Book Condition: Very Good with slight tropical speckling to Page Edges. Otherwise, clean, clear text in tightly bound volume. No internal inscriptions, markings or stains. First Paperback Printing 1979. Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches. Weight: 8.8 ounces. From rear cover notes: "Here is a treasure trove, indeed: eighty-five folktales and legends...together with notes as to sources, cross-references to stories of similar motifs in other languages, and comments on peculiarities in the stories themselves. Certainly for the folklorist, and even for the nonspecialist, that is, anyone interested in acquiring a feeling for the culture and literary tradition of Iceland, it is an indispensable book." -Journal of Western Folklore. This is a collection largely of material collected by Jon Arnason in the 19th century. The book focuses on four a few basic areas of folk stories generally believed to be true. These involve elves, trolls, ghosts, black magic, water spirits, and the like. The translations are crisp and clear, and there is a general sense of the folk tale that comes across in Ms Simpson's masterful translation. Each story is further cited as to its origin, and sometimes additional notes are provided for comparative purposes. These notes are often quite helpful for more advanced students, and they are well enough marked that those who are not interested in this level of detail can ignore them. For advanced students of Scandinavian studies, and the like, this work makes it possible to construct a more holistic worldview in which to place the Sagas, magical traditions, etc. For those who are not, the stories stand well on their own. Highly recommended.
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