Peter Christen Asbjørnsen

Born in Christiania (now Oslo) in 1812, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen became one of Norway’s most important folklorists and writers. He is best remembered for gathering stories from oral tradition and retelling them in a vivid, readable style that helped preserve a rich world of trolls, hidden folk, and everyday cleverness.

Together with his friend Jørgen Moe, he published the collections known as Norske folkeeventyr (Norwegian Folktales), works that became central to Norwegian literary and cultural life. Their books did more than save old stories from disappearing — they helped shape a sense of national identity in the 1800s and remain widely read today.

Asbjørnsen was also interested in nature and science, and his career extended beyond folklore into natural history and forestry. He died in 1885, but the tales he helped preserve still carry the humor, mystery, and strong storytelling voice that made them endure.