Peter Christen Asbjørnsen facts for kids
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (born January 15, 1812 – died January 5, 1885) was a famous Norwegian writer and scientist. He worked closely with Jørgen Engebretsen Moe. Together, they collected many old Norwegian folk tales. Their collections are so well-known that people often just say "Asbjørnsen and Moe" when talking about them.
Contents
Early Life and Friendship
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen was born in Christiania, which is now Oslo, Norway. He started collecting and writing down fairy tales and legends when he was only 20 years old, in 1832. He traveled all over Norway on foot to find more stories.
He met Jørgen Moe when they were teenagers. They were both attending high school in Norderhov. They became lifelong friends. In 1834, Asbjørnsen found out that Moe was also collecting folk tales. They decided to work together from then on.
A Life of Stories and Science
Asbjørnsen also became a zoologist, which is a scientist who studies animals. He went on many trips along the coasts of Norway. He explored places like the Hardangerfjord to study sea creatures. He even worked with two very famous marine biologists, Michael Sars and his son Georg Ossian Sars.
In 1842, Asbjørnsen and Moe published the first part of their famous book. It was called Norske Folkeeventyr, which means Norwegian Folk Tales. People all over Europe loved it right away. A second book came out in 1844, and a new collection in 1871. Many of these tales were later translated into English.
Asbjørnsen also published his own collection of Norwegian fairy tales in 1845. This book was called Huldre-Eventyr og Folkesagn. It included stories about hidden folk and other legends.
He also cared about Norway's forests. In 1856, he pointed out that too many trees were being cut down. He convinced the government to do something about it. He became a forest-master and traveled to other European countries. He learned how they protected their timber and forests. He retired from this job in 1876.
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen passed away in Christiania in 1885.
Their Unique Writing Style
People often said that Asbjørnsen brought the energy to their stories. They believed Moe added the charm. However, because they worked together for so long, their writing styles became very similar. It was hard to tell who wrote what!
Lasting Impact
In the 20th century, a Norwegian filmmaker named Ivo Caprino made puppet films based on the fairy tales by Asbjørnsen and Moe. Asbjørnsen even appears at the start of each film. Caprino also created a theme park called Hunderfossen Familiepark in Norway. In this park, these classic fairy tales are a main attraction.
Since 2008, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen's picture has been on the back of the Norwegian 50 krone banknote.
Images for kids
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A monument to Peter Christen Asbjørnsen in Oslo.
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Another portrait of Asbjørnsen by Bergslien, 1885.
