"Smurf Versus Smurf" (original French title Schtroumpf Vert et Vert Schtroumpf, literally "Green Smurf VS. Smurf Green") is a comic book story created and published by Peyo. It has appeared in the Random House comic book version of "The Smurfic Games" under the title "Smurf Of One And Smurf A Dozen Of The Other". It has recently been released by Papercutz in English with "The Painter Smurf", "The Smurf Vacation", and "Easter Smurfs" as its additional stories.
Plot Summary
NOTE: The following summary comes from the Random House English translation.
As the story begins, while Papa Smurf is waiting for Gargamel to return to his castle, he recalls in flashback when the Smurfs started feuding out of control over the use of the word "smurf" in compounded words as to which form is correct (i.e., corksmurf vs. smurfscrew). Papa Smurf tries to mediate the peace among his little Smurfs by telling them both forms are correct, that it's simply "smurf of one and smurf a dozen of the other" (or "Smurf green and green Smurf"). However, the feuding becomes rather divisive with the villagers separating themselves into "northern Smurfs" and "southern Smurfs", and so heated that no Smurf is even listening to Papa Smurf anymore, so he goes to get the help of Gargamel. As the evil wizard arrives to capture Papa Smurf, he locks eyes with the human and chants a spell that causes the both of them to change into each other's forms: Papa Smurf is now Gargamel and Gargamel is now Papa Smurf. As Papa Smurf uses his Gargamel form to unite the Smurfs together and to end their silly conflict over words, Gargamel in his Papa Smurf form finds the reverse chant and uses it on the village leader to restore their natural forms. However, Gargamel in his restored form doesn't get far with his captured Smurfs when he is attacked by a confused Azrael who still thinks that the person in Gargamel's form is really Papa Smurf. And when Gargamel tries to find his way back to the Smurf Village, he ends up back at his own castle, fussing and fuming at the Smurfs. Later on, Papa Smurf calls a meeting together with all his little Smurfs that they should no longer use compounded words when communicating, which solves one problem...yet starts up another debate much to his dismay.
Background Information
- Part of this story was used as the basis for the Smurfs cartoon special called "The Smurfic Games" that was aired in 1984, with the division between Smurfs in the village being east and west instead of north and south as it is here in "Smurf Versus Smurf".
- The Random House English version title is based on the common phrase "six of one, half-dozen of the other" which means that two things which people refer to differently are actually the same thing.
- Part of "Smurf Versus Smurf" was also used as the basis for the cartoon version of "Romeo And Smurfette", where Papa Smurf and Gargamel switch physical appearances.
- The story is based on the real-life language division of the French and Dutch-speaking people in Peyo's native country of Belgium. The Dutch speakers mostly live in the northern part of the country, while the French speakers mostly live in the southern part.
