These Norwegian tales of elemental mountain, forest and sea spirits, handed down by hinds and huntsmen, woodchoppers and fisherfolk, men who led a hard and lonely life amid primitive surroundings are, perhaps, among the most fascinating the Scandinavian countries have to offer. Nor are they only meant to delight the child, though this they cannot fail to do. “Grown-ups” also, who take pleasure in a good story, well told, will enjoy the original “Peer Gynt” legend, as it existed before Ibsen gave it more symbolic meanings; and that glowing, beautiful picture of an Avalon of the Northern seas shown in “The Island of Udröst.” What could be more human and moving than the tragic “The Player on the Jew’s-Harp,” or more genuinely entertaining than “The King’s Hares”? “The Master-Girl” is a Candida of fairy-land, and the thrill and glamor of black magic and mystery run through such stories as “The Secret Church,” “The Comrade,” and “Lucky Andrew.” In “The Honest Four-Shilling Piece” we have the adventures of a Norse Dick Whittington. “Storm Magic” is one of the most thrilling sea tales, bar none, ever written, and every story included in the volume seems to bring with it the breath of the Norse mountains or the tang of the spindrift on[vi] Northern seas. Much of the charm of the stories lies in the directness and simplicity of their telling; and this quality, which adds so much to their appeal, the translator has endeavored to preserve in its integrity. He cannot but feel that “The Norwegian Fairy Book” has an appeal for one and all, since it is a book in which the mirror of fairy-tale reflects human yearnings and aspirations, human loves, ambitions and disillusionments, in an imaginatively glamored, yet not distorted form.

Contents

Per Gynt

The Isle Of Udröst

The Three Lemons

The Neighbor Underground

The Secret Church

The Comrade

Aspenclog

The Troll Wedding

The Hat Of The Huldres

The Child Of Mary

Storm Magic

The Four-shilling Piece

The Magic Apples

Self Did It

The Master Girl

Anent The Giant Who Did Not Have His Heart About Him

The Three Princesses In Whiteland

Trouble And Care

Kari Woodencoat

Ola Storbaekkjen

The Cat Who Could Eat So Much

East Of The Sun And West Of The Moon

Murmur Goose-egg

The Troll-wife

The King’s Hares

Helge-hal In The Blue Hill

The Lord Of The Hill And John Blessom

The Young Fellow And The Devil

Farther South Than South, And Farther North Than North, And In The Great Hill Of Gold

Lucky Andrew

The Pastor And The Sexton

The Skipper And Sir Urian

The Youth Who Was To Serve Three Years Without Pay

The Youth Who Wanted To Win The Daughter Of The Mother In The Corner

The Chronicle Of The Pancake

Soria-moria Castle

The Player On The Jew’s-harp