Norwegian Folktales facts for kids
Norwegian Folktales (Norwegian: Norske folkeeventyr) is a famous collection of traditional stories and legends from Norway. These tales were gathered by two good friends, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. People often call the collection "Asbjørnsen and Moe" after them!
Contents
Asbjørnsen and Moe: The Story Collectors
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen was a teacher, and Jørgen Moe was a minister. They had been friends for about 15 years. In 1841, they published the first book of their folktale collection. Collecting these stories had been a hobby for both of them for many years.
Their books became very popular in Norway. This was partly because Norway had recently gained some independence. A strong feeling of national pride spread across the country in the 1800s. Their work also helped develop the Norwegian written language, which later became known as Bokmål. They used a language that was easy to understand. It kept some special Norwegian words and sentence styles from the original dialects.
Asbjørnsen and Moe were inspired by the Brothers Grimm. The Grimms were famous German folktale collectors. The Norwegian friends learned from the Grimms' methods. The Grimms even praised Norske folkeeventyr highly! Asbjørnsen and Moe used a simple writing style. They kept the original feel of the stories. They also went out and collected tales themselves. This was different from the Grimms, who sometimes changed stories more.
Artists Who Illustrated the Tales
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The first book with many pictures was published in 1879. It was Asbjørnsen's Norske folke- og huldre-eventyr. Many talented artists helped create the artwork for this edition. Some of these artists included Peter Nicolai Arbo, Hans Gude, Eilif Peterssen, and Erik Werenskiold.
Later on, Erik Werenskiold and Theodor Kittelsen became very well-known for illustrating these tales. Kittelsen was not famous when he started. His friend Werenskiold suggested him for the project.
Bringing the Tales to English Readers
The Norwegian folktales were first translated into English by Sir George Webbe Dasent. He translated almost all the stories from the two main collections. His book, Popular Tales from the Norse (1859), included 58 tales. Later, Tales from the Fjeld: A Second Series of Popular Tales (1874) added more stories.
Asbjørnsen and Moe really liked Dasent's translations. They said his English version was "the best and happiest rendering of our tales." The most recent English translation was done by Tiina Nunnally in 2019. Other translators also brought these wonderful stories to English readers over the years.
Famous Norwegian Folktales
The collection includes many well-known stories. Some of the most famous ones are:
- "The Three Billy Goats Gruff": A story about three goats outsmarting a hungry troll.
- "East of the Sun and West of the Moon": A magical adventure about a girl and a white bear.
- "Why the Sea is Salt": Explains why the ocean is salty.
- "Katie Woodencloak": A Cinderella-like story about a girl who wears a cloak made of wood.
- "The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body": A hero must find a giant's hidden heart to defeat him.
- "Soria Moria Castle": A classic quest for a magical castle.
- "The Master Thief": About a clever thief who can outwit anyone.
- "The Lad Who Went to the North Wind": A boy seeks justice from the North Wind.
These tales often feature brave heroes, tricky trolls, and magical creatures. They teach lessons and show the rich culture of Norway.
Influence on Other Stories
The magical Soria Moria Castle from these tales inspired a famous author. J. R. R. Tolkien used the name "Moria" for a huge underground complex in his Middle-earth stories, like The Lord of the Rings.
See also
In Spanish: Cuentos populares noruegos para niños
