193:, who had written a biography on Prøysen, had interviewed Høyland and others, and debunked Lønn-Arnesen's story as false. The song in its present version was in fact the original, according to Røsbak, and if another version existed this had to be a discarded early draft. Pointing out the poor literary quality as the reason why the extra verse had been abandoned, he still conceded that the verse was written by Prøysen: "There is no doubt about that, but there's a reason why it ended up in the dustbin." Røsbak also took issue with the late Johnson being presented as a prude who censored controversial content. Lønn-Arnesen stuck to his version of the events, but insisted that he had never intended any disrespect to Johnson, who had been his colleague.
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On 23 December 2008, former NRK-photographer Ivar
Kalleberg revealed that it was in fact he who had written the missing verse, as a hoax. Kalleberg had used an old yellowed piece of paper, and copied Prøysen's handwriting from a letter he had once received from him. He then asked his neighbor if she
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who had objected to the original verse, and asked Prøysen to write a new one. In the original version the mice were eaten by a cat, which
Johnson found too disturbing for children's radio. The original verse had been thrown away, but a cleaning maid had picked it up. The woman had kept the piece of
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Røsbak appreciated
Kalleberg's hoax, though he commented that the episode did raise some issues about source criticism in the Norwegian publishing business. Lønn-Arnesen admitted that, although he didn't believe Kalleberg's story, if he had indeed been the victim of a practical joke, it was a good
157:. For this reason he had written an alternative ending to the lyrics. Høyland told him not to worry, correctly predicting that this would not be an issue. Prøysen presented the song in its original form, it was accepted and became an instant classic. Høyland never heard the alternative ending.
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one. Kalleberg, meanwhile, was convinced that Prøysen would have appreciated the hoax had he been alive. The poet was once, in the 1950s, informed about an impostor who performed under his name. He reacted with a shrug and replied "Perhaps he sings better than I do."
125:. In December 2008 the alleged rediscovery of a missing verse from the song attracted the attention of the Norwegian media. Though an alternative ending was originally written for the song, the discovery in question was eventually revealed to be a hoax.
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There is a
Swedish version of the song - without the false verse - called "Mössens julafton" ("Christmas Eve for the Mice") written by Prøysen's long time co-operative partner, the popular Swedish composer and songwriter
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as an inspiration for the hoax. To back up his claim, Kalleberg referred to an autobiography he had written in 2003, where he had reproduced the verse from memory, almost verbatim.
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The story attracted widespread attention in
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claimed to have found the missing verse. In Lønn-Arnesen's version, it was children's program host "Onkel"
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would compose a letter, posing as the fictional retired cleaning lady. Kalleberg claimed to have used the
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are preparing for
Christmas. The mouse-mother specifically warns her children against the dangers of the
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Alf Prøysen c. 1949. It was assumed that the poet, had he been alive, would have appreciated the hoax.
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437:(in Norwegian). Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
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82:«Hvis ingen går i fella, men passer seg for den
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499:English-language version by Ivar Kalleberg
84:skal allesammen snart få feire jul igjen!»
456:"- Det niende Musevisa-verset er oppspinn"
356:Kleve, Marie L.; PĂĄl Stokka (2008-12-08).
80:da sier vesle musemor til ungeflokken sin:
78:NĂĄr nettene blir lange og kulda setter inn
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102:" ("The Mouse Song") is a Norwegian
358:"- Prøysen var ingen musedrapsmann"
266:. The Hymns and Carols of Christmas
388:""Musevisa"-verset var bare bløff"
386:Thorkildsen, Joakim (2008-12-23).
135:Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation
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312:Bruheim, Magnhild (2008-12-02).
173:In December 2008, NRK-presenter
493:English translation of Musevisa
411:Røiseland, Hilde (2008-12-23).
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334:Rogn, Hallgrim (2008-12-04).
433:Næsheim, Anne (2008-12-23).
413:"- Jeg skrev Museviseverset"
161:Rediscovery of missing verse
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287:Røsbak, Ove (2008-12-10).
529:Songs about mice and rats
314:"Ukjent vers pĂĄ Musevisa"
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435:"- En storartet bløff!"
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539:1946 songs
508:Categories
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342:2008-12-23
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264:"Musevisa"
247:References
191:Ove Røsbak
22:"Musevisa"
392:Dagbladet
362:Dagbladet
147:Vestbanen
141:near the
123:mousetrap
16:1946 song
485:Musevisa
235:See also
184:Thailand
129:Creation
112:Musevisa
100:Musevisa
34:Released
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155:pest
151:tone
143:Oslo
119:mice
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