Commonplace Folklore: Day XXIX

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe

“Rural life in Norway has always been centered in the family farms – small isolated communities, often surrounded by great forests and high mountains. There, according to Werenskiold’s description of his childhood home, “one sat in the darkness by the oven door … from the time of the tallow candle and the rush light … in the endless, lonely winter evenings, where folk still saw the nisse and captured the sea-serpent, and swore that it was true.” In the old days the Church was the sole authority in life and faith, but everyday problems were solved by belief – belief that was never questioned.”

Norwegian Folktales, selected from the collection of Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (1812 – 1885) and Jørgen Moe (1813 – 1882), this collection originally published in 1960.