Five Norwegian White Bear Tales

“East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” the folktale published by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, is known all over the world. The white bear comes to fetch a girl, takes her away, and when she looks upon him in his true human form at night, he disappears. She must then find him to loose him from his terrible enchantment. This folktale has been collected in about 80 different variants; this forthcoming book collects five of them, including three that have never been translated into English before.

I am including the following tales:

• “The Story of the Abandoned Princess” by Camilla Collett.

• “East of the Sun and West of the Moon” published by Asbjørnsen & Moe.

• “Sir Varivan” collected by Asbjørnsen and written up in note form by Moe, but reconstituted in narrative form by yours truly.

• “White Bear King Valemon” collected by Asbjørnsen.

• “The Bear King Videvall” collected by Hallvard Bergh.

The book is illustrated, with work by Theodor Kittelsen, Otto Sinding, H. P. Hansen, H. J. Ford, and Hilde Kramer.

A brief introduction to the tale type, and the collection data and history of each text precedes the folktales.

Initially, I will be distributing this book privately, in a clothbound (hardcover) locally-printed, paperback edition (saving the environment by cutting back on the shipping). General release in POD-paperback and ebook formats will come later.

The Contributors

Camilla Collett (1813–1895) was Norway’s first novelist, her masterpiece, Amtmandens Døtre (The District Governor’s Daughters) was published in two volumes, 1854–5.

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (1812–1885) and Jørgen Moe (1813–1882) travelled around rural Norway, collecting the tales and legends that the folk would tell them. They published the results of their collection tours in several volumes, Norske Folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folktales), beginning in 1843.

Hallvard Bergh (1850–1922) was a teacher, author of children’s books, and a collector of folk memories from the Valdres region of Norway.