TALES FROM THE FJELD.*
THIS is a very fresh and genial book. Through its pages, from beginning to end, there blows a genuine breeze from the mountains, scented with the perfume of pine-bark, and ringing with the laughter of sturdy peasants and scarcely more visionary trolls and giants. The absurdity of the stories passes for sober likelihood in such unfamiliar scenery ; there is no knowing what wild beings may haunt the great inaccessible chasms and endless forests that we are introduced to, and if the imagination is hard pressed now and then to follow the narrator in his wanderings, none of the stories are very long, and we are almost sure of a hearty laugh await- ing us at the end. The characteristic of these particular tales is not so much humour as geniality ; there is hardly any of the delicate, subtle fun that hides in all the odd corners of Hans Andersen's stories, but there is a great deal of loud mirth, and the ruler of the hour is "Laughter holding both his sides."
Now something about the genesis of this collection. In its original Norwegian form it was brought out three years ago as Norske Folke-Eventyr, Ny Sanding ("Norwegian Folk-Stories, New Collection "), by P. C. Asbjornsen, whose name is well known in Norway as that of a gifted zoologist, and all over Europe as the collector and narrator of these fresh and beautiful stories. Asbjornsen, who was born in 1812, began as early as 1840 to meditate the publication of some of the queer tales he remembered from his childhood, and others that he gathered from peasants during his country rambles. He found that his school-friend and contemporary, Jcirgen Moe, since favourably known to his country- men as a lyrical poet, entertained views on the importance of legendary lore that coincided with his own. But the interest in comparative mythology that is now become, if not general, yet very widely spread, then scarcely existed, and few people sup- posed that the legendary tales would prove anything but rubbish. It was very difficult for the two young and unknown authors to find a publisher ; at last, however, in 1842, the first collection appeared. It made a great sensation in Christiania. All at once everybody woke up to the perception that there was so much that was beautiful and droll, so much, too, that suggested the relics of antique thought in these so long despised stories, that not one of them must be lost. Now no one but was zealous in urging the two young authors to prosecute their labours of love from end to end of Norway. But already the first book, the Folke-Eventyr ("Folk-Stories"), had given a clear and exhaustive view of the tales of the mountains and inland-districts ; what the view was English readers know, or ought to know, for Mr. Dasent translated them into his vigorous English, and published them in 1859, under the title of Popular Tales from the Norse. Mr. Moe was unfortunately prevented from continuing the study of folk-lore in any decided way, but Mr. Asbjornsen proceeded. The results of three years' wanderings up and down, through copse and dale, along the edges of fjord and glacier, out on the lake at night with fishers, up on the edge of the mountain at daybreak with hunters,—the results, we say, of this wild life were brought out by him in Norske Huldre-Eventyr og Folke- sagn ("Norse Fairy Tales and Popular Legends"), 1845, a book that did not rouse the public so completely as the startling novelty of the first collection had done, but which is perhaps still more valuable, for in this book not the bare stories only, but sketches of manner, and of scenery are interwoven, and the whale pre- sented with a unity of style and aim that is absolutely charming. This beautiful book is still unknown to English readers ; we have often wished to see it translated. Is it too much to hope that Dr. Daseut, to whom we owe two charming collections of stories, will render his claim to our gratitude complete by giving us the "Fairy Tales" as well ? A Huldre is a delicious being ; she is not exactly a fairy, rather should we call her an Oread, a wood-nymph, save that the Greek associations presented a something totally foreign to the freshness of Norwegian fancy. It was not, as we began by saying, till three years ago, that Asbjornsen added the forty-five stories Dr. Dasent has just translated to the sixty originally chosen by himself and Moe. In the original they do not profess,
Tales from the Fjeld : a Second &ries of Popular Tales from the Norse of P. Chr.
Askidrnsen. By G. W. Dasent, D.C.L. London: Chapman and Hall. as in Dr. Dasent's book, to form a separate work ; they begin with No. 61, but the translator has done wisely in altering this arrange- ment. We are less pleased with him for altering the succession of the separate tales ; our feelings were hurt at finding our old friends scattered here and there over his pages, and we perceive no advantage whatever in the alteration. Again, he has omitted two, and given us instead what it was not till after a weary hunt that we discovered to be, first, a story of Moe's in the Folke-Eventyr, and secondly, one out of the Huldre-Eventyr. This last, the "Haunted Mill," is curiously connected with the "Witch Girl" of Mr. Ralston's Russian stories. To have done at once with blame, we are not pleased at all with the fragment of a setting which Dr. Dasent has put round the earlier tales. It is a suggestion taken from the Huldre-Eventgr, but it seems quite unnecessary, and it is not artistically done. We hope it will be left out in another edition. For the rest, nothing could be better done than the translation ; Dr. Daaent's style mellows without losing power ; undoubtedly his raciness and vigour of ex- pression suit these rough legends admirably. And simple as the language seems, it was not easy to put it into English correctly ; there are in almost every story phrases that a mere Copenhagener's knowledge of Danish would have entirely failed to master ; Dr. Dasent evidently understands something of the peculiar dialects of Norway.
Leaving the comparative mythologists to decide on the probable origin of the myths that are presented to us in this legendary form, we may note that not a few of them bear marks of very late manipulation. "Master Tobacco" is an amusing instance of the mixture of old and new features. NLaster Tobacco starts on his wonderful adventures like any little primeval prince ; he is be- friended by witches, and grows immensely rich by the help of a magic sword. But when he comes back to Norway again "he fired off his cannon like thunder, till half the panes of glass in the town were shivered." The same inconsistency of detail marks many of the stories ; doubtless each new generation of tellers alters the local colouring. It says much for Mr. Asbjornsen'e fidelity that such inconsistencies occur. Some of the interesting and characteristic stories are about animals. Of course the fox and the bear are prominent. The fox, as usual, is the sharp- witted one, and the bear, like the Devil in medimval legend, generally a well-meaning, burly old fellow, whom everyone takes in and chaffs. We will quote the shortest of these animal stories. Doubtless it has had its parallel in many a human fox and bear among the farmers of Norway :—
" Once on a time, Bruin and Roynard were to own a field in common.. They had a little clearing up in the wood, and the first year they sowed rye. 'Now, we must share the crop, as is fair and right,' said Reynard. If you like to have the root, I'll take the top.' Yes, Bruin was ready to do that ; but when they had threshed out the crop, Reynard got all the corn, but Bruin got nothing but roots and rubbish. He did not like that at all; but Reynard said that was how they had agreed to share it. This year I have the gain,' said Reynard ; 'next year it will be your turn. Then you shall have the top, and I shall have to put up with the root.' But when spring came, and it was time to sow, Reynard asked Bruin what bethought of turnips.—' Aye, aye,' said Bruin, • that's better food than corn,' and so Reynard thought also. But when harvest came, Reynard got the roots, while Bruin got the turnip-tops. And then Bruin was so angry with Reynard, that he put an end at once to his partnership with him."
Once, however, the all-enduring Bruin proves a match for his wily friend, as may be found in the story called "Reynard wants to taste Horseflesh ;" but we will not tell the tale ourselves, but rather send our readers to the book, where, if they do not find plenty of amusement, they must be something more or less than human.
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