Nippies Dreams

 The Final results of Nippies Dreams

Nippies dreams were being polluted by a new flower that snored so hard that snot covered everything, and sleeping became impossible......

But that time was different! The snot was poisonous and Nippie was in deep, snotty trouble!!!

The flower snuffled and shifted, but the snot still poured out and the snoring continued.

She couldn't help but rub it into her face. The dried up stuff dried out her delicate fairy skin, making it hard to move her face. 


She got out of her flower bed, and dashed to the nearest stream, and knelt beside it. It looked mucky, but she splashed some onto her face.


Fluttering wings flapped behind, and in front of her. "Oh no," the voice said. "Your face is covered in pooh."

Pooh? Yelled Nippie not realizing that snot is just nose pooh.
I will you with a plastic fork you inconsiderate lion...

That's when Elrod the inconsiderate showed up. Because that, of course, is what Elrods do. Only this time, he was out of character. He had brought a pooh-pill for Nippie.

"What am I to do with this pile of pooh?" Shrieked Nippie.


"Damned if I know," Elrod said, scratching his bald head with one single stand of combed over. "I was told to deliver it to you Nippie from this weird dude I came across in the forest."



Nippie held her nose and tears splashed down her face. "Pooh ... who knew?'

She swallowed the pill while Elrod stood holding his breath. Nippie started to spin faster and faster, pooh flew off her like missiles and exploded in the air. A soft dust of anti snot fell to the ground and covered the garden. Nippie yawned and turned to Elrod. “Look and listen, no more snoring, no pooh, no snot. Let’s get some sleep!”

Here are the talented writers of this piece of Gibberish:

Elisabeth Hirsch

Talli Roland

shelly

Craziness abounds

Bryce Daniels

Michael Di Gesu said..

CPSWA Members if you do not have a certificate please feel free to take one now.

Members as of June 29,2011

Talli Rolland 

Bryce Daniels 

Emily Rose  

Craziness abounds

 Michael Di Gesu

Jan Morrison

Ixy

Elisabeth Hirsch

Susan Fields

Melissa Bradley

Ellie

sue

Laura Eno

Gregg

damyantiwrites

Rachel

Hart Johnson

Debbie

Hilary Melton-Butcher

N. R. Williams

The Golden Eagle

Lucy Adams

Luana Krause

Linda H.

Bossy Betty

M Pax

Looking forward to playing again with you next month

Anticipation

MY DAUGHTERS JOURNEY TO MEET HER SISTER AND BROTHER FOR THE FIRST TIME.

 Can you imagine the anticipation you would feel as you travel halfway across the world to meet you sister for the very fist time? My daughter got off a plane yesterday, tired but with a nervous heart and huge blue eyes she scanned the crowd of strangers looking for a familiar face. This summer my posts will be filled with the adventures of my daughters journey as she meets her Sister and Brother for the first time. She is traveling alone, but soon it will be my turn.

First stop Minnesota-The Artist and her family

The Artist is my second child from my first marriage. After a terrible divorce and a complicated story, I moved to Norway and she stayed with her father in Minnesota. She disappeared from my life until last year when through Facebook she found me and her half brother and sister. We have spent this past year getting to know one another and this journey has been more wonderful than I could have imagined.The artist has a beautiful family and I have become a grandmother to these two funny and cute little elves.

My youngest daughter, who I shall call the Traveler for now, has been so excited to have her big sister in her life. The two of them have spent alot of time learning about each other and discovering just how much they have in common. My little Traveler has always known about her sister and it has meant the world to her having this missing piece of her life back in place. Two sisters, one heart.

Walking through a crowd of strangers, two sisters met for the first time and tears of happiness touched each others shoulders as they embraced. The drive home was neither short nor long. Sitting between two small elves, 6 years of children's stories was an entertaining way to start the Travelers journey.

More on the travelers journey as it develops.

Nippies Dreams-Gibberish Time

 Today I thought it might be fun to take a little break, and play Gibberish. There is nothing better to cure the Monday Blues with. The rules are easy. Minnie starts a story line written in Gibberish and those that want to play continue on the storyline from the last comment posted, in the same style. If you decide to play along there is a certificate at the end as well as membership to my elite group called the Controlled Patriots of Standard Word Abuse. (CPSWA) If you don't understand or have not played this before you can click on the following link to see more about how the game is played.

GIBBERISH a game for silly fun.

Nippies dreams were being polluted by a new flower that snored so hard that snot covered everything, and sleeping became impossible...... 
 (Your Turn)

"Time to rattle those brains of yours. I did my part, lets see what you got!"

Completed story posted soon. How soon, depends on you guys.

You can't win them all

Thought that I would share today with you my entry for a flash fiction contest I entered a while back. I have posted part of this story before, today you get the rest. I wrote this story for my brother who I miss very much. Through the years and across all the miles we have lost touch. I hope wherever he is that he is happy. I didn't make the final cut for this entry but since this is the first time I have ever written anything like this, I am proud of myself for trying.I have attached a copy of the mail I received at the bottom of this post. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

The Green Smasher

My grandfather died when I was twelve years old. He was sick for a long time before my father took me to see him in the hospital. How grown up I was walking down those huge white hallways. I remember the many old and used faces staring hopefully from their rooms as we passed by. They reminded me of the figures I had seen in the wax museum the year before. This was dead wood city and I kept waiting for my father to tell me, “You can look, but don’t touch.”

My father led me to a room that was different from the rest. In the other rooms I had seen walls with sad flowers printed on them. Here the walls were white, clean and empty. My grandfather was lost in a bed that he once could have filled. From under the crisp white sheets came a pale blue hand that must have been his. Plastic tubes muffled his voice and I couldn’t understand what he was trying to say so I went closer. I was terrified, this was not my grandfather. He was a stranger and death was his companion.  His last words to me were in a strangers voice that said, “You will always be my princess.” Sometimes in the middle of the night I hear those words. They start as a whisper behind my dreams then they become demanding and clear, beating louder and louder until I awake to the sound of my own heart beating in my chest. I am afraid to open my eyes for I am sure that death will be standing there waiting.

They buried my grandfather on a navy blue day high on top of a well-respected hill. No one cried that day. Smiles were as steady as handshakes and passed around just as easily. I doubted his death and watched calmly as they carried his coffin and placed it inside that long black beast with glaring white eyes. It was a long time before I felt anything and when I did there were no tears. My grandfather taught me two things. He taught me how to bait a hook without being afraid of the worms and he taught me how to play games in an unreal world where nothing or no one can hurt you. Games played with secrets that I knew would become for me a way of life.

