Children's favorites 'Dopey and Grumpy' mark 60th anniversary

Dopey and Grumpy is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. [File photo]

Zhejiang Children's Publishing House reissued Dopey and Grumpy (In Pinyin, Meitounao he Bugaoxing) in a commemorative edition to mark the 60th anniversary of its debut.

The publication comes with the permission of Ren Rongrong, a well-known children's literature writer who created the amusing duo.

The 93-year-old writer disclosed the inspiration of the two characters.

"I used to tell foreign stories to kids at school. As time went by, I became tired of it. I wanted to be close to kids' daily life and that led to the birth of Dopey and Grumpy. I myself was a classic 'Dopey', having no clue of anything whatsoever, while 'Grumpy' was a catchword shared by most kids who shrugged off their bad temper and negativity. Then I thought, why not let them keep their defects and try to accomplish anything as grownups? They might learn a hard lesson in doing so," he said.

In February 1956, Dopey and Grumpy was published in the journal Kids' Literature, to the delight of children nationwide. In 1962, it was made into a cartoon. This year's commemorative edition includes seven of Ren's works and classic illustrations.

Ren Rongrong is a prominent translator as well as a writer. Some of his translations include Pinocchio, The Adventures of Onionhead and Peter Pan.

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