Norwegian Fairy Tales

by Gert Strindberg

Chosen and illustrated by Strindberg. Many editions published between 1947 & 1968 in English. Illustrated.
Introduction
The Mountain Trolls
The Hulders
The Forest Trolls
The Noekk
The Nisse
The Draug

Genres: Childrens, Fantasy, Short Stories

98 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1947

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had a profound influence on me in childhood, both its text and Strindberg's often creepy b&w illustrations. I probably read it soon after learning the skill in first grade, but Mom had read all of it to me many times before and I'd studied the pictures on my own. Indeed, some of them are burned into memory--and I've not seen any of them in four decades!

Back before I could read, back when I was two and newly toilet trained, Mom and I flew to Norway to introduce me to her family. I remember a lot of this visit not only because it was so different and exciting, but also because I was hospitalized en route, in New York City, and received a tonsilectomy in Oslo. I also was put into a Norwegian preschool or daycare center, our visit being a lengthy one, Mother's first since marrying Dad years before.

Whatever the exact nature of the school, we sometimes, maybe daily, went to a park in the city, a grassy park studded with standing stones, on a hillside with a view of mountains in the distance.

One day, having to pee and proud of my skill in doing so, I asked one of the ladies who tended us to life me up upon one of the great stones, one with a flat top and a good view. From there I had a good view of clouds over the distant mountain range could hear the rumbling of the trolls tossing great boulders from peak to peak. Fearlessly, I undid my fly and let loose in their direction.

The teachers were surprised, the other children were inspired. One by one the boys and girls were lifted upon the rock to repeat my performance, the girls with some difficulty. Mother was told of this event by the grownups who did the lifting, they having thought it quite amusing. Personally, I mostly remember the mountains, the thunder and my defiant mood.

Many, many years later, visiting Mother in Oslo as an adult, I asked to be shown the park where this profound event occurred. So we went on a walk and she found the park, everything as I remembered it: the distant range, the grassy hillside and boulders, some towering two, even three feet.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

To complete my challenge for this year I re-read this book which was given to me over 75 years ago. A charming book about trolls of Norway, each showing goodness and kindness triumphing over evil and nastiness. I found once again that the bulk of fairy tales have references to the number three e.g. three trolls, three princesses, three days’ travel over three maintains.

[Anna Sojourning · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think my great-great aunt brought an old copy of this book back from Norway. This book was a childhood favorite and it taught me a great deal about Scandinavian folklore. I still have it, and I look forward to reading it to my own children.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't heard any fairytales from Norway, so was happy to find this book in a thrift store. Each chapter (for one legendary creature) tells the background of the creature, and then a story or two about it. Some of the illustrations are truly creepy!