'
(Norwegian Folk Tales), in collaboration with Moe, which appeared in
1842-44, and subsequently in many editions; 'Norske Huldre-eventyr og
Folkesagn' (Norwegian Fairy Tales and Folk Legends) in 1845. In the
stories published by Asbjoernsen alone, he has not confined himself
simply to the reproduction of the tales in their popular form, but has
retold them with an admirable setting of the characteristics of the life
of the people in their particular environment. He was a rare lover of
nature, and there are many exquisite bits of natural description.

Asbjoernsen's literary power was of no mean merit, and his work not only
found immediate acceptance in his own country, but has been widely
translated into the other languages of Europe. Norwegian literature in
particular owes him a debt of gratitude, for he was the first to point
out the direction of the subsequent national development.

GUDBRAND OF THE MOUNTAIN-SIDE

There was once a man named Gudbrand, who had a farm which lay on the
side of a mountain, whence he was called Gudbrand of the Mountain-side.
He and his wife lived in such harmony together, and were so well
matched, that whatever the husband did, seemed to the wife so well done
that it could not be done better; let him therefore act as he might, she
was equally well pleased.

They owned a plot of ground, and had a hundred dollars lying at the
bottom of a chest, and in the stall two fine cows. One day the woman
said to Gudbrand:--

"I think we might as well drive one of the cows to town, and sell it; we
should then have a little pocket-money: for such respectable persons as
we are ought to have a few shillings in hand as well as others. The
hundred dollars at the bottom of the chest we had better not touch; but
I do not see why we should keep more than one cow: besides, we shall be
somewhat the gainers; for instead of two cows, I shall have only one to
milk and look after."

These words Gudbrand thought both just and reasonable; so he took the
cow and went to the town in order to sell it: but when he came there, he
could not find any one who wanted to buy a cow.

"Well!" thought Gudbrand, "I can go home again with my cow: I have both
stall and collar for her, and it is no farther to go backwards than
forwards." So saying, he began wandering home again.

When he had gone a little way, he met a man who had a horse he wished to
sell, and Gudbrand thought it better to have a horse than a cow, so he
exc