# Kekec

Kekec is a fictional children's literature character created by Slovenian author Josip Vandot in 1918. He was first introduced in the serial "Kekec on the Hard Path" (Slovene: Kekec na hudi poti) in Zvonček magazine (volume 19, issue 1/2). He is a young shepherd boy living in the Julian Alps, revered in Slovenia, and the subject of several films.

## List of characters featured in the Kekec novels

* Kekec (Mežnarčev Gregec) is widely recognized as a Slovenian superhero and cultural icon. Kekec is a brave boy, a fearless shepherd from the highlands of his home region, Kranjska Gora and Julian Alps. He is good guy who is fighting an evil wild hunter from the mountains (Bedanec) and evil herbalist woman from mountains who is stealing children (Pehta).
* Bedanec (or. Bedanc) - evil poacher with long beard from the mountains.
* Mojca - sister of Rožle, captured by Bedanec and Pehta.
* Pehta - wild woman from the mountains.
* Rožle - scared boy, a friend of Kekec.
* Kosobrin - tiny old herbalist.
* Tinkara
* Brincelj
* Vitranc
* Tinka

## Vandot's original novels

Original trilogy short novels with Kekec as the main character were published as annex in Zvonček publication, not in one piece at once but in total 12 parts for each novel:
| # | Title | Issue date in twelve parts | Author | Publisher | Pages | Note |
| 1 | "Kekec on the Hard Path" (Kekec na hudi poti) | 1 January – 1 December 1918 | Josip Vandot | Zvonček (youth publication) | 86 | in January and July two parts were published, none in February and June |
| 2 | "Kekec on the Wolf Trail" (Kekec na volčji sledi) | 1 January – 1 December 1922 | Josip Vandot | Zvonček (youth publication) | 117 | in July two parts were published; none in August |
| 3 | "Kekec Above the Lonely Abyss" (Kekec nad samotnim breznom) | 1 January – 1 December 1924 | Josip Vandot | Zvonček (youth publication) | 123 | novel was published on every first in the month |
Novels weren't published in one piece, but every month one or two parts, as Zvonček publication was released at only every first in the month.

## Gale's film trilogy

Jože Gale directed Slovene/Yugoslav film trilogy about Kekec, based on novels by Josip Vandot, but only the first and second film were a direct adaptation of the second and third book:
| # | Title | Premiere | Director | Producer | Composer | Prod. company | Distribution | Based on | Character (actor) | Note |
| 1 | "Kekec" | 18 December 1951 | Jože Gale | Dušan Povh | Marjan Kozina | Triglav Film | Vesna film (prvotno) Viba film (trenutno) | "Kekec nad samotnim breznom" (1924) | Kekec (Matija Barl) Kosobrin (Frane Milčinski) Bedanec (France Presetnik) Mojca (Zdenka Logar) Tinka (Alenka Lobnikar) Rožle (Jože Mlakar) Mišnjek (Modest Sancin) | first ever Slovenian feature film with international award |
| 2 | "Good Luck, Kekec" (Srečno, Kekec!) | 15 December 1963 | Jože Gale | Dušan Povh | Marjan Vodopivec | Viba film | Viba film | "Kekec na volčji sledi" (1922) | Kekec (Velimir Gjurin) Mojca (Blanka Florjanc) Rožle (Martin Mele) Pehta (Ruša Bojc) oče (Bert Sotlar) mati (Marija Goršič) berač (Stane Sever) | first ever Slovenian feature film in colors |
| 3 | "Kekec's Tricks" (Kekčeve ukane) | 23 December 1968 | Jože Gale | Ljubo Struna | Bojan Adamič | Viba film | Vesna film (prvotno) Viba film (trenutno) | "po motivih Vandotovih pripovedk o Kekcu" | Kekec (Zlatko Krasnič) Bedanec (Polde Bibič) Rožle (Boris Ivanovski) Mojca (Jasna Krofak) Tinkara (Fanika Podobnikar) Brincelj (Milorad Radovič) Vitranc (Jože Zupan) | the last and the worst film about Kekec bad critics and low cinema visit |