Tales from Denmark
The Travelling Companion
A young man, Johannes, goes out into the world to seek his fortune after the death of his
father. He witnesses two grave robbers going about their repugnant business and
intervenes.
After this incident, he is accompanied on his travels by a mysterious character who calls
himself, Stranger.
When Johannes is attracted to a bewitched princess, Stranger helps him pass the tests
which break the princess’s enchantment and lead to their eventual marriage.
Stranger then reveals his true identity.
You’ll be Fed Tomorrow
Jesper takes revenge on a miserly and unscrupulous farmer after he cruelly tricks and
mutilates his brothers, instead of paying them a fair wage.
The Three Women who spun
The story highlights the working conditions of Danish spinsters in the 19th century. (A
universal story; the conditions were not unique to Denmark).
A girl is saved from an arduous life of spinning by three old women who teach her fiancé a
valuable lesson.
Castles in the Air
A woman becomes so involved in her hopes for the future that she inadvertently shatters
them.
Bearman
An impoverished ex-soldier strikes a deal with The Devil. His job is to collect souls for his
master and not to ever say The Lord’s Prayer on forfeit of his soul.
The soldier does as he is told, but cleverly outwits The Devil (or does he?) and marries the
youngest daughter of an old man that he helps.
The Poodle
A fisherman sells his eldest son to a mysterious black man in return for the promise of a
plentiful catch, which will make him rich.
The boy is taken to an isolated castle where an enchanted princess lives; she has been
turned into a poodle by an ogre and the boy is chosen to break the spell.
He does not heed her instructions and fails the task, but redeems himself and saves the
princess by capturing and destroying the soul of the ogre.
The Gold Shoe
`The Gold Shoe` is a variant of the Cinderella story.
Gabriel Rider
Gabriel Rider is discharged from the army and makes his way home. On Christmas Eve, he
arrives in a village where all the women are witches.
Gabriel Rider turns the situation to his considerable advantage.
The Golden Feather
A couple meet a mysterious old man who enables the woman to give birth very late in life.
When the son grows up, he leaves home to make his way in the world. He has the good
fortune to meet a resourceful, if moralistic, talking donkey, which guides him through
many adventures, ultimately thwarting a duplicitous king and colleague and marrying a
seemingly recalcitrant princess.
The Fox in the Beard
An entertaining nonsense story of what happens when a man receives a dollop of bird’s
poo in his eye.
The Difficult Challenges
Jesper enters a competition to win the hand of a princess and eventually become king. He
acquires a team of helpers each with a special skill which they utilise to great effect.
The Foolish People
A variant of a well-known story named `The Three Sillies` in Britain.
A man vows to marry his girlfriend only if he meets three people as foolish as she is on his
travels. Does he remain a bachelor or become a married man?
Boy
Boy is the result of a man’s liaison with a mermaid. When he is old enough, he starts work
on a local farm where his prodigious strength and fearless acts inspire astonishment and
fear in equal measures.
The Parson’s Wife who sinned
A woman marries a parson late in life. When he notices that she does not have a shadow,
she confesses that she never married when she was a young woman because she was afraid
of childbirth.
The parson helps her gain forgiveness and redemption, but not before a terrifying ordeal.
Luck’s Change of Address
A niggard is seemingly unworried when his `luck` announces that it is going to live with
someone else.
The man’s fortunes go from bad to worse after this, but he shows no inclination to improve
his ways and persuade his `luck` to return.
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
A boy leaves home and while on his travels, strays into the house of a sorcerer. He is
employed by the sorcerer, but is warned never to read his book of spells.
The boy is eventually tempted to read the book and masters the spells so well that he
makes his father rich, marries a princess and defeats the sorcerer.
Women wear the Trousers
A story which confirms what every man knows.
Paying a Visit on the Daughters
The story illustrates the folly of favouring one child over another.
The Golden Tower at the End of the World
A sweeping wonder story in which the hero, Hans, meets a princess on Mid Summer’s Eve
and finds his life changed completely.
In order to save his beloved from a spell cast by a dragon, Hans has to travel to the end of
the world. On his journey, he encounters: an old woman of the wood who is wise enough
to help; three trolls who are lords of all the creatures that crawl upon the earth, all the
animals that walk on the earth, all the creatures that fly; a friendly dragon which acts as a
taxi; before overcoming the odds and releasing his fiancée from the spell.
Hans marries the princess and still finds the time to return home to settle a family problem.
The Cast-out Devils
`The Cast-out Devils` is a variant of the Grimm story, `The Musicians of Bremen`.
