Norwegian folk tales

About fifty years ago, fairy tales, stories of fairies, and strange apparitions of ghosts and spirits were held in poor regard by many serious, self-educated people. The tales of the Thousand and One Nights enjoyed some respect among poetic souls, as they were at least not excluded from lending libraries. The stories of Mother Goose were widespread across Europe, but only in the hands of children. A few years earlier, our German Musäus had thrown his humorous folk tales into the then overwhelming soft sentimentalism almost as a strengthening remedy, and they found general approval, which they have maintained even to this day, although the poetic element of these old folk legends and poems is often darkened by allusions to very modern things and too prosaic conditions. However, these exotic plants and flowers were not counted as true literature, and when I published my attempts in this genre around 1796, dressing ancient stories in a new guise, I was very seriously criticized by many of my friends and well-wishers. A comprehensive collection of classic Norwegian folk tales. First published in 1846.