Pippi Who Ate Fly Agarics. Fourth Episode of “Pukst in the North” Released

Reform.news Editorial Team · 21 October 2026, 12:38

https://reform.news/en/pippi-who-ate-fly-agarics-fourth-episode-of-pukst-in-the-north-released/

The fourth episode of the documentary series “Pukst in the North” has been released on the YouTube channel “Sasha, What Are You Talking About?!” The new episode of the Reform.news project focuses on Scandinavian literature, the Belarusian language and translations that changed characters familiar from childhood.

This time, Siarhei Pukst recalls first seeing a book about “Pippi Longstocking” translated by Dzmitry Plaks. Unlike the well-behaved Pippi in the Soviet translation, this girl ate fly agaric mushrooms and looked like a genuine punk rebel. The story becomes a starting point for a more serious discussion. After gaining independence, Belarus sought to establish its own language and, with it, the opportunity to read world literature directly, without Russian as an intermediary. Support for translation and cultural exchanges from the Nordic countries helped foster an entire school of Belarusian translators.

The episode also discusses Vasil Bykau, Sviatlana Alexievich and Belarus’s cultural ties with Finland and Sweden. Pukst reflects on how translations not only change books but also help society reclaim its own voice.

The scriptwriter, narrator and musician is Siarhei Pukst. The project is directed by Artsiom Lobach.

The final episode of the project will be released next Wednesday, October 28, on the “Sasha, What Are You Talking About?!” YouTube channel.

The project was created by Reform.news with support from the Nordic Council of Ministers.