Pippi Longstocking’s Powerful Personal Traits
Why confidence and strength are fundamental to success.
“I have never tried that before, so I think I should
definitely be able to do that.”
- Pippi Longstocking (By Astrid Lindgren )
As a little girl growing up in Norway in the 1950s and 60s, I was deeply impressed with the story about Pippi Longstocking. Colorful and adventurous, Pippi was no ordinary girl.
At age nine, she lived in her own house, Villa Villekulla, without parents. Her Mom was dead, now an angel, and her Papa was a sea captain, sailing the seven seas. Her live-in companions were a horse and a monkey, named Mr Nilsson.
Pippi had red hair and freckles, dressed as she pleased, drank coffee, and had a trunk full of treasures and gold coins. What I admired most about Pippi was her personal attributes; She was strong and she was confident.
Pippi declared herself to be the strongest girl in the world. She could carry a horse, put bullies in their place by throwing them into a tree, resisted policemen who wanted to move her to a children’s home, and she did not go to school.
Pippi’s confidence was exceptional. Kids were often made fun of for having freckles, but Pippi was no victim of that…
