Meet gullible trolls, enterprising princesses and nefarious wizards in this treasury of 25 Norse fairy tales. Collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in the 19th century, these Norwegian stories are described by Jacob Grimm as "surpassing nearly all others." They include such well-loved tales as 'The Three Billy Goat's Gruff' and 'Taming the Shrew' and open a window into the beautiful landscapes of Norway. These funny and fantastical stories will delight the young and old.

Trolls haunt the snowy forests, and terrifying monsters roam the open sea. A young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear. This collection of 16 traditional tales transports readers to the enchanting world of Nordic folklore. Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, and presented here unabridged, the stories are by turns magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling. They offer a fascinating view into Nordic culture and a comforting wintertime read. Ulla Thynell's glowing contemporary illustrations accompany each tale, conjuring dragons, princesses, and the northern lights. This special gift edition features an embossed, textured case and a ribbon marker.

A new, definitive English translation of the celebrated story collection regarded as a landmark of Norwegian literature and culture The extraordinary folktales collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe began appearing in Norway in 1841. Over the next two decades the publication of subsequent editions under the title Norske folkeeventyr made the names Asbjørnsen and Moe synonymous with Norwegian storytelling traditions. Tiina Nunnally’s vivid translation of their monumental collection is the first new English translation in more than 150 years—and the first ever to include all sixty original tales. Magic and myth inhabit these pages in figures both familiar and strange. Giant trolls and talking animals are everywhere. The winds take human form. A one-eyed old woman might seem reminiscent of the Norse god Odin. We meet sly aunts, resourceful princesses, and devious robbers. The clever and fearless boy Ash Lad often takes center stage as he ingeniously breaks spells and defeats enemies to win half the kingdom. These stories, set in Norway’s majestic landscape of towering mountains and dense forests, are filled with humor, mischief, and sometimes surprisingly cruel twists of fate. All are rendered in the deceptively simple narrative style perfected by Asbjørnsen and Moe—now translated into an English that is as finely tuned to the modern ear as it is true to the original Norwegian. Included here—for the very first time in English—are Asbjørnsen and Moe’s Forewords and Introductions to the early Norwegian editions of the tales. Asbjørnsen gives us an intriguing glimpse into the actual collection process and describes how the stories were initially received, both in Norway and abroad. Equally fascinating are Moe’s views on how central characters might be interpreted and his notes on the regions where each story was originally collected. Nunnally’s informative Translator’s Note places the tales in a biographical, historical, and literary context for the twenty-first century. The Norwegian folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe are timeless stories that will entertain, startle, and enthrall readers of all ages.

A beautifully illustrated and compelling collection of more than 30 ancient Norse myths for children. Exciting stories, extraordinary creatures, and compelling gods, goddesses, and heroes come together in this compendium of Norse myths--first told long ago by the Vikings. Perfect for children ages 7 to 9, this collection contains more than 30 enthralling new retellings. Read about Thor, the god of thunder and how he once disguised himself as a bride to seek revenge on a giant and retrieve his powerful hammer, Mjolnir; and how Sif, the goddess of fertility, had her long golden hair cut off by Loki, the trickster god. Each myth is told with thrilling immediacy, in language that is easy for children to understand, while retaining the awe, majesty, and intrigue of the original tales. Stunning illustrations by multi-award-winning artist Katie Ponder breathe new life into each story. Additional feature pages delve deeper into the mythical world, providing profiles of the featured gods and goddesses and giving the context behind the myths. The reference section provides key background information, such as Norse cosmology and facts about the incredible Norse characters, and comes complete with a pronunciation e-guide. Norse Myths is the perfect gift, featuring foil on the cover and beautiful illustrations throughout. Children will love exploring the tales by themselves or as bedtime stories. This stunning ebook will be treasured forever.

"These tales have been adapted from the Dasent translation of the collection of Asbjernsen and Moe"--Copyright page.

