Stories by Asbjørnsen and Moe

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (1812–1885) and Jørgen Moe (1813–1882) were Norwegian writers and collectors of folk tales. Together, they compiled "Norwegian Folk Ta...

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (1812–1885) and Jørgen Moe (1813–1882) were Norwegian writers and collectors of folk tales. Together, they compiled "Norwegian Folk Tales" (Norske Folkeeventyr), a collection of traditional Norwegian fairy tales and legends. Their work, similar to the Brothers Grimm in Germany, preserved Norwegian oral storytelling traditions and included beloved tales such as "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" and "East of the Sun and West of the Moon".

A clever underdog faces a roaring forest troll, turns a cheese into a “stone,” wins a wild eating contest with a secret trick, and brings home treasure—and courage—for his family.

The Giant Who Had No Heart in His Body

Asbjørnsen and Moe

 6+

5 min

A youngest prince rides a wolf to a far-off island, finds a giant’s hidden heart in a duck’s egg, frees his stone-cursed brothers, and rescues a clever princess in a daring, unforgettable quest.

The Princess on the Glass Hill

Asbjørnsen and Moe

 6+

5 min

When no one can climb the slippery glass hill, quiet Boots rides copper, silver, and golden horses to catch three apples—and a princess—while everyone else slides, boasts, and stares in surprise.

Dreamer Halvor seeks the shining Soria Moria Castle, battles trolls with many heads, wins a princess’s heart, then must defeat a forgetting spell to find his way back to true love.