While researching for the sleuthing competition, I came across the sculpture "Sprungen ur boken" (Runing from the book) by Ralf Borselius, celebrating Selma Lagerlöf's "Nils Holgersson". It is displayed in Karlskrona, Sweden. The city commissioned the bronze for the centenary of the book's publication in 2006.


(Photo by misteraitch)

The life-size figure (which in this case means "no taller than a hand's breadth") sits atop a cupola 100 cm in diameter. Along its bottom edge there is an inscription with a quote from the book: "Not an instant did he pause to consider, but rushed on toward the church." (Translation Velma Swanston Howard, available at Project Gutenberg)

That is really cool.

So is this someone's imagination, or did they see a character jumping out of a book? hmmm...

Is it possible that there is no toilet in the book and he has greater needs than text maintenance?

I haven't read the book since I was around ten years old (which is quite a long time ago), but I don't remember reading about any toilets. Even if there had been toilets in the book, they would have been too big for poor Nils after his shrinking experience, which made him small enough to ride on the back of a goose. I think you're on to something, bunyip!

But surely a church isn't the time or place for a Tommy Tinkle.

Perhaps he was late for the ancient ceremony of Goose Blessing.