A group of male animals flee the farm where they work when they hear that the farmer is
going to slaughter them. They arrive at a haunted house, but before they can take up
residence in the house, they have to dispose of the devils that haunt it.
The two devils are no match for the animals.
Rake the Ashes
The story is a second variant of the Cinderella story, but with a hint of `Rumplestilkin`.
Jesper’s Lies
Jesper tells some real whoppers in his attempt to get a girl to say, `That’s a lie` and become
eligible to marry her.
The Rope Maker’s Bad Luck
A permanently happy but poor man is tested by two gentlemen who refuse to believe the
man’s cheerfulness is genuine.
They give him twenty pounds a year for two years and a lump of lead for a third to
improve his life. However, circumstances conspire against the man and he loses the men’s
gifts. Despite the setbacks, the man remains true to his character and is rewarded when
things turn out well for him and he becomes a rich man.
The Sorcerer’s Daughter
A boy who is seeking work, is employed by a sorcerer. He serves yearly terms as a hare, a
raven and a fish and learning skills that serve him well when he meets the imprisoned
daughter of the sorcerer at the bottom of the sea. He joins forces with her to defeat the
sorcerer and secure her release.
The Ring in the Wall
A rich man tries to teach his wastrel son a better way of life, but fails.
It is only after his death that his predictions of the life his son will lead come true; teaching
the boy the error of his ways.
Jesper the Hare herder
A rogue of a king devises a fiendishly hard challenge for any suitor wishing to marry his
daughter. When Jesper shows kindness to an old woman of the wood, she provides him
with the means to achieve the king’s challenge.
However, it is not easy for Jesper to defeat the resourceful king and he has to resort to
some clever ploys, including upsetting the king’s horse!
The Clever Queen
A king meets a beautiful and clever girl while lodging in an old man’s house. He marries
the girl, but insists on an ill judged condition to the marriage.
The queen has to prove her love and worth to the king.
The Cast off Wife
A young woman is frightened of giving birth and seeks the help of a wise old woman.
Later, she marries a parson, but after three years have passed, he is puzzled by the fact that
he and his wife are childless. The wife admits her behaviour when she was younger and is
divorced by her unforgiving husband.
Their paths cross many years later.
The Stag Prince
A king falls gravely ill after a meeting with an old woman. His three sons are told of cure
for their father’s illness and set out to find it.
Hans, the youngest, travels independently of his brothers and is helped by a stag after
sharing his food with the animal. With the stag’s help, Hans finds the cure and administers
it to his father as well as acquiring a princess for a fiancée.
Hans is required to help the stag break an enchantment it is under; he has to chop the stag’s
head and tail off. Fine thanks for all the stag’s help!
Lars Farmer and Per Smith
Two teenage friends have different views of life when they discuss a thought provoking
question. They meet years later, but life has not been kind to one of them.
Bright Eyes
A stepmother favours her own daughter over her stepdaughter, Bright Eyes. When Bright
Eyes is kind to an old fairy, he rewards her by making her even more beautiful which
makes the stepmother think that her own daughter will benefit from meeting the little man.
However, things don’t work out as she hoped and her daughter is given some unflattering
physical attributes, but undeterred, the stepmother is determined that her daughter will
marry the king.
The Squire’s Men
`The Squire’s Men is a` variant of `The Difficult Challenges`.
The Heart of the Matter
A judge devises an extraordinary but sagacious solution when three brothers fall out over
the distribution of their dead father’s estate.
`The Heart of the Matter` is a version of the judgement of Solomon story from the Bible.
Tobias’ Dog’s Tail
`Tobias’ Dog’s Tail` highlights the hypocrisy and financial acumen of a bishop.
The Long Noses – a comeuppance story
A young man called Jens successfully withstands a religious vigil and is chosen by a
hirsute princess to endure a violent ordeal which if successful, will break the spell with
which she is afflicted. When he fails, he is given a magic purse and magic ring as payment
for his efforts.
While on his travels, he meets a selfish princess who tricks and steals the purse. Jens
accuses her of being a thief and in the confrontation that takes place with the princess’s
father, he accidently rubs the ring and summons the hairy princess. Angry at being exposed
in front of strangers, she punishes Jens by transporting him to the Arabian Desert where he
is shackled and abandoned.
He escapes by tricking three trolls and returns to give the larcenous princess her just
desserts and recues the hairy princess from her enchantment.
The Bewitched Princess
This story is a variant of `The Travelling Companion`.
