The Complete and Original Norwegian Folktales of Asbjørnsen and Moe

by Jørgen Moe

Magic and myth inhabit these pages in figures both familiar and strange. Giant trolls and talking animals are everywhere. The winds take human form. A one-eyed old woman might seem reminiscent of the Norse god Odin. We meet sly aunts, resourceful princesses, and devious robbers. These stories, set in Norway's majestic landscape of towering mountains and dense forests, are filled with humor, mischief, and sometimes surprisingly cruel twists of fate. All are rendered in the deceptively simple narrative style perfected by Asbjørnsen and Moe—now translated into an English that is as finely tuned to the modern ear as it is true to the original Norwegian.

Included here—for the very first time in English—are Asbjørnsen and Moe's forewords and introductions to the early Norwegian editions of the tales. Asbjørnsen gives us an intriguing glimpse into the actual collection process and describes how the stories were initially received, both in Norway and abroad. Equally fascinating are Moe's views on how central characters might be interpreted and his notes on the regions where each story was originally collected. Nunnally's informative translator's note places the tales in a biographical, historical, and literary context for the twenty-first century.

Genres: Audiobook

1 pages, Audio CD

Published March 1, 2021

About the author

Jørgen Engebretsen Moe was born at the farm of Mo, at Hole in Ringerike. He was the son of local farmer and politician Engebret Olsen Moe.

He is best known for the Norske Folkeeventyr, a collection of Norwegian folk tales which he edited in collaboration with Peter Christen Asbjørnsen. He first met Asbjørnsen while the two were preparing for exams at Norderhov and soon found they had a shared interest in folklore.

His son is Moltke Moe

Reviews

[Brandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, soem stories seemed like I have heard them before.

[AP · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars for the fond childhood nostaligia and the memory of the beautiful red norwegian edition my granpa owned which I sadly never got sent after his death. How I wish family had just kept their promise and sent me/brought me the 1000 nights edition and this one when visiting. Maybe someday I can find a decent copy of this one.

That said, I'm glad I got told and read old scandinavian folktales/folkstories as a child, I doubt many kids today get to hear them in these more raw traditional forms how gruesome or crude they might be at times. That said they are a part worth remembering of my scandinavian heritage.

[Laurel Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely collection of tales, some of which are nonsensical one liners; as if a kid themselves was making up a story. The translation and updated wordings really convey the story in a tone close to the original stories that were collected so long ago.

[Litter Bug · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely interesting, especially because it's fun to see relatives of some of the stories I'm more familiar with. It does tend to get a bit repetitive/samey after a while, since many of them share elements.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Nancie Lafferty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific renditions of some pretty dark and terrifying folk tales.