeople: But in this case the change is completely positive. After being arrested, the robbers are treated with kindness throughout, given good food and comfortable beds to sleep in, and encouraged to find new careers. They respond positively to the treatment (and even admit that it's nice to have other people to talk to other than just themselves all the time) and it doesn't take too long for them to change their ways.

* VillainSong: "The robbers' song"

In addition, in 1991 the town itself was recreated as a theme park within Kristiansand Zoo, meticulously based on Thobjørn Egner's illustrations.

* HeavySleeper: Aunt Sophie, who sleeps through not only her kidnapping, but through her return as well. It gets ''ridiculous'' in the animated movie, where the robbers have several clumsy moments while carrying her off in her hammock; at one point they even tall down with her --- and she sleeps just as soundly.

* BrickJoke: Early in the story, Jasper suggests that the robbers steal the Talking Camel and use it as a riding animal for their nightly town visits, but is quickly shut down when Casper points out a few flaws in this plan, like how difficult it would be to handle a camel ("How are we even supposed to get it through doors?"). In the book that's where it ends -- but in the animated movie, when the robbers are surprised and arrested in the butcher's shop, Jasper manages to escape through the door. He sees the Talking Camel stand in the street nearby, jumps up on its back and tells it to "giddiyap!" ...and the camel just gives him a deadpan look and remains perfectly still. meaning that he's captured as well.

* HeavySleeper: Implied with Aunt Sophie, who sleeps through not only her kidnapping, but through her return as well. It gets ''ridiculous'' in the animated movie, where the robbers have several clumsy moments while carrying her off in her hammock; at one point they even tall down with her --- and she sleeps just as soundly.
* HeelFaceTurn: The robbers aren't really 'bad'' people, but they ''are'' very amoral and self-centered. The final act of the story, after their arrest, sees them slowly reform and become better people, ending up as the heroes of the town when they put out the fire in Tobias's tower.

* CharacterSignatureSong: Several. Most of the major character have one; the only one who doesn't is Tommy.

* JobSong: “The barber song”

** Also implied with Jonathan and the baker in some versions of the stage play.

The book is considered one of ''the'' most important works in Norwegian children's literature, and has also seen several adaptations over the years. The story started out as a radio play in 1955, but was quickly published as a book, and 1956 saw the stage musical adaptation which was a tremendous success and is still regularly played in Norwegian theatres. to this day. The story has also been adapted for film twice -- one live-action movie 1988, and one stop-motion animated movie in 2022.

* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: ''Kind'' of with Casper and Aunt Sophie in the animated movie. While the book all but states they [[HookedUpAfterwardsend up married after the events of the story]], the text itself never implies anything romantic between them. In the movie, Casper is smitten with her the when he first sees her from afar, which gives an entirely new context to his suggestion that the robbers should kidnap her... as well to several of their interactions afterwards.

* AnAesop: A fairly blatant one about how you have to people decently if you want them to become decent people. Aunt Sophie's attempt at reforming the robbers through bossing and intimidation tactics may get ''immediate'' results, but doesn't provide ''lasting'' results -- sure, the robbers obey her commands in the moment because they're scared, but as soon as she's gone they immediately fall back into their old behavior and celebrate their regained freedom. But when Constable Bastian and wife treat the robbers with kindness and give them a chance to become productive members of society, the robbers end up genuinely reforming and becoming far happier for it.

* GenderFlip: The town baker is a man in the original book and radio play, but in later editions of the stage musical the baker is often depicted as a woman (and it's more than implied that there's a budding romance between her and Jonathan). The animated movie follows suit, and also gives her a bit of a RaceLift, presenting her as AmbiguouslyBrown.

''When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town'' is a 1955 Norwegian children's book written and illustrated by Thorbjørn Egner. It tells the story of the peaceful town of Cardamom and the people there. Outside the town three robbers, Kasper, Jesper and Jonathan lives with their tame lion. They regularly come to town at night to steal the things they need.

The book is considered one of ''the'' most important works in Norwegian children's literature. It started out as a radio-play and includes many songs. It has been adapted into two movies, first in 1988 and later an animated adaptation in 2022.

* CharacterSignatureSong:

* GoodFeelsGood

* HookedUpAfterwards: Kasper ends up happily married. The narrator doesn’t mention any names, but apparently, he married ‘a lady who’s good at keeping things in order …’
* HorribleHousing: The robber’s house.
* IHateSong: “Aunt Sophie's angry song”

* LovableRogue: The robbers.
* ThePigPen: The robbers.

* PrisonChangesPeople: The three robbers start changing their ways when they get arrested.
* QuirkyTown

* TalkingAnimal: The talking camel, and the parrot from America.

* WhiteAndGreyMorality

[[caption-width-right:1000:Vi lister oss så stilt på tå når vi drar ut og røver ...]]

->''"One shall not bother others, one shall be nice and kind, otherwise one may do as one pleases."''

The book is considered one of ''the'' most important works in Norwegian children's literature. It started out as a radio-play and includes many songs. It has been adapted into two movies, first in 1988 and later an animated adaptation in 2022. The town itself has been built as a theme park in Kristiansand Zoo.

* IHateSong: Aunt Sophie's angry song
* JobSong: The barber song

* VillainSong: The robbers' song

* KidnappedWhileSleeping: Aunt Sofie sleeps in a hammock, so the robbers simply carry the whole hammock away.

* PityTheKidnapper: The robbers kidnap aunt Sofie so that she can cook and clean for them. She immediately turns this around and makes them wash and clean not only their home, but [[HatesBaths themselves]] as well! When constable Bastian, the baker and the sausage maker show up to save her, she doesn’t want to leave, because she’s determined to make the robbers into decent people. In the end they can’t take her ordering them around anymore, and when she falls asleep, they return her to her home.

''When the Robbers Came to Cardamom Town'' is a 1955 Norwegian children's book written and illustrated by Thorbjørn Egner. It tells the story of the peaceful town of Kardemomme and the people there. Outside the town three robbers, Kasper, Jesper and Jonathan lives with their tame lion. They regularly come to town at night to steal the things they need.

* TalkingAnimals: The talking camel, and the parrot from America.

* PityTheKidnapper: The robbers kidnap aunt Sofie so that she can cook and clean for them. She immediately turns this around and makes them wash and clean not only their home, but [[HatesBaths themselves]] as well! In the end they can’t take her ordering them around anymore, and when she falls asleep, they return her to her home.

* TalkingAnimal: The talking camel, and the parrot from America.

* PityTheKidnapper: The robbers kidnap aunt Sofie so that she can cook and clean for them. She immediately turns this around and makes them wash and clean not only their home, but themselves as well! In the end they can’t take her ordering them around anymore, and when she falls asleep, they return her to her home.

* ReformedCriminal: The robbers save the day in the end and get honest jobs.

[[caption-width-right:1000:some caption text]]

The book is considered one of ''the'' most important works in Norwegian children's literature. It started out as a radio-play and includes many songs. It has been adapted into two movies, first in 1988 and later an animated adaptation in 2022. The town itself has been built as a theme park in Kristiansand Zoo.