The Devil’s Huntsman
`The Devil’s Huntsman` is a variant of `Bearman`.
The Porcelain Bowl
A man admires a porcelain bowl under his bed when he takes lodgings for the night. The
next day, his lunch is served in an identical bowl to the one under his bed (or so he thinks)
and he tries to buy it.
More Tales from Denmark
Vulle Peasant Boy
Vulle befriends a troll boy-after a very unpromising start-and acquires magic gifts which
enable him: to cure a king with a mysterious illness; fall foul of the treacherous Red
Knight; help and eventually marry a princess who is as radiant as the sun; display his talent
for playing the violin.
The Peculiar Land Animal
This short story vividly illustrates that the natural order of things is often the best way.
Peder Ox
A childless and seemingly delusional couple raise a bull calf as their son. They try to
provide him with an education, but are cynically manipulated by an avaricious parish clerk.
Their hopes for their son are eventually fulfilled in an unusual and touching story of a
couples’ desire for a child of their own.
Trillevip
A version of `The Three Women who Spun` (`Tales from Denmark`) which provides a
twist to the story by using elements of the `Rumplestilkin` story.
The Miserly Farmer & The Miserly Housewife 1 & 2
Three short stories which demonstrate that mean people can be dealt with, given a little
thought.
Intrepid Thomas
Thomas’ faith enables him to fight off thieves; multi-headed trolls; save the lives of
princesses and defeat The Devil and his mother in a story which lives up to its title.
Magic Fruit
A variant of `The Long Noses` (`Tales from Denmark`)
Hans helps a princess out of danger, but she shows only ingratitude, which not only upsets
Hans, but her own father as well. Justice is done when she receives her comeuppance.
The Pleiades
A tale which explains how a cluster of stars called The Pleiades was formed.
Little Beck
A ragamuffin is forced to call on all his resourcefulness when challenged by his own
brothers, a king and a terrible ogre.
For Three Farthings
A recently discharged soldier turns the tables on those who take advantage of his
generosity and sense of right and wrong.
Per, Povl and Jesper
A king offers a reward to whoever can rescue his daughter from the clutches of a vile troll.
Jesper reaps the benefits of showing kindness to an old man (his brothers, Per and Povl
spurn the opportunity) who rewards him with the means to mount a successful rescue. A
story which uses elements of the plot found in `The Difficult Challenges` (`Tales from
Denmark`)
King Bear
Two brothers promise their dying mother that they will always look out for one another.
Despite breaking their promise, they are eventually reconciled and devise a crafty ruse
which leads to marriage for one and lifelong companionship for the other.
The Journey to Hell
A small minded and mean, but wealthy man follows in his brother’s footsteps to Hell to try
to add to his fortune. Things don’t go so well for him as they did for his once impoverished
brother and he pays a heavy price.
The Clever Farmhand
An everyman character helps his poor employer overcome the financial shenanigans of a
rich neighbour and turn them to his advantage. Unfortunately, the neighbour’s granny
suffers an ignominious death in the process.
No Fear
A headstrong and fearless boy thwarts his parents’ efforts to instil discipline on him and
ventures on a journey where he meets Death and ensures that one of his parents lives
longer than the other (but which one?) exorcises a haunted mill; acquires a fortune; cures a
sick king and marries his daughter.
The Green Knight
A princess asks her father to take a message to Death who she refers to as The Green
Knight (not to be confused with the fairy knight; the symbol of fertility and renewal) but
doesn’t realise that there is a real knight called The Green Knight. He visits her and their
relationship blossoms, but not before they have to deal with the machinations of the girl’s
wicked stepmother.
The Big Fib
A second `lie` story.
Jesper has to tell some whoppers to make a princess to say, “That’s a lie.”
The Purse that Never ran out of Money
The youngest brother of three has to keep his wits about him in order to save himself and
his dissolute brothers when they accept a purse with a never-ending supply of money from
The Devil and enter into an agreement with him.
The Good Sword
Jeppe has to fight trolls and then defeat a coachman who wishes to steal Jeppe’s glory and
claim a princess for his wife.
Neils Bek
When Neils is orphaned, he is taken care of by relatives and becomes betrothed to his
cousin. He is ill-treated and leaves home. He befriends a dwarf and is given magic gifts
with which he is able to save a king from defeat at the hands of the English army, return
home and reunite with his fiancée.
The Mysterious Wood
A labourer’s faith saves a victim from the stigma and damnation of suicide.
