Norwegian Folktales
Last updated: 17.12.19
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Printed: 1982 Author: Peter Christen Asbjornsen
Publisher: Pantheon ISBN: 0394710541
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Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library
Paperback: 192 pages, usually ships within 24 hours.
Amazon Review
Reviewer: Jay Heiser (England)
My 9-year old was enthralled with the stories in this book, begging for more every night until we finished it. I disagree with his Freudian interpretation, but Bruno Bettelheim is right that folktales touch something wired within us, fulfilling an innate need children have to comprehend the adult world.Although not as well-known as the German Grimm's collection in the United States, this book is widely revered in Norway.
Both are teutonic cultures, but these stories are different in character and feel from the Grimm Brother stories. While they contain elements common to all european fables, this book is filled with trolls, and the reformation seems like a recent event. Norsk tales have a unique and compelling charm. My favorite fable is in this collection--the one about the mill that explains why the sea is salty. Read it yourself--I don't want to spoil the ending.From a purist point of view, drawings detract from stories such as these, but two of Norway's most most well-known illustrators are represented, and the artwork is compelling. This paperback is a reprint of the original English-language translation from 40 years ago. I have that original text packed away somewhere lost, so it was a real treat to be able to buy a new copy to share with my son.