East of the Sun and West of the Moon
Norway
Once upon a time there was a poor peasant who had so many children that he did not have enough of either
food or clothing to give them. Pretty children they all were, but the prettiest was the youngest daughter, who
was so lovely there was no end to her loveliness.
One day -- it was on a Thursday evening late in the fall -- the weather was wild and rough outside, and it was
cruelly dark. The rain was falling and the wind blowing, until the walls of the cottage shook. They were all
sitting around the fire busy with this thing and that. Then all at once something gave three taps on the
window. The father went out to see what was the matter. Outside, what should he see but a great big white
bear.
"Good evening to you," said the white bear.
"The same to you," said the man.
"Will you give me your youngest daughter? If you will, I'll make you as rich as you are now poor," said the
bear.
Well, the man would not be at all sorry to be so rich; but still he thought he must have a bit of a talk with his
daughter first; so he went in and told them how there was a great white bear waiting outside, who had given
his word to make them so rich if he could only have the youngest daughter.
The girl said "No!" outright. Nothing could get her to say anything else; so the man went out and settled it
with the white bear, that he should come again the next Thursday evening and get an answer. Meantime he
talked to his daughter, and kept on telling her of all the riches they would get, and how well off she herself
would be. At last she agreed to it, so she washed and mended her rags, and made herself as smart as she
could. Soon she was ready for the trip, for she didn't have much to take along.
The next Thursday evening came the white bear to fetch her. She got on his back with her bundle, and off they
went. After they had gone a good way, the white bear said, "Are you afraid?"
No, she wasn't.
"Just hold tight to my shaggy coat, and there's nothing to be afraid of," said the bear.
She rode a long, long way, until they came to a large steep cliff. The white bear knocked on it. A door opened,
and they came into a castle, where there were many rooms all lit up; rooms gleaming with silver and gold.
Further, there was a table set there, and it was all as grand as grand could be. Then the white bear gave her a
silver bell; and when she wanted anything, she only had to ring it, and she would get it at once.
Well, after she had eaten, and it became evening, she felt sleepy from her journey, and thought she would like
to go to bed, so she rang the bell. She had barely rung it before she found herself in a room, where there was
a bed made as fair and white as anyone would wish to sleep in, with silken pillows and curtains, and gold
fringe. All that was in the room was gold or silver. After she had gone to bed, and put out the light, a man
came and laid himself alongside her. It was the white bear, who cast off his pelt at night; but she never saw
him, for he always came after she had put out the light. Before the day dawned he was up and off again.
Things went on happily for a while, but at last she became quiet and sad. She was alone all day long, and she
became very homesick to see her father and mother and brothers and sisters. So one day, when the white
bear asked what was wrong with her, she said it was so lonely there, and how she longed to go home to see
her father and mother and brothers and sisters, and that was why she was so sad, because she couldn't get to
them.
"Well," said the bear, "that can happen all right, but you must promise me, not to talk alone with your mother,
but only when the others are around to hear. She will want to take you by the hand and lead you into a room
to talk alone with her. But you must not do that, or else you'll bring bad luck on both of us."
So one Sunday the white bear came and said they could now set off to see her father and mother. Off they
went, she sitting on his back; and they went far and long. At last they came to a grand house. Her bothers and
sisters were outside running about and playing. Everything was so pretty, it was a joy to see.
"This is where your father and mother live now," said the white bear. "Now don't forget what I told you, else
you'll make us both unhappy."
No, heaven forbid, she'd not forget. When they reached the house, the white bear turned around and left her.
She went in to see her father and mother, and there was such joy, that there was no end to it. None of them
could thank her enough for all she had done for them. They now had everything they could wish for, as good
as good could be. Then they wanted to know how
she
was.
Well, she said, it was very good to live where she did; she had all she wished. I don't know what else she said,
but I don't think she told any of them the whole story. That afternoon, after they had eaten dinner, everything
happened as the white bear had said it would. Her mother wanted to talk with her alone in her bedroom; but
she remembered what the white bear had said, and wouldn't go with her.
"What we have to talk about we can talk about any time," she said, and put her mother off. But somehow or
other, her mother got to her at last, and she had to tell her the whole story. She told her, how every night,
after she had gone to bed, a man came and lay down beside her as soon as she had put out the light, and how
she never saw him, because he was always up and away before the morning dawned; and how she was
terribly sad, for she wanted so much to see him, and how she was by herself all day long, and how dreary, and
lonesome it was.
"Oh dear," said her mother; "it may well be a troll you are sleeping with! But now I'll give you some good
advice how to see him. I'll give you a candle stub, which you can carry home in your bosom; just light it while
he is asleep, but be careful not to drop any tallow on him."
Yes, she took the candle, and hid it in her bosom, and that evening the white bear came and took her away.
But when they had gone a piece, the white bear asked if all hadn't happened as he had said.
She couldn't deny that it had.
"Take care," said he, "if you have listened to your mother's advice, you will bring bad luck on us both, and it
will be finished with the two of us."
