re lucky in having a great number, for that famous
story-teller, Hans Christian Andersen, was a Dane, and as the Danish
language is very like the Norwegian, his stories were probably known in
Norway long before they were known in England. But the Norwegians have
plenty of other stories of their own, and they love to sit by the fire
of burning logs or round the stove in the long winter evenings and
listen to them. Of course, they know all about people like Cinderella
and Jack the Giant-Killer, but their favorite hero is called by the name
of Ashpot, who is sometimes a kind of boy Cinderella and sometimes a
Jack the Giant-Killer.

The following are two stories which the little yellow-haired Norse
children never fail to delight in:

Once upon a time there was a man who had been out cutting wood, and when
he came home he found that he had left his coat behind, so he told his
little daughter to go and fetch it. The child started off, but before
she reached the wood darkness came on, and suddenly a great big
hill-giant swooped down upon her.

"Please, Mr. Giant," said she, trembling all over, "don't take me away
to-night, as father wants his coat; but to-morrow night, if you will
come when I go to the _stabbur_ to fetch the bread, I will go away with
you quietly."

So the giant agreed, and the next night, when she went to fetch the
bread, he came and carried her off. As soon as it was found that she was
missing, her father sent her eldest brother to look for her, but he came
back without finding her. The second brother was also sent, but with no
better result. At last the father turned to his youngest son, who was
the drudge of the house, and said: "Now, Ashpot, you go and see if you
can find your sister."

So away went Ashpot, and no sooner had he reached the wood than he met a
bear.

"Friend bear," said Ashpot, "will you help me?"

"Willingly," answered the bear. "Get up on my back."

And Ashpot mounted the bear's back and rode off. Presently they met a
wolf.

"Friend wolf," said Ashpot, "will you do some work for me?"

"Willingly," answered the wolf.

"Then jump up behind," said Ashpot, and the three went on deeper into
the wood.

They next met a fox, and then a hare, both of whom were enlisted into
Ashpot's service, and, mounted on the back of the bear, were swiftly
carried off to the giant's abode.

"Good day, Mr. Giant!" said they.

"Scratch my back!" roared the giant, who lay stretched in front of th