"The Viking homelands of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Iceland have a rich tradition of folklore and storytelling. From heroic sagas to tales of monstrous trolls and secret nisses, the chronicles and legends of those early seafarers echo through Nordic folk and fairy tales, which abound with character-building fables, fantastical creatures, and themes of bravery, transformation, and the magic and power of the natural world."--

This is a volume of 59 Scandinavian folk tales originally collected over time by Asbjörnsen and Moe and translated into English by Sir George Webbe-Dasent. This is not a volume of Norse mythology per se; so if you are looking for tales of Odin, Thor, Loki, etc., we would refer you to a volume entitled The Children of Odin. Rather, this volume is more fairy and far less Viking in nature. This is an anthology of 59 Norse-themed folk and fairy tales, similar to those collected by the Grimm Brothers, or those found in Andrew Lang’s Many Coloured Fairy Books. In the 59 tales in this volume, all of the usual suspects are in place, including princes, princesses, fools, peasants who achieve seemingly impossible tasks, giants, trolls, elves, witches, evil step-siblings, magical boons, and anthropomorphic animals and beings, all making for a magical volume of Northern Folk and Fairy Tales. The introduction is exceptionally well written, and places various magical and other themes from the tales into the context of the ancient Norse Pagan beliefs. Once past the introduction, the prose directly addresses young people and young adults, and the delightful stories can be appreciated by readers of all ages. But be warned, despite these tales being magical in character, these are tales from an era when political correctness did not exist. In the words of the translator, “the person who, in such a work, wilfully changes or softens the meaning, is as guilty as they "who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter." So join with us and venture back in time to an age when the world still had a connection to the ethereal. A time when magic was still believed to exist and a time when Trolls, Elves, Nidhogg, Vargr and other magical beings still roamed the earth. YESTERDAY'S BOOKS FOR TOMORROW'S CHARITIES 10% of the net profit from the sale of this book will be donated to Charities. =============== Keywords/TAGS: Popular Tales from the Norse, Viking, Scandinavia, true and untrue, sea, salt, old dame, hen, east of the sun and west of the moon, boots, ate a match, troll, hacon, grizzlebeard, princess, that's a story, twelve ducks, giant, no heart, fox, herdsman, mastermaid, cat, dovrefell, glass hill, woo, cock, master-smith, step-sisters, buttercup, taming, shrew, shortshanks, gudbrand, hill-side, blue belt, bear, stumpy-tailed, pin, choose, between, children, prettiest, whiteland, lassie, godmother, three aunts, cock, cuckoo, blackcock, rich peter, pedlar, gertrude's bird, goosey grizzel, lad, north wind, master thief, best wish, three billy-goats gruff, ill paid, husband, house, dapplegrim, farmer, weathersky, lord peter, seven foals, widow's son, bushy bride, brothers, big peter, little peter, tatterhood, katie woodencloak, thumbikin, deil, a-nutting, big bird, dan, soria moria castle, bruin, Reynard, tom, totherhouse, little annie, goose-girl

Encyclopedic in its coverage, this one-of-a-kind reference is ideal for students, scholars, and others who need reliable, up-to-date information on folk and fairy tales, past and present. Folktales and fairy tales have long played an important role in cultures around the world. They pass customs and lore from generation to generation, provide insights into the peoples who created them, and offer inspiration to creative artists working in media that now include television, film, manga, photography, and computer games. This second, expanded edition of an award-winning reference will help students and teachers as well as storytellers, writers, and creative artists delve into this enchanting world and keep pace with its past and its many new facets. Alphabetically organized and global in scope, the work is the only multivolume reference in English to offer encyclopedic coverage of this subject matter. The four-volume collection covers national, cultural, regional, and linguistic traditions from around the world as well as motifs, themes, characters, and tale types. Writers and illustrators are included as are filmmakers and composers—and, of course, the tales themselves. The expert entries within volumes 1 through 3 are based on the latest research and developments while the contents of volume 4 comprises tales and texts. While most books either present readers with tales from certain countries or cultures or with thematic entries, this encyclopedia stands alone in that it does both, making it a truly unique, one-stop resource.

Here are thirty-two classic myths that bring the Viking world vividly to life. The mythic legacy of the Scandinavians includes a cycle of stories filled with magnificent images from pre-Christian Europe. Gods, humans, and monstrous beasts engage in prodigious drinking bouts, contests of strength, greedy schemes for gold, and lusty encounters. The Norse pantheon includes Odin, the wisest and most fearsome of the gods; Thor, the thundering powerhouse; and the exquisite, magic-wielding Freyja. Their loves, wars, and adventures take us through worlds both mortal and divine, culminating in a blazing doomsday for gods and humans alike. These stories bear witness to the courage, passion, and boundless spirit that were hallmarks of the Norse world. Part of the Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library From the Trade Paperback edition.