''Broučci'' is a children's book by Jan Karafiát published in

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

kingdom in the early 1870s. The title is the Czech word for

beetles Beetles are insects that form the Taxonomic rank, order Coleoptera (), in the superorder Holometabola. Their front pair of wings are hardened into wing-cases, elytra, distinguishing them from most other insects. The Coleoptera, with about 40 ...

, and the word is also used for "traditional Czech figures of

fairy A fairy (also called fay, fae, fae folk, fey, fair folk, or faerie) is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, generally described as anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic, found in the folklore of multiple European cultures (including Cel ...

insect Insects (from Latin ') are Hexapoda, hexapod invertebrates of the class (biology), class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (Insect morphology#Head, head, ...

people"Raul A. Barrenech
3 friends transform a Czech getaway
Arts & Leisure September 15, 2006 International Herald Tribune such as the characters in the book. In English, the title is often translated as ''Fireflies''.

Background

Originally published anonymously in 1876 as ''Broučci pro malé i velké děti'' (''Fireflies for Small and Big Children''), Zapletal (2004), foreword the first edition received very little acclaim. It was re-discovered and popularized in 1893 by publicist Gustav Jaroš (Gamma). He published an unsigned review in the magazine ''Čas'' (''Time''), and started an unusual and long-lasting wave of popularity for the book. Jaroš later called ''Broučci'' "perhaps the most beautiful blossom of the Czech children literature". After the review, the first edition was quickly sold out and the book was reprinted in 1894 and many times since. Only with the 10th edition of the book, published in 1912, was the book published under the name of its author, Jan Karafiát. By 1942, the book was translated into English. By 2004, 80 editions had been published in Czech. ''Broučci'' is considered a classic Czech children's book. However, the critical reception was not always positive. Along with Karafiát's poetic and imaginative style, the work contains elements of moralistic conservatism, caused by the conviction of the author - a Calvinist clergyman - of a necessity to spend a life "in obedience and resignation to the will of God". It has been acclaimed for its imaginative storyline and natural lyricism, connected with humanity and poetic interpretations of an imaginary world seen through children's eyes. The book has been adapted in several animated films. In 1967, Libuše Koutná made an eight-part puppet TV series called simply ''Broučci'', and Koutna also did her works in 1984 show, ''Pribehy vcelich medviku''. In the 1995, a new series featuring

stop motion Stop-motion (also known as stop frame animation) is an animated filmmaking and special effects technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exh ...

was published under the same title directed by Vlasta Pospisilova. Czech puppet maker and illustrator

Jiří Trnka Jiří Trnka (; 24 February 1912 – 30 December 1969) was a Czechoslovak puppet-maker, illustrator, motion-picture animator and film director. In addition to his extensive career as an illustrator, especially of children's books, he is be ...

created one of the most adored illustration sets for the book. The story of the fireflies also inspired a composition by Václav Trojan. During World War II, the inmates of the Nazi

Theresienstadt concentration camp Theresienstadt Ghetto was established by the SS during World War II in the fortress town of Terezín, in the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia ( German-occupied Czechoslovakia). Theresienstadt served as a waystation to the extermination c ...

dramatized and performed their own version of the book. The last performance in Theresienstadt was canceled because the inmates of the concentration camp had to help harassed and tormented new inmates arriving in overloaded transport. Karas (1990), pp. 176-177

English translation

*Jan Karafiát, ''Fireflies'', translated by Rose Fyleman, illustrations by Emil Weiss,

Allen & Unwin George Allen & Unwin was a British publishing company formed in 1911 when Sir Stanley Unwin purchased a controlling interest in George Allen & Co. It became one of the leading publishers of the twentieth century and established an Australian ...

(

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

), 1942.

Notes

References

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External links

Full text at Wikisource
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broucci 1876 novels 19th-century Czech novels 1870s children's books Czech children's literature Christian novels Christian children's books Novels about insects Children's books about insects Fictional beetles Czech novels adapted into films Children's books adapted into films