"...he would do all the prince wished, if he only wouldn't squeeze his heart to pieces..."
from The Giant Who Had No Heart.
The festive season has been damp and grey in England this year, with lots of foggy days and misty mornings but nothing at all in the way of snow or pretty sparkly weather. The endless cloud has left me wishing for snowy adventures, so I turned to this book of Nordic Tales, hoping to find a more magical festive atmosphere within its pages and it didn't disappoint me at all.
I have had the book on my shelves for some years, but never got around to reading it fully. I'm so glad that I saved it for Christmastime. Nordic Tales is an enchanting collection of fairytales from across the Scandinavian countries. Most of them I had never read before, so there was a sense of exploration and adventure as I savoured each tale. I enjoy exploring all kinds of folklore, but there is something very intriguing about reading the folk tales of countries that are foreign to me. I thought that I knew most fairytales, but here was a whole collection that I hadn't yet discovered. It was like finding treasure!
I read the book slowly, over the course of a week or so, because I wanted to relish each story. The language of the book sounds very similar to the way in which modern Norse people speak English - they have their own way of speaking, of arranging their words into a sentence, which is very musical to the ear and something I find particularly delightful.
This book is written in the same way, so it feels as if you are being told the stories by an old friend from the northlands, which can be very comforting during the darker nights of winter. It's like inviting a Viking storyteller into your home to spin tales by the hearthside, to keep you company through the darkest nights of the year.
I read one or two stories each night, beginning on the winter solstice and trying to make the adventure last as long as possible. The only tale in the collection that I was already very familiar with is East of the Sun, West of the Moon and I am happy to say that this version has a traditional ending which made me so happy. In reading this anthology however, I have discovered some new favourites including The Forest Bride, which is a lovely tale of transformation, romance and enchantment. What little mouse wouldn't want to be loved for her quiet, shy, gentle nature, rather than spurned for it? Only a true prince would ever see the value in a tiny forest mouse. Only a true prince would understand her need to hide away, for the world is too loud, too big for her. And yet she is more than she seems!
I also liked Hildur, Queen of the Elves, Mighty Mikko and his cunning fox friend, the dancing shoes tale of Old Nick and the Girl, The True Bride, The Giant Who Had No Heart and the ghostly, seafaring adventures of Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn. Each tale in the book is fantastical in its own way and you will find stories of transformation, wit and marvellous journeys. There is plenty of magic and enchantment that will keep you captivated, transporting you to the beautiful mountains and fijords of Norway, Finland, Sweden etc, where the Northern Lights dance through the sky and the forests are deep and mysterious. Reading it has felt like a festive Nordic holiday in a book!
The anthology is richly illustrated by Finnish artist Ulla Thynell, and there are full colour plates for each story depicting high mountains, dark forests, mysterious doorways, castles, trolls, dragons and of course, boats because the Norse are seafaring people. The book also has a pretty red ribbon book mark, so it would make a nice gift for a bookworm who enjoys fairytales and folklore.
I haven't been feeling especially festive this year - the weather has been dismal, I am longing for the sight of snowy landscapes, and also many of my friends are far away - so reading this book has been a great comfort to me and it has brought some of those people much closer, in my heart and mind at least.
It has been lovely to just climb into bed each night amid the glow of the bedroom fairy-lights, and read a story from Nordic Tales, allowing my imagination to wander where I cannot, to feel connection with people I haven't seen in a very, very long time, to linger in a part of the world that means something significant to me, yet which seems so unreachable - all via the power of storytelling. This anthology of Nordic fairytales has been a wonderful, magical escape, a true north star guiding me through the dark season.
And who knows, England might get a bit of frosted sparkly weather come January. This little ice maiden would be glad of it. It would match my inner landscape of frosted silver white and frozen heart!
Happy reading!
Bright Blessings
Marie x
AD: This book is published by Chronical Books and is out now.
No comments:
Post a Comment