We never saw much of our father after that day, and when we did he never seemed very pleased with us. My little brother and I did our best to make him happy because when he got mad, the paddle that hung on the wall got even madder. We learned very quickly that when father was wearing his sunglasses the best thing to do was to stay away and to stay very, very quiet. If by some chance we would forget, mom was quick to remind us about the paddle on the wall.

One day my little brother and I were playing marbles. Willie, that was my brothers name, had this beautiful green marble that I had my eyes on and wanted really bad. The problem was that Willie never would trade it. I had tried everything I could think of to win that marble and Willie knew it. He just sat there and smiled at me for the longest time and then he said, “There is one way that maybe you can win the green smasher. That is if you dare.” I could tell by the look on his face that he was up to something and that something was not going to be good. As soon as the words came out, I wished that I could take them back.

“Ok smarty-pants, whatever it is, let’s make it a double dare! If I win the green smasher than you have to be my slave for a day.” Willie looked at me and said, “What if you lose, what do I get?” I really didn’t think that Willie was that smart and I guess I was right because he agreed when I said that he could keep the green smasher if I lost. 

Willie climbed up onto one of fathers barstools and took down his favorite shot glass. He sat it on the floor between us and said, “If you can throw a marble into fathers glass then you can have the green smasher.” I took a deep breath, picked up the biggest marble I had, took careful aim and made my toss. We both just stared at each other and the broken glass on the floor.

Finally Willie said almost in a whisper, “Oh, oh. You are so going to get the paddle.” “No way, it was all your idea!” I screamed back at him, and then I cleaned up the broken glass as best as I could while my stupid brother just stood there with a terrified look on his face.

Between half muffled sobs he said, “Maybe he won’t notice.” We knew that he would be coming home soon so we quickly packed away our marbles, scattered into our room and for some reason decided it was best to hide under the bed. It didn’t take long before we heard father scream out the names he always gave us which meant big trouble, “Sister… Brother! Get your scrawny behinds out here RIGHT NOW!” We crawled out from under the bed, took each other by the hand and slowly made our way down the hall to where our father stood.  The closer we got the more terrified we were. He stood there like an evil giant holding the paddle like a weapon ready to spring into action.

At the end of the day my rear end was red and sore, but Willie being the brother he was, felt sorry for me and the green smasher was tucked safely away with the rest of my marbles.

Funny thing is that I can not remember where I entered this contest. Tomorrow I am taking a blogging break and on Monday I thought we would play a little Gibberish together. Have a great week-end!
Here is the very nice mail I received.

Hi Siv!

I just wanted to let you know that we had a slew of really awesome
entries in the flash fiction contest, and that The Green Smasher
didn't *quite* make the cut.  I wanted to email you anyway though,
because I was really torn about not including it.  I liked the writing
style a lot; it's very literary and sparse, something that I find
quite attractive. In any case, I just wanted to let you know that
there is a lot of merit to the story, and you were *really* close to
making the cut!

Thanks for playing, and following!

Mindy

IN TIME, WE ALL MEET

The rain had finally stopped and a soft sweet breeze filled the air. A rainbow bowed in royal fashion before it slowly disappeared and was gone. Sitting close to the bonfire I felt the blush of its warmth upon my cheeks, and content without another thought the evening passed. The sun hung onto the crimson draped sky, and flames danced in gypsy skirts inside stones that were laced in black. The mist rolled in from the sea, and the last sliver of the sun slipped into darkness. Waves slowly stroked the sand and edged towards the fire. Voices of laughter and music filled the night, shadows of small boats glided across the water and their tiny lights sparkled like jewels. An unfamiliar voice came from behind me and a strong hand touched my shoulder.

“Are you ready to dance?” He asked.

I turned and stared into the most beautiful smile. “Took you long enough to get here Brother, it’s about time we met.”

“In Time, we all meet.” Said Michael Di Gesu, my favorite adopted brother.

He took my hand and pulled me to my feet, and as he laughed I looked at him and said, “Are you happy now Michael? You did say you wanted to come.”

His eyes twinkled in the firelight, and with a mischievous grin on his face he started to run pulling me along.
“Are you kidding? Let’s go find those fairies and dance!”

Michael, Thank you for the awards but mostly your friendship.Save a dance for me.

As rules dictate here are seven random facts about myself, some most of you already know:

--This past year two children who I had thought were lost to me have returned into my life; a daughter from a previous marriage and a son who I had given up for adoption 34 years ago.

--I am writing my first book and for a teaser you can look here: The Troll Inside

--Besides writing fiction and poetry I have worked as a translator, chef, sailor and teacher.

--Born in Germany, raised in America and living in Norway. I am confused most of the time.

--I love to paint in oil, but as an artist I fail at making any money because I always give it away.

--I love to get dirty and am perfectly happy messing around in the garden.

--One of the things that make me the happiest are to hear my children laugh and sing.

Now on to giving out this award to a few of my sweet friends:
As always, I cannot help but give these two ladies enough praise. They are brave, beautiful and two of the funniest women I have had the pleasure of meeting. A day is less bright without visiting their blogs, so I hope you pay them all a visit:

Elisa from The crazy life of a writing mom
Melynda from Craziness abounds

He is such an open flirt, all around ladies’ man and recent graduate of candy boy toy institute:

Jeff from Life can be funny(sometimes)

A very funny and insightful new friend of mine who I enjoy learning from

Melissa from Melissas Imaginarium

She is a warm and funny woman whose words are a pleasure to read

Susan Kane from ContemplativeCat

Have a wonderful week-end where ever you are and don't forget to dance!

Midsummer Night in Norway

It is midsummer night, a night of magick when fairies come out to play. The longest day of the year comes to Norway with the midnight sun. We celebrate this light of life by making bonfires, staying up all night and chasing after fairies. Well some of us do. Here in Larvik we live by the sea so like most small towns with a waterfront we light bonfires along the shore and party. For those that have a boat, they happily spend all night watching the bonfires from the water.

Tonight I watch the bonfires, maybe throw on some wood to feed the flame, and listen to some music. Later when just a small moment of time creates a blanket of semi darkness, I will find my quiet place and dance with the fairies.

So how are you spending your night?

Stranger to your sight

Stranger to your sight

Child afar, I speak to you

as darkness shrouds your sleep

and brings me here to burn this light

and share what shines so deep

A stranger to your sight am I

though not your native blood

of which I ask to show you more

beyond maternal love

A lullaby though she will sing

to comfort you to dreams

yet know her song can flame the heart

its passions and all it seems

Know her for her wild embrace

her fears, her joys, and more

that will be just outside your reach

a gentleness beyond whats yours

And know your blood is not unshared

and in that knowledge grow

and wonder at the loveliness

that she has thus bestowed

And as my light begins to fade

and yours does start to glow

I ask that I may catch you wake

and see what I now know

----Siv Maria

---written through the eyes of a father who would never meet his son.

