Scandinavian Ghost Stories and Other Tales of the Supernatural

by Joanne Asala

Collected from historic sources, such as the volumes of Norse folk legends by Peter Christian Asbornsen and Jogen Moe, these centuries-old stories of sorcery, monsters and demons come from the imaginations of the Scandinavian people. Nineteen stories reflect the fear of evil that haunts and fascinates the human soul. From Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, and Finland, these ancient tales can be read on many as only stories of magic and mayhem; as legends to warn children to be careful of hidden dangers of the world; or as self relection on the eternal struggle of good versus evil and the quest for untimate power. Sorcery, witchcraft, magic charms, and incantations; graveyards and nocturnal journeys; ghosts, monsters, and demons of the night are common elements in these tales of the supernatural. For generations, the Scandinavian peasants huddled around their fires interweaving fantasy and belief based on superstition, religion, social customs and taboos, life styles and morals. The supernatural beings raised in these settings represent the evil perceived in the heart of mankind and the harsh world beyond the hearth. The telling of undesirable human traits or emotions through witches, goblins, trolls, and other monstrous beings gave rise to the hope that being mindful and alert to these dangers would hold them at bay. In this book, travel a frightening world of curses and maleficence, power, and good tempered by a revelation of the will to overcome. Illustrations of such artists as H. J. Ford are throughout the book.

Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Horror, Folklore, Fiction

128 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1995

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once upon a time Scandinavian folktales in four categories: Tales of Wizards and Witches; Tales of Ghosts, Specters and Spirits; Tales of Monsters; and Tales of the Devil.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short collection of super natural Scandinavian fairy and folk tales. As with her other collected works, Asala here has a delightful assortment of stories that are sure to delight. I’ve read a lot of similar works, and while I was familiar with a few of these stories, I was wonder bound to
find many I did not. I’d gladly recommend this work for those that want to learn more about Scandinavian culture or who love tales of fantastic magic and adventure.

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was terrible. I read most of it but lost a great deal of interest because some of the stories were only a paragraph long. Many of the stories were the opposite of "drawn out" and left too much to the imagination. I persevered as long as I was able until I just couldn't take it anymore. I also found it puzzling that there weren't any footnotes or any mention of the authors that wrote the stories mentioned in the book.

[W · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little find I picked up in Epcot's Norway in Disneyworld. The stories range from funny to gruesome to rather creepy, but all are good. My favorite was The Terrible Olli.