East of the Sun and West of the Moon: Twenty-One Norwegian Folk Tales

Rating:
Summary: Delightful collection of Norse folk tales for children
Review: I read this book as a child and was unable to put it down until I read it through. I am now 50 years old and still rank this book as one of the most memorable from my childhood. Many of the tales are what one would consider "foolish" in the sense that the main character is a "fool". They are a good source of insight into the Norwegian folk beliefs and just plain fun to read. Some are just scary enough that small children get a thrill out of them without being truly frightened, as in the tale of the three trolls with only one eye that they share amongst themselves. A common theme is one of a plain, common or even a dull-witted person outsmarting trolls, witches, the high & mighty, etc. The stories are none of the sweet fluff that passes for children's stories these days. I highly recommend this book for all ages. I recently re-read it and thoroughly enjoyed it