Golden Castle in the Air-2

"Dare Christian folk come here?" she shouted. "But you'd certainly better go again, or else the Troll may kill you. A Troll with three heads lives here!" The boy said he wasn't going to move even if the Troll had seven. When the princess heard that, she wanted him to try to swing the big, rusty sword, which hung behind the door. But he couldn't swing it; he couldn't even lift it. "Well", said the princess, "if you can't manage it, you'll have to take a swig from that flask hanging beside it, for that's what the Troll does when he's going out to use it!"

The boy took a couple of swigs, and now he could swing the sword as though it were a pancake turner. All at once the Troll came rushing up. "Huh! I smell the smell of Christian flesh!" he shrieked. "So you do!" said the boy, "but you needn't snort so loud, you won't be bothered by that smell any longer", he said, and then he chopped off all his heads. The princess was as happy as though she had been given something fine. But after a while she began to pine; she longed for her sister, who had been carried off by a Troll with six heads, and now lived in a castle of gold which was three hundred miles beyond the world's end. The boy wasn't put out one bit. He could fetch both princess and castle, and so he took the sword and the flask, mounted the donkey, and asked the dragons to follow him, and to carry the meat and the spikes.

When they had journeyed a while, and traveled a long, long way over land and sea, the donkey said one day," Do you see anything?" "I see nothing but land, and water and sky," said the boy. So they traveled far, and farther than far. "Do you see anything now?" said the donkey. Yes, when he looked carefully ahead, he saw something far, far away; it shone like a tiny star, said the boy. "I dare say it'll get bigger," said the donkey. When they had journeyed a long way again, it asked," Do you see anything now?" "Now I see it shining like a moon," said the boy. When they had gone far, and farther than far, over land and sea, over hill and moor again, the donkey asked, "Do you see anything now?" "Now I think it's shining almost like the sun," said the boy. “Well, that's the golden castle we're going to," said the donkey, "but outside lies a serpent which bars the way and keeps watch." "I think I'll be afraid of it," said the boy. "Oh, not at all," said the donkey. "We'll have to have layers of twigs over it, and in between, rows of horseshoe nails, and set it on fire. Then we'll probably be rid of it."

At last they came to the castle, but the serpent lay stretched out in front of it and barred the way. Then the boy gave the dragons a good meal of ox and pig carcasses so they would help him, and then they spread over the serpent a layer of twigs and wood, and a layer of spikes and horseshoe nails, until they had used up the three hundred crates which they had. And when that was done, they set fire to it and burned the serpent alive. When they had finished one of the dragons flew underneath, and lifted the castle up, while the two others flew high up in the sky and loosened the chains from the hooks they were hanging on, and set it down on the ground. The boy went inside, and found everything was even more splendid than the silver castle, but he saw no one until he came into the innermost room. There on a golden bed lay the princess. She was sleeping as soundly as if she were dead; for she was as red and white as milk and blood. Just as the boy stood there looking at her, the Troll came rushing in. Hardly had he put his first head through the door before he started shrieking, "Huff`! I smell the smell of Christian flesh!" "Perhaps," said the boy. "But you needn't snort so load about it you won't be bothered by that smell for long!" he said, and then he chopped off all his heads as though they were set on cabbage sticks. Then the dragons put the golden castle on their backs, and flew home with it. They set it down beside the silver castle so that it shone both far and wide. When the princess from the silver castle came to the window in the morning and caught sight of t, she was so happy that she ran over to the golden castle that very minute. But when she saw her sister lying asleep as though she were dead, she told the boy that they couldn't bring her to life before they had fetched the Waters of Life and Death, which were kept in two wells on either side of the golden castle which hung in the air, nine hundred miles beyond the world's end. And there lived the third sister. Well, there was nothing else to do, he would have to fetch that too, and it wasn't long before he was on his way.

He traveled far, and farther than far, through many kingdoms through field and forest, and at last he came to the world's end. “Do you see anything?" said the donkey one-day. "I see nothing but heaven and earth," said the boy "Do you see anything now?” asked the donkey after some days. "Yes, now I think I can make out something high up and far away, just like a tiny star." "It's certainly not so tiny,” said the donkey. When they had gone a while again, it asked, "Do you see anything now?" "Yes now I think it's shining like a moon." "Oh, indeed?" said the donkey. So they traveled a few days more. "Do you see anything now?" said the donkey. "Yes, now it's shining like the sun," replied the boy. "That's where we're going," said the donkey. "That's the golden castle which hangs in the air. A princess lived there who has been carried off by a Troll with nine heads. But all the wild animals in the world lie on guard, and bar the way to it," said the donkey

"I almost think I'll be afraid now," said the boy. "Oh, not at all!" said the donkey. He said that there was no danger as long as he didn't stay there, but left as soon as he had filled his pitchers with the water. The castle could only be entered for one hour during the day, and that was at high noon. If he couldn't finish in that time, and get away, the wild animals would tear him into a thousand pieces.

At twelve o'clock they arrived. All the wild and wicked beasts were lying like a fence outside the gate and on both sides of the road. But they slept like logs, and there wasn't one, which so much as lifted a paw. The boy went between them, and took good care not to tread on any toes or tails, he filled his pitchers with the Waters of Life and Death, and while he did so, he looked at the castle which was made of purest gold. It was the finest he had even seen, and he thought it must be even finer inside. "Pooh! I have plenty of time," thought , "I can always look around for half an hour," and so he opened the door and went in. Inside it was finer than fine. He went from one magnificent room to another, and it was closely hung with gold and pearls, and all the costliest things there were. But no people were to be found. At last he came into a chamber, where a princess lay asleep on a golden bed as though she were dead. But she was as fine as the finest queen, and as red and white as blood and snow, and so beautiful that he had never seen anything as beautiful, save her picture for it was she who was painted there. The boy forgot both the water he was to fetch, and he thought he could never gaze his fill at her, but she slept like one dead, and he couldn't wake her.

Towards evening the Troll came rushing in, and crashed and banged all the gates and doors so that the whole castle rang. "Here I smell the smell of Christian flesh!" he said, and stuck his first head through the door.

"I dare say you do," said the boy, "but you needn't snort you won't be bothered by that smell for long," he said, and with that he chopped off all its heads. When he was finished, he was so tired that he couldn't keep his eyes open. So he lay down in the bed beside the princess. She slept both night and day as though she would never wake. But around midnight she woke for a moment, and then she told Askeladden that even though he had freed her, she must remain there for three years. If she didn't return to him then, he would have to come and fetch her. He didn't wake up until the clock had started on another day, and he heard the donkey braying and carrying on so that he thought is best to set out for home. Before leaving he clipped a piece out of the princess' gown to take with him. What with one thing or another, he had hung about there so long that the animals were stirring and beginning to wake up. By the time he had mounted the donkey, they were closing in around him so he sprinkled some drops of the Water of Death on them, and they all fell down on the spot and moved not a limb again.