The King of the Birds
The wren successfully uses its cunning to outwit larger and more able birds in a
competition for the position of king of the birds, but it earns the hatred and contempt of its
fellow birds, which still exists today; sad to say, the owl suffers repercussions as well.
The Mouse and the Chafers
A princess who has never laughed is made to do so by a young man and his travelling
companions: a mouse and a beetle. His reward is her hand in marriage, but not before he
discovers that love does not run smoothly when a jealous rival lurks.
The Castle by the Silver Wood
A soldier, who leaves the army to seek his fortune, achieves his aim when he meets an
enchanted boar, breaks the spell and marries a princess.
The Merry Wives
Three women compete with each other to prove which of their husbands is the most
foolish, but they overstep the mark. This is an amusing story, but might leave a bad taste in
the mouth.
Stingy Lars
A miserly farmer achieves his ambition of taking a wife when he is duped into marrying
his neighbour’s daughter. Smoked amongst the fish and meat; whacked with carpet beaters
during the spring-clean; scoured in a rancid beer barrel and ultimately, death by heart
attack; whether he would have entered into the marriage if he knew what lay in store for
him, is a matter for conjecture.
The Mill that Grinds out Salt at the Bottom of the Sea
This short story explains why seawater is salty.
King Wyvern (Part One)
After a childless king and his queen see a distressing message written on their bed, the
queen is given a chance to reverse it and give birth. She fails to follow the instructions she
is given and gives birth to a terrifying monster. When the monster indicates its desire to
marry a human bride, two girls suffer a brutal death at its hands. The third bride chosen is
more resilient and endures a terrible ordeal to break the spell over the wyvern.
King Wyvern (Part Two)
Years later, King Wyvern is overjoyed when his wife becomes pregnant. At the time of the
birth, however, he is away fighting enemies and is cruelly deceived by the treacherous Red
Knight. The resulting fallout forces the queen to make safe provision for her babies and
then flee the country alone.
The situation is rectified when she offers assistance to two strange kings and they reciprocate.
Kristen Greenhat
A man makes a deal with an old man and has to hand over his son at the appropriate time.
The old man teaches the boy skills, which stand him in good stead when he encounters The
Red Knight and undertakes difficult tasks for a prince.
Spare the Rod and Spoil the Child
In order to ensure that his wife is obedient to all his wishes, a husband uses a tacit threat,
which ensures that she does so.
The Boy who looked after the King’s Lambs
The story has a repetitious refrain and is suitable for younger readers or listeners.
The Funeral Oration
A widow tries to improve the reputation of her dead husband, but things don’t go the way
she intended.
Sin and Redemption
The stories, `The Parson’s Wife who Sinned` and `The Cast off Wife` (`Tales from
Denmark`) are combined in a fuller version of each story.
A Strange Fellow
This is a short story in which a man’s regret is finally revealed.
Fortune and Intelligence
Fortune and Intelligence each rate their own influence on people highly. When an
intellectually challenged farmhand is chosen as a subject for their test, the outcome comes
as no surprise.
The Magic Box
This wonder story has elements of many other wonder stories featured in the companion
volumes.
Daft Hans is left as an only child when his father has to surrender Hans’ three sisters after
making a deal with an old man in return for a magic box. The loss of the children is too
much for the parents to bear and they both suffer premature death.
Hans inherits the box and sets out into the world where his behaviour is anything but daft.
The Ghost on Horseback and other tales
The Clever Farmhand
An everyman character helps his poor employer overcome the financial shenanigans of a
rich neighbour and turn them to his advantage. Unfortunately, the neighbour’s granny
suffers an ignominious death in the process.
The Egg
The `Egg` is a variant of `Castles in the Air` (`Tales from Denmark`)
The Bird called Griff
A towering wonder story in which a prince travels to the World’s End to secure the bird
called Griff needed to cure his sick father. He is helped by a talking donkey, which is a
close relative of the prince and his father although they are blissfully unaware of the fact.
Husbands and Wives
A husband gets his comeuppance in a battle of the sexes story.
Mikkel Fox and the Great Tit
A story of how a victim desperately trying to protect her children from a cunning and
vicious bully, turns the tables on the bully and defeats him. The story poses an
uncomfortable question: how far are we prepared to go to protect what is dear to us?
Lavris and his Brother
Lavris and his brother make an agreement which works to their advantage when they each
marry a princess, but not before Lavris displays a ruthless nature to cheat two old women;
kill trolls; rescue princesses and find that his relationship with his brother is sorely tested
before they are reconciled.
