Popular Tales from the Norse | Page 2

have.

Notice to the First Edition
These translations from the Norske Folkeeventyr, collected with such
freshness and faithfulness by MM. Asbjörnsen and Moe, have been
made at various times and at long intervals during the last fifteen years;
a fact which is mentioned only to account for any variations in style or
tone--of which, however, the Translator is unconscious--that a critical
eye may detect in this volume. One of them, The Master Thief, has
already appeared in Blackwood's Magazine for November 1851; from
the columns of which periodical it is now reprinted, by the kind
permission of the Proprietors.
The Translator is sorry that he has not been able to comply with the
suggestion of some friends upon whose good-will he sets all store, who
wished him to change and soften some features in these tales, which
they thought likely to shock English feeling. He has, however, felt it to
be out of his power to meet their wishes, for the merit of an
undertaking of this kind rests entirely on its faithfulness and truth; and
the man who, in such a work, wilfully changes or softens, is as guilty as
he 'who puts bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter'.
Of this guilt, at least, the Translator feels himself free; and, perhaps, if
any, who may be inclined to be offended at first, will take the trouble to
read the Introduction which precedes and explains the Tales, they may
find, not only that the softening process would have spoilt these
popular traditions for all except the most childish readers, but that the
things which shocked them at the first blush, are, after all, not so very
shocking.
For the rest, it ill becomes him to speak of the way in which his work
has been done: but if the reader will only bear in mind that this, too, is

an enchanted garden, in which whoever dares to pluck a flower, does it
at the peril of his head; and if he will then read the book in a merciful
and tender spirit, he will prove himself what the Translator most longs
to find, 'a gentle reader', and both will part on the best terms.

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ORIGIN DIFFUSION NORSE MYTHOLOGY NORSE POPULAR
TALES CONCLUSION

TALES
I TRUE AND UNTRUE II WHY THE SEA IS SALT III THE OLD
DAME AND HER HEN IV EAST O' THE SUN, AND WEST O' THE
MOON V BOOTS WHO ATE A MATCH WITH THE TROLL VI
HACON GRIZZLEBEARD VII BOOTS WHO MADE THE
PRINCESS SAY, 'THAT'S A STORY' VIII THE TWELVE WILD
DUCKS IX THE GIANT WHO HAD NO HEART IN HIS BODY X
THE FOX AS HERDSMAN XI THE MASTERMAID XII THE CAT
ON THE DOVREFELL XIII PRINCESS ON THE GLASS HILL XIV
THE COCK AND HEN XV HOW ONE WENT OUT TO WOO XVI
THE MASTER-SMITH XVII THE TWO STEP-SISTERS XVIII
BUTTERCUP XIX TAMING THE SHREW XX SHORTSHANKS
XXI GUDBRAND ON THE HILL-SIDE XXII THE BLUE BELT
XXIII WHY THE BEAR IS STUMPY-TAILED XXIV NOT A PIN
TO CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM XXV ONE'S OWN CHILDREN
ARE ALWAYS PRETTIEST XXVI THE THREE PRINCESSES OF
WHITELAND XXVII THE LASSIE AND HER GODMOTHER
XXVIII THE THREE AUNTS XXIX THE COCK, THE CUCKOO,
AND THE BLACK-COCK XXX RICH PETER THE PEDLAR XXXI
GERTRUDE'S BIRD XXXII BOOTS AND THE TROLL XXXIII
GOOSEY GRIZZEL XXXIV THE LAD WHO WENT TO THE
NORTH WIND XXXV THE MASTER THIEF XXXVI THE BEST

WISH XXXVII THE THREE BILLY-GOATS GRUFF XXXVIII
WELL DONE AND ILL PAID XXXIX THE HUSBAND WHO WAS
TO MIND THE HOUSE XL DAPPLEGRIM XLI FARMER
WEATHERSKY XLII LORD PETER XLIII THE SEVEN FOALS
XLIV THE WIDOW'S SON XLV BUSHY BRIDE XLVI BOOTS
AND HIS BROTHERS XLVII BIG PETER AND LITTLE PETER
XLVIII TATTERHOOD XLIX THE COCK AND HEN THAT WENT
TO THE DOVREFELL L KATIE WOODENCLOAK LI
THUMBIKIN LII DOLL I' THE GRASS LIII THE LAD AND THE
DELL LIV THE COCK AND HEN A-NUTTING LV THE BIG BIRD
DAN LVI SORIA MORIA CASTLE LVII BRUIN AND REYNARD
LVIII TOM TOTHERHOUSE LIX LITTLE ANNIE THE GOOSE
GIRL
APPENDIX
INTRODUCTION TO APPENDIX
1. WHY THE JACK SPANIARD'S WAIST IS SMALL 2. ANANZI
AND THE LION 3. ANANZI AND QUANQUA 4. THE EAR OF
CORN AND THE TWELVE MEN 5. THE KING AND THE ANT'S
TREE 6. THE LITTLE CHILD AND THE PUMPKIN TREE 7. THE
BROTHER AND HIS SISTERS 8. THE GIRL AND THE FISH 9.
THE LION, THE GOAT, AND THE BABOON 10. ANANZI AND
BABOON 11. THE MAN AND THE DOUKANA TREE 12. NANCY
FAIRY 13. THE DANCING GANG
FOOTNOTES TO INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION
ORIGIN
The most careless reader can hardly fail to see that many of the Tales in
this volume have the same groundwork as those with which he has
been familiar from