On the way home the donkey said to the boy. "Mark my words, when you come into honor and glory, you'll forget me and what I've done for you, so I'll be down on my knees with hunger.” That would never happen, thought the boy.

When he came back to the princess with the Water of Life, she sprinkled a few drops on her sister so that she woke up, and then there was joy and rapture, as never before. Then they went home to the king, and he too was happy and glad to have them with him again. The king pined for the three years to be up, when his youngest daughter was to come home. He made the boy, who had fetched the two princesses, a mighty man, so that he was the first in the land next to the king. There were many that were jealous because he had become such an important fellow, and there was one who was called the Red Knight, who wanted to have the eldest princess. He got her to sprinkle a little of the Water of Death on the boy so that he fell asleep.

When the three years were up, and the fourth year was well begun, a foreign warship came sailing, and on it was the third sister, and she had with her a three-year-old child. She sent word to the king's manor that she wouldn't set foot on shore before they sent down the man who had come to the golden castle and freed her. So they sent down one of the highest persons at the king's court, and when he stepped on board the ship, he swept off his hat to the princess, and bowed. "Could that be your father, my son?" said the princess to the child, who was playing with a golden apple. "No, my father doesn't crawl like a cheese maggot!" said the boy. Then they sent another of the same sort, and that was the Red Knight. But he fared no better than the first and the princess sent word by him that if they didn't send the right one, it would go badly with them all. When they heard that, they had to wake up the boy with the Water of Life, and when they did he went down to the ship to see the princess. Askeladden didn’t bow. He only nodded and pulled out the piece he had clipped from her gown in the golden castle. "That's my father!" shouted the child, and gave him the golden apple he was playing with. Then there was great rejoicing over the whole kingdom, and the old king was the happiest of them all for his favorite child had returned. But when it came to light what the Red Knight and the eldest princess had done to the boy, the king wanted them each rolled into a spiked barrel. But Askeladden and the youngest princess pleaded for them, and so they were spared. One day, as they were getting ready to celebrate the wedding, Askeladden stood looking out of the window. It was getting on towards spring and they were letting out the horses and the cattle, and the last animal to leave the stable was the donkey. But it was so starved that it crawled through the stable door on its knees. Then he felt so ashamed at having forgotten it that he went down and didn't know what he could do to help. But the donkey said the best thing he could do was to chop off its head. This he was most unwilling to do, but the donkey begged so hard that at last he had to. At the same moment as the head fell, the Troll spell that had been cast over it was broken, and there stood the handsomest prince that anyone could wish to see. He got the second princess, and they celebrated a wedding that was the talk of seven kingdoms, and is still the talk today it would seem.

There you have it; you never know when or where a prince just might show up. Hope you have enjoyed my series on Norwegian Fairytales and Folklore.

The Golden Castle that Hung in the Air

There was once a man who had three sons. When he died, the two eldest decided to go into the world to try their luck; but they wouldn't take the younger with them at any price. They said to him, “You're no good for anything but sitting around and poking in the ashes or blowing on the coals!” "Well, I'll just have to go by myself," said Askeladden (the Ash Lad.) "Then I won't be at odds with my company, either!"

The two set out, and after traveling for some days, they came to a great forest. There they sat down to rest and eat some of the food they had brought with them, for they were both tired and hungry. As they sat there, an old Hag came up through a tuft of grass and begged for a little food. She was so old and feeble that her mouth twitched and her head quivered, and she had to support herself on a staff. She hadn't had a crumb of bread in her mouth in a hundred years, she said; but the boys only laughed and went on eating, and said that as long as she'd kept body and soul together for so long, it was likely she'd be able to hold out without eating up their crumbs. Besides, they had little to share and nothing to spare. When they had eaten their fill and rested they set out again, and at last they came to the king's manor there they were given jobs as serving men.

A short while after they had left home, Askeladden gathered together the crumbs his brothers had cast aside, and put them in his little knapsack. He also took the old musket which had no bolt, for he thought it would come in handy on the way, then he set out. When he had walked for some days, he too came to the thick forest which his brothers had traveled, and when he was tired and hungry, he sat down under a tree to rest and have a little to eat. As he took up his knapsack he caught sight of a picture hanging on a tree, and on it was painted a young maiden, or princess, who was so lovely that he could not take his eyes off her. He forgot both food and knapsack, he took down the picture, and sat staring intently at it. All of a sudden the old Hag came up through the tuft of grass, her mouth twitching and her head quivering, and supporting herself on a staff, she begged him for a little food, for she hadn't had a crumb of bread in her mouth in a hundred years, she said.

"Then it's time you had a little, "Old Mother," said the boy, and he gave her some bread crumbs. The old hag said that no one had called her "Mother" in a hundred years, and she was certainly going to do him a favor in return. She gave him a ball of gray wool, which he only had to roll along in front of him and he would come to any place he wanted to. But he mustn't bother with the picture, she said, it would only get him into trouble. Askeladden thought this was all very well, but he couldn't leave the painting behind, so he took it under his arm, and rolled the ball of yarn ahead of him. It wasn't long before he came to the king's manor where his brothers were serving. There he too begged for a serving job. They replied that they had no work for him, as they had recently taken on two serving boys, but he begged so hard that at last he was allowed to help the stable master, and to groom the horses. This Akeladden was most willing to do, for he was fond of horses, and as he was both quick and clever he soon learned to tend and take care of them, and it wasn't long before everyone in the king's manor grew fond of him.

Every moment he could spare he would look at the picture of the beautiful maiden that he had hung in a corner of the hayloft. His brothers were idle and lazy so they were often soundly beaten, and when they saw that Askeladden was getting along better than they were, they grew jealous of him. They told the stable master that Askeladden was an idol worshipper and that he prayed to a picture and not to Our Lord. Even though the stable master thought well of the boy, it wasn't long before he told the king. The king however only snapped at him. These days he was always downcast and sorrowful, for his daughters had been carried off by a Troll. They drilled it into the king's ears for so long, that at last he wanted to find out what the boy was up to. When he came to the hayloft and set eyes on the picture, he saw it was a painting of his youngest daughter. When Askeladdens brothers heard that, they were ready with a story at once and said to the stable master, "If only our brother were willing, he's said he could get the king back his daughter!" You may be sure that it wasn't long before the stable master went to the king and told him that, and when the king heard this, he shouted for Askeladden and said, "Your brothers say you can get my daughter back, and now you shall do so!” Askeladden replied that he never knew it was the king's daughter before the king had said so himself, and if he could free her and bring her back, he would certainly do his best.