The Cumberland Sausage
A bone idle couple waste a chance of a lifetime to improve their life. Things get worse
when a sausage that they thought was theirs is purloined by something else.
Hans and Jorgen
When Hans is mutilated by his despicable bully of a brother, Jorgen, he discovers a magic
cure. This enables him to go and rescue a princess at the World’s End and offer his brother
forgiveness for the terrible deed perpetrated against him.
The Ghost
A man is taught to show respect to the dead after a drunken incident in a graveyard.
Daredevil Hans
Hans volunteers to rescue a resourceful princess after she and her father have been tricked
by thieves. He is helped by a mysterious stranger in a plot with elements of `The
Travelling Companion` (`Tales from Denmark`)
Knee Breeches
A brownie becomes infatuated with a farm girl and tries to end her relationship with a
farmhand for his own ends. The brownie is taught a lesson in a series of events worthy of a
Tom & Jerry cartoon.
The Golden Lamb of God
Another sweeping wonder story which uses patterns of `The Golden Tower at the End of
the World` (`Tales from Denmark`)
How the Devil Almost Lost his Pelt
A dutiful brother saves his self-obsessed brother’s soul from The Devil by outwitting him
and undergoing a vigil on his grave.
The Brownie and the little Girl
A brownie’s desire for tidiness and order disrupts a farm girl’s sleep so much that she
resigns from her job.
The Brownie and the Horse
A farmer realises he has to respect a brownie’s way of life when one of his employees
upsets the brownie.
The Brownie and the Porridge
Two mischievous farm girls play a cruel trick on a diligent and unassuming brownie.
Loyal Hans
Hans is helped by an enchanted toad to win a competition with his brothers and inherit the
family farm. However, Hans spurns the prize of the farm, opting for a grander life.
How the Cobbler got shot of his Wife
A wife is cruelly deceived and rejected by her mean spirited husband in a story which
doesn’t portray men in a favourable light.
The King of the Birds
The wren successfully uses its cunning to outwit larger and more able birds in a
competition for the position, king of the birds, but it earns the hatred and contempt of its
fellow birds, which still exists today; sad to say, the owl suffers repercussions as well.
The Boy and the Devil
An indolent but resourceful boy makes a pact with the Devil, but intends to take the
benefits and renege on the deal. Can he outwit The Devil?
Soen Vroen Vrimpotoen
A young girl is lured to a castle that a giant has cast a spell on and taken for his home. She
thwarts his evil plan and manages to find herself a husband on her journey.
Per, Povl and Jesper
A king offers a reward to whoever can rescue his daughter from the clutches of a vile troll.
Jesper reaps the benefits of showing kindness to an old man (his brothers, Per and Povl
spurn the opportunity) who rewards him with the means to mount a successful rescue. A
story which uses elements of the plot found in `The Difficult Challenges` (`Tales from
Denmark`)
The Billy Goat and the Fox
A goat makes an inappropriate remark after drinking too much.
The Trolls and the Bear
A bear handler and his faithful ursine companion reclaim a farmer’s house from a gang of
trolls.
Peder the Shepherd
Peder is promoted through the serving ranks when he enters the employ of a king.
However, each promotion calls for the completion of a more arduous task until he is able
to claim the top job
.
The Journey into the big wide world
Another variant of the Grimm story `The Musicians of Bremen` & `The Cast-out
Devils` (`Tales from Denmark`)
Strong Hans
Hans is the son from a mixed marriage between a troll and a young woman. When the troll
dies, Hans leaves his mother in the family home and sets off to make his own way in the
world. A story which uses elements of the plots in `Boy ` (`Tales from Denmark`) `The
Difficult Challenges` (`Tales from Denmark`) and `Per, Povl and Jesper` (`The Ghost
on Horseback and other stories`)
Whatever Will the Devil Think of Next?
The story is a variant of `Bearman` & `The Devil’s Huntsman` (`Tales from Denmark`)
The Farmer and his Grey Hack
A pedantic old farmer finds himself catapulted into a series of predicaments and disputes
when he realises that he is only mortal and his time may be up.
The Ghost on Horseback
A young girl is saved from death at the hands of her dead fiancé by a ritual, which was
more commonly practised than first thought.
How The Devil came to save a Soul
A man plans a drastic escape from an unhappy marriage, but The Devil inadvertently saves
him from executing his plan.
Three Pieces of Good Advice
How Idle Lars won himself a Princess
This is a story of a couple’s journey of awareness when two inappropriate remarks result in
their unlikely union.
