Soria Moria Castle facts for kids
Soria Moria Castle (Soria Moria slott) is a famous Norwegian fairy tale. It was made popular by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. They included it in their classic book, Norske Folkeeventyr. Later, Andrew Lang added the story to his collection. You can find it in The Red Fairy Book.
Contents
The Story of Halvor and Soria Moria Castle
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This fairy tale is about a boy named Halvor. He lived with his poor parents. Halvor was often called an "Ash Lad" (Norwegian: Askeladden). This meant he was thought to be lazy and just sat by the fire.
One day, a ship captain asked Halvor to join him at sea. Halvor agreed and went on the ship. A big storm pushed their ship far off course. When Halvor finally got off the ship, he started walking. He soon found a grand castle.
Halvor Meets the Princesses
When Halvor reached the castle, a princess met him. She warned him that a troll with three heads lived there. The troll would eat anyone who came near. But Halvor was brave and refused to leave. The princess gave him food. She then asked him to try and lift a heavy sword. Halvor could not lift it. The princess told him to drink from a special flask. After drinking, he became strong enough to wield the sword.
When the three-headed troll returned, Halvor fought and killed it. The princess then told him about her two sisters. They were also held captive by other trolls. Halvor went to rescue them. One troll had six heads, and the other had nine! Halvor bravely defeated both of these trolls too.
A Wish Gone Wrong
The three princesses were very grateful. They offered to marry Halvor. He chose the youngest princess. But Halvor missed his parents. He wanted to tell them about his adventures. The princesses gave him a magic ring. This ring could wish him to his home and back again. They warned him not to mention them by name.
Halvor wished himself home. His parents were surprised to see him as a grand lord. It took them a while to recognize their son. They were very happy for him. Some young women who used to make fun of Halvor felt ashamed. Halvor wished the princesses were there to see this. Suddenly, they appeared!
The youngest princess convinced Halvor to lie down and sleep. While he slept, she put a different ring on his finger. She took the magic wishing ring. Then she wished herself and her sisters back to Soria Moria Castle.
The Journey Back to Soria Moria
When Halvor woke up, he realized what had happened. He set out to find the princesses again. He bought a horse and began his journey. He found a small cottage with an old couple. The old woman had a very long nose! Halvor asked if they knew the way to Soria Moria Castle. They did not know. The old woman even asked the Moon, but it didn't know either.
The old woman traded Halvor a pair of special boots for his horse. These boots could take him twenty miles in one step! She told him to wait for the West Wind. The West Wind knew where Soria Moria Castle was. It also told Halvor that a wedding was happening there.
Halvor traveled with the West Wind. They reached the castle just in time. Halvor put the ring the princess had given him into a cup. He had it brought to the princess. She recognized the ring right away. She then chose to marry Halvor instead of the new bridegroom.
See also
In Spanish: Castillo de Soria Moria para niños
