The Quest / The authorized translation from the Dutch of De kleine Johannes

A young boy named Johannes explores an overgrown house and garden he has carefully mapped with fanciful names, and his restlessness leads to a series of imaginative voyages guided by a sprite-like companion. The narrative mixes realistic detail with fairy-tale episodes—visits beneath the water, flights toward cloud-grottos, encounters with elves and meadow creatures—and contrasts the purity of nature with the crudities of human society. Through episodic adventures and allegorical scenes the work examines growing awareness, moral questioning, and a search for belonging that balances childhood wonder against emerging adult concerns.