The boy took out a ball of gray wool and threw it down on the road. It rolled ahead, and he went after it until he came to the old hag who had given it to him. He asked her what he should do. She said he was to take his old musket, and three hundred crates full of spikes and horseshoe nails, and three hundred barrels of barley, and three hundred barrels of goats, and three hundred butchered pigs, and three hundred ox carcasses, and roll the ball along the road until he met a raven and a Troll child. Then he would get there all right, for those two were of her kin. Well, the boy did as she said; he looked in at the king's manor, and took his old musket, and asked the king for spikes, and beef, and pork, and horses and men and carts to transport them. The king thought it was asking a lot, but as long as he could get his daughter back, he would give him whatever he needed, even if it were half the kingdom.

When the boy was ready and all his supplies loaded up, he rolled the ball along the road again. He hadn't gone many days before he came to a high mountain. There in a fir tree sat a raven. Askeladden walked until he stood directly beneath it, and pretended to take aim with his musket. "Nay, don't shoot! Don't shoot me and I'll help you!" shrieked the raven. “Since you're so anxious about your life, I may as well spare you," said Askeladden. So he threw the musket aside, and the raven flew down and said," Up on this mountain is a Troll child who has gotten lost and can't find his way down again. I'll help you up so you can take the youngster home, and get yourself a reward, which should come in very handy. When you get there, the Troll will offer you all the finest things he has, but you must pay no attention to that. You must take nothing but the little gray donkey which is standing behind the stable door".

Then the raven took the boy on his back and flew up onto the mountain with him, and put him down in the right place. After a while, he heard the Troll child whimpering and carrying on because he couldn't find his way down again. The boy talked kindly to him, and they soon they were on the best of terms, and Askeladden promised to help the Troll child down from the mountain. He was going to take him home to the Troll Manor, so that he wouldn't get lost on the way. Then they went to the raven, and he took them both on his back and carried them straight to the Mountain Troll. When the Troll laid eyes on his child again, he was so glad that he quite forgot himself, and told the boy to come in with him and take whatever he wanted. The troll showed him and all sorts of rare and costly things, but the boy said he would rather have a horse. “Yes, you should have a horse,” said the Troll, and so out to the stable they went. It was full of the finest horses. They shone like the sun and the moon, but the boy felt they were all too big for him. So he peeped behind the stable door, and caught sight of the little donkey standing there. "That's the one I want!" he said. "That's more my size. If I fall off, I'm not far from the ground." The Troll was not happy to lose the donkey, but as long as he'd given his promise he had to stand by it. So the boy got the donkey with saddle and bridle and all, and then he hurried on his way.

They journeyed through forest and field, over mountain and broad moors. When they had traveled farther than far, the donkey asked if the boy could see anything. “No, I see nothing but a high mountain which looks purple in the distance." "Well, we're going through that mountain," said the donkey. "Am I to believe that?" said the boy. When they came to the mountain, a unicorn came charging towards them as though it wanted to eat them alive. "Now I think I'm almost afraid," said the boy. "Oh, not at all," said the donkey. "Unload a couple of score of ox carcasses, and ask it to bore a hole and break a road through the mountain."

The boy did so. When the unicorn had eaten its fill, they promised it a couple of score of butchered pigs if it would go ahead and bore a hole through the mountain so that they could get through. When the unicorn heard that, it bored a hole and broke through the mountain, so fast that it was all they could do to keep up with it. And when it had finished, they threw it a couple of score of pig carcasses. When they had come safely through this, they journeyed a long way through many a land, and then they journeyed through forest and field, over mountain and wild moors again. "Do you see anything now?" asked the donkey. "Now I see nothing but sky and Wild Mountains," said the boy. So they journeyed far, and farther than far and when they came higher up, the mountains became more level and flatter, so they could see farther around them on every side. "Do you see anything now?" asked the donkey. "Yes, I see something a long, long way off," said the boy. "It's sparkling and twinkling like a tiny star." "It's certainly not so little, though," said the donkey. When they had journeyed far, and farther than far, it asked, "Do you see anything now?" "Yes, now I see something a long way off. It's shining like a moon," said the boy. "That's no moon," said the donkey. "That's the silver castle we're going to," it said. "Now, when we get there, we shall find three dragons lying on guard by the gate. They haven't been awake for a hundred years, so the moss has grown over their eyes." "I think I'll almost be afraid of them," said the boy. "Oh, not at all!" said the donkey. "You must wake up the youngest and toss down its gullet a couple of score of ox carcasses and butchered pigs. Then I dare say it'll talk to the other two, and you'll be allowed to enter the castle."

They journeyed far, and farther than far, before they arrived at the castle. It was both large and splendid, and everything they saw was made of silver. Outside the gate lay the dragons blocking the way so that no one could get in. It had been quiet and peaceful, and they hadn't been disturbed with much during their watch. They were so overgrown with moss that no one could see what they were made of, and alongside them a small forest had started growing between the mounds of moss. The boy woke the smallest of them, and it started rubbing its eyes and picking off the moss. When at last the dragon saw a boy standing there, it came towards him with its jaws open wide, but the boy was ready, and tossed ox carcasses and threw pigs down its gullet, until it had eaten its fill and had become a little more reasonable to talk to. The boy asked it to wake up the others, and tell them to move aside so that he could enter the castle. The dragon said it dared not and would not do so, to begin with; they hadn't been awake or tasted food for a hundred years. It was afraid they would thrash about in a daze, and eat both living and dead. Askeladden said he would leave behind a hundred ox carcasses and a hundred pigs, and go away for a bit. Then they could eat their fill, and collect their wits by the time they came back again. Well, the dragon agreed to this, and so they did just that. But before the dragons were properly awake and had got the moss off their eyes, they flew around and thrashed about, and snapped at everything. It was all the youngest dragon could do to keep out of harm's way until they had got wind of the meat. Then they gobbled oxen and pig carcasses whole, and ate their fill. After that they were pretty tame and good-natured, and they let the boy walk past them into the castle. Inside everything was so splendid that he could hardly believe the beauty he saw everywhere, but it was empty of people, he went from room to room, and opened all the doors, but he saw no one. At last he peeped in through the door of a chamber he had not seen before, and inside sat a princess spinning, and she was so pleased and happy when she caught sight of him.

  part 2..........Click here

Beware Falling Trolls

After a while the novelty of Trolls, Huldre, Fossegrim, Nøkken and Nisser wear off. They become as common place as strangers that you meet on the street. If you live in Norway long enough your body develops antitoxins against these creatures.

Warning: Constant exposure can be dangerous and may result in an overactive imagination

Have a relaxing Sunday everyone. Take your imagination for a walk, but look out for falling trolls.

Little Frick and his Fiddle part 2

First he went to the storekeeper and asked for clothes, and at one farm he asked for a horse and at another he asked for a sleigh, and at one place he asked for a fur coat, and not a "No" did he hear, for no matter how stingy they were, they had to give him what he asked for.

At last he traveled through the countryside like a real gentleman, with horse and sleigh. When he had traveled for a while he met the sheriff for whom he had served. “Good day, master," said Little Frick, stopping and lifting his cap. "Good day,” said the sheriff. Have I been your master?" he asked. "Yes, don't you remember that I served you for three years, for three pennies?” "Good gracious! Then you’ve made good in no time!" said the sheriff. "But how has it happened that you have become such a fine gentleman?" "Oh, that's a long story," said Little Frick. "And are you so bent on pleasure that you travel with a fiddle, too?" said the sheriff. "Yes, I've always liked to make people dance," said the boy. "But the finest thing I have is this musket here,” he said. "For it brings down everything I aim at, no matter how far away it is. Do you see that magpie sitting in that spruce tree over there?" asked Little Freddie. "What will you bet that I can't hit it from where we are now standing?"

The sheriff was willing to make the bet so he put up all the money he had with him, and he would fetch the bird when it fell, for he didn’t believe that it was possible to shoot so far with any musket. As soon as the shot was fired, the magpie fell into a big bramble patch, and the sheriff strode all the way there to fetch it, and picked it up. At the same moment Little Frick started playing his fiddle, and the Sheriff began to dance so that the thorns tore at him, and the boy played and the sheriff danced and cried and pleaded until the rags flew off him, and he had hardly a thread left on his back.

"Well, now I think you are just as ragged as I was when I left your service,” said the boy, "so now I will let you go". But first the sheriff had to pay him what he had bet the boy. When Little Frick came to town, he went to an inn. He played on his fiddle, and everyone who came there started dancing, and he lived both merrily and well. He had no sorrows for no one could say no to what he asked for.

One day, when the merrymaking was at its liveliest, the sheriff came to arrest the boy, and said that he had both assaulted and robbed him, and nearly taken his life. Now he should be hanged, there was no way out it of. Little Frick though had a way out of everything, and that was the fiddle. He started to play, and the sheriff had to dance until at last they all fell down gasping. They sent for soldiers and guards, but they fared no better. As soon as Little Frick took to playing his fiddle, they had to dance. Finally they sneaked in on him while he was asleep at night. When they finally had him he was sentenced to be hanged right away, and it was off to the gallows at once.

A large crowd had come to witness this rare spectacle. It didn't go quickly, for Little Frick was a feeble walker, and he made himself even feebler. The fiddle and the musket he carried along as well, for nobody could get them away from him. When he came to the gallows and was going to climb, he rested on every rung of the ladder. On the topmost rung he sat down, and asked if they could refuse him one last wish; that he might be allowed to do one thing. He would so like to play just one little tune on his fiddle before they hanged him.

"It would be both a sin and a shame to refuse him that," they said. They couldn't say "No" to what he asked for. The sheriff begged, in heaven's name, not to let him pluck on a single string or else it would be the end of them all. As for himself, they must tie him to the birch tree which stood there, should the boy start playing. It didn't take Little Frick long to get the fiddle to sound, and everyone there started to dance, both those on two legs and those on four; both deacon and parson, and clerk and bailiff, and sheriff and hangman, and dogs and pigs. They danced and laughed and shrieked all at the same time, some danced until they lay stretched out as though dead; some danced until they fainted. They all fared pretty badly, but it went worst with the sheriff, for he stood tied to the birch, and danced just the same until he rubbed big patches of skin off his back. No one thought of doing anything to Little Frick, and he could go wherever he wished with his fiddle and musket. Little Frick lived happily the rest of his days, for there was no one who could say "No" to the first thing he asked for.



Part One Click Here

Little Frick and his Fiddle

Once upon a time there was a peasant who had only one son, and this boy was weak and had poor health, so he wasn't able to go to work. His name was Frick, and because he was so small everyone called him "Little Frick". At home there was little to eat and little to burn, so his father went about the countryside trying to hire his son out as a cowherd or errand boy. He could find no one who would take on Little Frick until he came to the sheriff. The sheriff had just got rid of his errand boy, and little though he was, he was still better than nothing, thought the sheriff. The boy would at least get something to eat and a place to live. Nothing was said about wages or clothing.

When the boy had been there for three years he wanted to leave, and then the sheriff gave him his wages. He was to have a penny for each year he served. "It could not be less," said the sheriff, so the boy got three pennies altogether. To Little Frick this seemed like a lot of money, for he had never owned so much before, but still he asked the sheriff if he shouldn't have more. "You have received more than you should have," said the sheriff. "Shouldn't I have anything for clothes, then?" asked Little Frick. "The ones I had when I came here are all worn out, and I haven't got any new ones. The ones I have now are so tattered, that the rags hang on me,” he said. "You have received what we agreed, and three pennies besides, so I am finished with you," said the sheriff. However, the boy was allowed to go out to the kitchen and get a little food in his knapsack, and then he set out on the road to town to buy himself some clothes.

He was both happy and merry, for never had he seen a penny before, and from time to time he felt in his pocket to see if he had all three of them. When he had walked far, he came into a narrow valley with high mountains on all sides, and he began to wonder what could be on the other side of these mountains, and how he was going to get over them. He had to go up, so he set out on the way and since he wasn't able to go very fast, he had to rest now and then. Whenever he stopped he counted his money to see how much he had. When he came up to the very top, there was nothing but a large mossy plateau.

There he sat down and was going to see if he had his money again, but before he knew it, a poor man was standing before him, and he was so big and tall that Little Frick started to scream from fear. "Don't be afraid of me," said the poor man. "I'm not going to hurt you. All I ask for is a penny in God's name" “Mercy!” said the boy. “I only have three pennies, and I was going to town to buy some clothes with them," he said. "I'm worse off than you are," said the poor man. "I haven't any pennies, and I'm even more ragged than you are." "Well, then I guess you'll have to have it," said the lad.

When he had gone a bit farther, he became tired and sat down to rest again. When he looked up, another poor man was standing there, but he was even bigger and uglier than the first, and when the boy really saw how big and ugly and tall he was, he started to scream. "Don't be afraid of me," said the poor man. "I'm not going to hurt you. All I ask for is a penny in God's name" "Mercy!" said the boy “I only have two pennies, and I was going to town to buy some clothes with them," "I'm worse off than you are," said the poor man. "I have no pennies at all, and a larger body and fewer clothes." "Well, then I guess you'll have to have it," said the boy.

So he walked a while again until he became tired, and then he sat down to rest, and once he was seated another man was standing before him, but he was so big and ugly and tall that the boy looked upwards and upwards, until he was looking straight up to the sky, and when he really saw how big and ugly and ragged he was, he began to scream

"Don't be afraid of me," said the man. "I'm not going to hurt you, for I'm only a poor man who is begging for a penny in God's name" "Mercy! The truth is," said Little Frick, "that I have only one penny left, and I'm going to town to buy some clothes with it. If only I had met you before." "Well, I have no penny at all, and a bigger body and fewer clothes, so it's worse for me than for you," said the poor man. Then you would have to have the penny,” said Little Frick. There was nothing to be done, each of the poor beggars had one of his pennies and he had none.

“Now, since you have been so good-hearted and given away everything you owned," said the poor man, "I will give you a wish for each penny." As it turned out, all beggars were the same man; he had just changed his appearance each time so that the boy could not recognize him again. “I have always loved to hear the fiddle play, and I love to see people so merry and glad that they dance," said the boy. "So, if I may wish for anything I like, I’ll wish for such a fiddle that everything alive must dance to it," he said. That you shall get it, but it is a poor wish,” said the man. "You'll have to wish something better for the other pennies."

"I've always wanted to hunt and shoot," said the boy, " so, if I may wish for what I'd like, then I'll wish me such a musket that I hit whatever I aim at, be it even so far away." Then you shall get that, but it is poor wish,” said the man. "You'd better wish something better for the last penny"" "I've always longed to be with people who were good and kindhearted", said Little Frick. "So if I may wish for whatever I'd like, I would want it to be so that no one could refuse me the first thing I asked for." "That wasn't such a poor wish," said the man kindly, and then he strode away among the hills and was gone. The boy, being tired, lay down to sleep, and the next day he came down from the mountain with his fiddle and his musket.

Part Two Click Here

White Bear King Valemon -2

The king's daughter then set off through the forest which never came to an end, all that day and night. The next morning she came to another cottage. Here there were also two womenfolk, and old crone and a little girl. "Good day," said the king's daughter. "Have you seen anything of White-Bear-King Valemon?" she asked. "Were you the one to have had him, maybe?" asked the old woman, and learning that it was she answered. “Why yes, he rushed by here yesterday, but he went so fast that you won't catch up with him," she said. The little girl was playing about on the floor with a flask, which was such that it poured out whatever they wanted, and wherever the flask was, drink was never lacking. "But this poor woman, who has to journey so far and on such rough roads, she'll be thirsty and suffer many other hardships," said the little girl, and then she asked if she could give her the flask. It was agreed that she could have the flask.

So the king's daughter got the flask, said her thanks, and set out again, walking through the same forest, all that day and night. On the third morning she came to a cottage, and there was an old woman and a little girl. "Good day," said the king's daughter. "Have you seen anything of White-Bear-King Valemon?" she asked. "Were you to have had him, maybe?" asked the old woman. Learning that it was she replied. “Why, yes, he rushed by here yesterday, but he went so fast that you won't catch up with him," she said. The little girl was playing on the floor with a cloth that was such that whenever they said to it, "Cloth, spread, and deck thyself with every good dish!" it did so. And wherever the cloth was, good food was never Lacking. "But this poor old woman, who had to journey so far and on such rough roads, said the little girl," she may well both starve and suffer many other hardships, so she'll have more need of this cloth than I," she said, and then she asked if she could give her the cloth, and so it was agreed upon.

So the king's daughter took her cloth and said her thanks, and set off. Far, farther than far, through the forest all that day and night she went. In the morning she came to a mountain spur which was as steep as a wall, and so high and so wide that so end could she see. There was a cottage there too, and, when she came in, the first thing she said was, "Good day, have you seen whether White-Bear-King Valemon has traveled this way?" "Were you to have had him, maybe?" asked the old woman. Once hearing the answer she replied. "Yes, he rushed by here yesterday, but he went so fast that you won't catch up with him," she said. The cottage was full of little children, and they all clung to their mother's apron strings and cried for food. The old woman put a kettle full of pebbles on the fire. The king's daughter asked what good came of thatt. They were so poor said the old woman that they could afford neither food nor clothes, and it was so hard to hear the children crying for a bit to eat. So when she put the kettle on the fire and said, “Now the apples will soon be done," it seemed to deaden their hunger, and they were patient for a while. It wasn't long before the king's daughter got out the cloth and the flask, as you can imagine, and when the children were fed and happy, she clipped out clothing for them with the golden scissors.

"Well, said the old woman of the house, "since you've been so heartily kind to me and my children, it would be a shame not to do what we can do to try to help you up the mountain. My husband is really a master smith. Now you just rest until he comes back, and I'll get him to forge claws for your hands and feet, and then you can try to crawl up." When the smith came, he started on the claws right away, and the next morning they were ready. She had no time to wait, but said her thanks, fastened the claws on her hands and crept and crawled up the mountainside the whole day and night. Just when she was so tired that she didn't think she could lift her hand again, but felt she would sink to the ground, she got to the top. There was a plain, with fields and meadows so big and wide that she had never imagined anything so broad and so smooth, and close by there was a castle filled with workers of every kind who toiled like in an anthill. "What is going on here?" asked the king's daughter.

Well, this was where she lived, the Troll-hag, who had bewitched White-Bear-King Valemon and in three days she was to wed him. The king's daughter asked if she could talk with her. No, not likely! That was out-and-out impossible. So she sat down outside the window, and started clipping with the golden scissors, and velvet and silken clothing flew about like a snow flurry. When the Troll-hag caught sight of that, she wanted to buy the scissors. "For no matter how the tailors toil, it's no use," she said. "There are too many to be clothed."

The scissors weren't for sale, said the king's daughter. But the Troll-hag could have them, if she would let her sleep with her sweetheart tonight. She could certainly do that, said the Troll-hag, but she would lull him to sleep herself, and wake her up herself. When he had gone to bed, she gave him a sleeping potion, so he was in no condition to wake up, no matter how the king's daughter shouted and cried.

The next day the king's daughter went outside the windows again, sat down and started pouring from the flask; it flowed like a brook, both beer and wine, and it never ran dry. When the Troll-hag laid eyes on that, she wanted to buy it; for "no matter how much they toil at the brewing and distilling, it's no use. There are too many to drink," she said. It wasn't for sale for money, said the king's daughter, but if she would let her sleep with her sweetheart tonight, she would give it to her. Yes, that she could certainly do, said the Troll-hag, but she would lull him to sleep herself, and wake him up herself. When he had gone to bed, she gave him a sleeping potion again, so the King's daughter had no better luck that night either. He couldn't be awakened, no matter how much she cried and shouted. That night however, one of the artisans was working in the room next door. He heard her cry in there, and he guessed what had really happened, and the next day he told the prince that she must have come, the king's daughter who was to have freed him.

