The StoryTellers Asbjørnsen and Moe

The storytellers

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen was a Norwegian writer and scholar. He and Jørgen Moe were collectors of Norwegian folklore. They were so closely united in their lives' work that their folk tale collections are commonly mentioned only as "Asbjørnsen and Moe"

Asbjørnsen as early as 1832, in his twentieth year, began to collect and write down fairy tales and legends. He later walked on foot the length and breadth of Norway, adding to his stories. Moe first met Asbjørnsen when he was fourteen years old, while they were both attending high school at Norderhov rectory. They developed a life-long friendship. In 1834 Asbjørnsen discovered that Moe had started independently on a search for national folklore; the friends eagerly compared their results, and determined for the future to work together. Moe traveled almost every summer through the southern parts of Norway, collecting traditions and folklore in the mountains. Often Asbjørnsen and Moe traveled together. In 1842-1843 the first installment of their work appeared, under the title of Norske Folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folk Tales), which was received at once all over Europe as a most valuable contribution to comparative mythology as well as literature.  

Asbjørnsen, and Moe had an enormous impact on Norwegian culture. They became synonymous with traditional folk tales, the way the name Brothers Grimm is associated with German tales. Not only did they collect and secure parts of the wealth of Norwegian fairy tales and edit them for common readers, but in doing this, they also contributed to the development of the Norwegian language.

Tomorrow, I start telling their stories.