Norwegian Folk Tales

Collected here in a contemporary translation. With these tales we meet witches, trolls and ogres, sly foxes and mysterious bears, beautiful princesses and country lads turned heroes. Includes illustrations.

PETER CHRISTEN ASBJØRNSEN (1812-1885) and JØRGEN MOE (1813-1882), friends from childhood with a long-standing interest in their country's folklore traditions, were inspired by Jacob Grimm to compile a collection of Norwegian folk tales, Norske Folkeeventyr, in 1879. Norske Folkeeventyr continues to be in print to this day.

ERIK WERENSKOLD (1855-1938) was a noted Norwegian painter and illustrator. At the time a young, relatively unknown painter, he was among the artists whose drawings appeared in the first illustrated edition of Norske Folkeeventyr in 1879. They established him as one of Norway's foremost artists.

THEODOR KITTELSEN(1857-1914) was a noted Norwegian artist. At the time young and unknown, he was invited by Erik Werenskold in 1881 to collaborate on a second illustrated edition of Norske Folkeeventyr, which included only their drawings. In 1908 he was made Knight of The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav.

THE NORWEGIAN FOLK TALES AND THEIR ILLUSTRATORS     5
Pat Shaw
 
THE BOYS WHO MET THE TROLLS IN THE HEDAL WOODS     9
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE SEVENTH FATHER OF THE HOUSE     13
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE PARSON AND THE SEXTON     15
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe
 
THE ASH LAD WHO MADE THE PRINCESS SAY, “YOU’RE A LIAR”    17
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
TAPER-TOM WHO MADE THE PRINCESS LAUGH     20
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe
 
THE CHARCOAL BURNER     25
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE THREE PRINCESSES IN THE MOUNTAIN-IN-THE-BLUE     31
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe
 
THE GOLDEN BIRD     49
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE SQUIRE’S BRIDE     56
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
LITTLE FREDDIE AND HIS FIDDLE     61
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
SORIA MORIA CASTLE     67
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE PRINCESS WHO ALWAYS HAD TO HAVE THE LAST WORD     77
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Moltke Moe
 
THE ASH LAD WHO HAD AN EATING MATCH WITH THE TROLL     81
Jørgen Moe
 
THE COMPANION     84
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
BUTTERBALL     97
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE RAM AND THE PIG WHO WENT INTO THE WOODS TO LIVE BY THEMSELVES     102
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE FOX AS SHEPHERD     106
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE MILL THAT GRINDS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA     108
Jørgen Moe
 
THE OLD WOMAN AGAINST THE STREAM      112
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE HARE WHO HAD BEEN MARRIED     115
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE HOUSE MOUSE AND THE COUNTRY MOUSE     116
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE BEAR AND THE FOX WHO MADE A BET     120
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
SQUIRE PER     122
Jørgen Moe
 
THE KEY IN THE DISTAFF     128
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE BOY WITH THE BEER KEG      131
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE COCK AND THE FOX      135
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
NOT DRIVING AND NOT RIDING     137
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE GOLDEN CASTLE THAT HUNG IN THE AIR     139
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
WHITE-BEAR-KING-VALEMON     150
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
“GOOD DAY, FELLOW!” “AXE HANDLE!”     158
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE TABBY WHO WAS SUCH A GLUTTON     161
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE DEVIL AND THE BAILIFF     168
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
THE ASH LAD AND THE GOOD HELPERS     170
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
 
GUDBRAND OF THE HILLSIDE     178
Jørgen Moe
 
THE TWELVE WILD DUCKS     182
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen