Happy 1st April everyone! If you are new here, welcome! I'm so pleased to meet you :)
My A - Z theme is Characters from Nordic Literature ☆
Today, I'd like to introduce you to Askeladden.
Askeladden can be found in quite a few Norwegian folktales. His name would be 'Ash Lad' in English, and I think this comes from his tendency to sit and daydream whilst poking at the ashes in the fire whilst his older brothers display how they are going to succeed in life. You could therefore say that Askeladden is the typical unsuspected hero of these tales.
The story that I'm most familiar with is called "Askeladden som kappåt med trollet". In this story, Askeladden meets a troll in the forest, while he is chopping down trees. The troll is angry, but Askeladden tricks him into helping him. Afterwards, Askeladden is taken back to the trolls house. Askeladden tricks the troll by challenging him to an eating competition. While the troll is spooning food into his mouth, Askeladden is sneaking it into a bag that he has tied to his front. The troll complains that he is full and cannot eat any more, but Askeladden tells him that if he cuts a hole in his stomach, then he can make room and eat as much as he likes. Askeladden shows him: he takes a knife and slits the bag that he has been putting the food in, telling the troll that it is his stomach that he is slitting. The troll copies him, but instead slits his stomach open and dies.
I can't wait to read what you have all come up with for the letter A! Have a beautiful Monday, everyone.
the little nordic cabin
x
awww this is a great post :D cant wait to read the rest!! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightfully novel approach to the A-Z Challenge!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely be back!
Patricia, Sugar & Spice & All Things ? Nice
Being so ill-read on Nordic folklore, this is a neat theme for me. You can give me a free little education!
ReplyDeleteI have a Grimm brother's version of this- I think they give the starring role to Jack the Giant Slayer! The Moomin series is my favourite Nordic literature :-)
ReplyDeleteHave you ever noticed how dark and somewhat gruesome children's fairy tales are? lol
ReplyDeletelove it. Don't give me the watered down fairy tales...I like em dark.
ReplyDeleteAnything Nordic is so cool and dark. More, please. More, more, more. All these things must be written and recorded or they'll be gone forever. Well, unless they come back and haunt us, of course.
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Pamela Kelt
Wow,totally gruesome, and what a bad guest and ungrateful guest that Ashboy is. Maybe he's a serial killer? Great theme, I'll check back for more fairytale history.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for I is for ...
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