When it was dinner time, the king's daughter went outside the castle, pulled out the cloth, and said," Cloth, spread thyself and deck thyself with every good dish!" Then there was enough food for a hundred men, but the king's daughter sat down alone. When the Troll-hag caught sight of the cloth, she wanted to buy it, for "no matter how much they cook and bake its no use. There are too many mouths to feed." The king's daughter said it wasn't for sale for money, but if she would let her sleep with her sweetheart tonight, she could have it. She could certainly do that, said the Troll-hag, but she would lull him to sleep herself, and wake him up herself. When he had gone to bed, she came with a sleeping potion, but this time he was on his guard, and fooled her. The Troll-hag didn't trust him any more than just so far, she she took a darning needle and stuck it right through his arm, to see if he were sleeping soundly enough. But no matter how much it hurt, he didn't move, and then the king's daughter was allowed to come in to him.

Now this was all very well, but they must get rid of the Troll-hag before he would be free. So he got the carpenters to make a trap door on the bridge which the bridal procession was to cross, for it was the custom there that the bride should ride first in the procession. When the Troll-hag started across the bridge with all her Troll-hag bridesmaids, the planks under them dropped open and they fell through. Then King Valemon and the king's daughter and all the wedding guests rushed back to the castle, and took as much of the Troll-hag's gold and money as they could carry, and then rushed off to his country to hold the real wedding. But on the way, King Valemon stopped in and fetched the three little girls, and now she found out why he had taken the children from her - it was so that they could help her find him. In the castle they all lived happily and long.

To read part one click here

White Bear King – Valemon

There once was a king. He had two daughters, who were mean and ugly, but the third was as fair and sweet as the bright day. The king and everyone in the kingdom were fond of her. One night this princess dreamed about a golden wreath, which was so lovely that she couldn't live unless she had this for her very own. As she couldn't get it, she began to pine and could not speak for sorrow. And when the king found out it was the wreath she was grieving for, he fashioned a likeness and sent it out to goldsmiths in every land asking them to make one like it.

They worked both day and night, but some of the wreaths she threw away, and others she wouldn't even look at. Then one day, when she was in the forest, she caught sight of a white bear, which had the wreath she had dreamed of between its paws and was playing with it. The princess asked the white bear if she could buy it. The bear then answered, “No! You may not have this wreath for money, but only in return for yourself.” The princess then replied, “Well life isn’t worth living without it, so I care not where I go or who I go with if only I could have the wreath.” So they agreed that he was to fetch her in three days’ time.

When she came home with the wreath, everyone was glad because she was happy again, and the king felt sure that it would be a simple matter to keep a white beat at bay. On the third day, the whole army was posted round the castle with him. Then when the white bear came, there was no one who could hold him, for no weapon had any effect on him. He knocked them down right and left until they were lying in heaps. This, thought the king, was proving downright disastrous; so he sent out his eldest daughter and the white bear took her on his back and rushed off with her.

When they had traveled far, and farther than far, the white bear asked, "Have you ever sat softer, have you ever seen clearer?" "Yes, on my mother's lap I sat softer, in my father's court I saw clearer," she said. "Well, you're not the right one then," said the white bear, and chased her home again. The next Thursday he came again, and did just as he had done before. The army was out with orders to deal with the white bear. But neither iron nor steel bit on him, so he mowed them down like grass until the king had to ask him to stop. And then he sent out his next eldest daughter, and the white bear took her up on his back and rushed off with her.

When they had traveled far, and farther than far, the white bear asked, "Have you ever sat softer, have you ever seen clearer?" "Yes, on my mother's lap I sat softer, in my father's court I saw clearer," she said. "Well, you're not the right one then," said the white bear, and chased her home again. On the third Thursday he came again. This time he fought even harder than before, until the king thought he couldn't let him knock down the whole army, and so he gave him his third daughter. Then he took her on his back and traveled away far, and farther than far, and when they had reached the forest, he asked her, as he had asked the others, if she had ever sat softer and seen clearer. "No never,” she said. "Well, you're the right one," he replied.

So they came to a castle which was so fine that the castle her father lived in was like a small meager cottage in comparison. There she was to stay and live well, and she was to have nothing else to do but see to it that the fire never went out. The bear was away during the day, but at night he was with her, and then he was a man. For three years all went as well as could be. But each year she had a child, which he took and rushed away with as soon as it had come into the world. She became more and more downcast, and asked if she couldn't be allowed to go home and see her parents. Yes, there was no objection to that; but first she must promise that she would listen to what her father said, but not to what her mother wanted her to do. So she went home, and when they were alone with her, and she had told them how she was getting on, her mother wanted to give her a candle to take with her so she could see what the bear was like when he turned into a man at night. But her father said no, she shouldn't do that. "It will only do more harm than good".

But no matter how it was or was not, she took the candle stub with her when she left. The first thing she did, when he had fallen asleep, was to light it and shine it on him. He was so handsome that she thought she could never gaze her fill at him, as she shone the light, a drop of hot tallow dripped onto his forehead, and so he awoke. "What have you done? He said. "Now you have brought misfortune on us both. There was no more than a month left; if you had only held out I would have been freed, for a Troll-hag bewitched me, so that I'm a white bear during the day. But now it's over with us. Now I have to go there and stay with her."

She cried and carried on, but he had to go and go he would. So she asked if she could go with him. That was out of the question, he said, but when he rushed off in his bearskin, she seized hold of the fur and flung herself up onto his back and held on fast. Then they were off over mountain and hill, through groove and thicket, until her clothes were torn off, and she was so dead tired that she let go her hold, and knew no more. When she awoke, she was in a great forest, and so she set out on her way again, but she didn't know where her path led. At last she came to a cottage where there were two womenfolk, an old crone and a pretty little girl.

The king's daughter asked if they had seen anything of White-Bear-King Valemon. "Yes, he rushed by here early today, but he was going so fast that you won't catch up with him again," they said. The little girl scampered about, and clipped and played with a pair of golden scissors, which were such that pieces of silk and strips of velvet flew about her if she but clipped in the air. Wherever the scissors were, clothes were never lacking.

"But this poor woman, who has to journey so far and on such rough roads, she'll have to toil hard," said the little girl. "She has more need of these scissors than I so to cut clothes for herself," she said, and then she asked if she could give her the scissors. It was agreed that she should have the scissors. 


Part 2 Go here