Happiness, Beauty and Wisdom
When a beautiful young girl is made ugly by a witch, she marries an unsuspecting king
who tries to kill her. She is eventually redeemed by three goddesses-each convinced of
their own importance in the scheme of life- and takes revenge on the witch, but with
unfortunate results for the poor old owl; again! (See `The King of the Birds`, `Tales from
Denmark`)
Mighty Karl with the Axe
Mighty Karl’s faith in his prodigious strength enables him to meet all challenges-including
two treacherous giants- on his way to rescuing three princesses from a troll and choosing
one for his wife.
Three Pieces of good Advice
A man, who is forced to leave his new wife after a dream, stays away for twenty years.
When he is given good advice by a former employer, he is able to defeat thieves, reunite
with his faithful wife and meet a son he never knew he had.
A proper Mother-in-Law
A mother-in-law turns the tables on a man who tricks a young girl into marrying him and
thinks it entertaining to brag of his achievement.
A clever Husband and a foolish Wife
A man turns the tables on thieves after they trick his wife.
The Daughter of the Sun
A princess is harshly treated when her father asks for a prediction of her future life and
doesn’t like what he hears. After being cast out of the kingdom, she is rescued by a young
prince who falls in love with her and wishes to marry her. However, the small matter of her
parentage and three brides for the prince stand in the way.
The blessed Dog
The hypocrisy of the church of the time is highlighted in this entertaining story.
When a lapdog dies, its owner wishes it to be buried in consecrated ground even though it
is against church policy. The priest and the bishop are able to accommodate the owner’s
wishes, especially when `gifts` to the church come under threat.
King Bear
Two brothers promise their dying mother that they will always look out for one another.
Despite breaking their promise, they are eventually reconciled and devise a crafty ruse
which leads to marriage for one and lifelong companionship for the other.
Esben and the Witch
A story which is a variant of `Little Beck` (`More Tales from Denmark`)
Prince White Bear
A sweeping wonder story with a small element of the plot of `The Poodle` (`Tales from
Denmark`)
Our Lord’s Blessing
Our Lord proves his patience and wisdom despite the doubts of St Peter who advocates
more immediate action.
The Devil and the Lawyer
A money grabbing lawyer is justly punished by The Devil who shows impressive patience
to land his victim.
David Cotterson
David Cotterson rejects his parents’ wish for him to master a safe trade and goes to sea. He
survives a shipwreck and his life is transformed when he is befriended by an enchanted
dog.
Old Rasmus
A crafty old rogue outwits two cobblers, a mayor and the law of the land when he lives by
his maxim: `one does what one can to get by`.
Whitefoot, the Goat that wouldn’t go back to the palace in the Evening
This is a story with a repetitive refrain suitable for young readers and listeners.
How long was the tail on Tobias’ Dog?
A detailed version of the story: `Tobias’ Dog’s Tail` (`Tales from Denmark`)
The third Son
A story with elements of the plot in the stories: `The Golden Feather` (`Tales from
Denmark`) and `Strong Hans` (`The Ghost on Horseback and other stories`)
The Mermaid’s Son
A story which is a variant of `Boy` (`Tales from Denmark`)
Karl Snake Prince
A boy receives a surprise when he finds a snake lying on his coat in a field. Is it a nasty or
agreeable surprise?
A Soul sold under false Pretences
A man risks losing his soul to The Devil when he accepts a man’s help to shoe a difficult
horse.
The Boy and the Squire
A rascal of a boy, who is the apple of his mother’s eye, saves her from a skinflint of a
squire.
Bertel Monk
A` lie` story.
The ugly animal
A man has to give up his youngest daughter when an agreement with an ugly animal goes
badly wrong.
The Table Cloth
A girl upsets her mother’s well laid plans to secure her a husband.
The Eighth Wonder of the World
The perils of an older man marrying a much younger wife are apparent in this story when
he is cuckolded by a monk!
The Soldier and Mr Scratch
Ole Boatswain
A towering wonder story in which Ole outwits The Devil; survives a shipwreck; joins a
band of robbers; rescues a captive princess and defeats a rival for her hand in marriage.
Lucifer’s Three Hairs
A soldier wishing to be discharged from the army is set an onerous task. He has to procure
three hairs from The Devil and not from his head!
Little Titch
Little Titch is an artificially made, but much loved son of a once childless couple. One day,
he goes missing and its then that his adventures begin, culminating in tragedy for his
doting parents.
The Soldier and Mr Scratch
A story which is a variant of: `Bearman` & `The Devil’s Huntsman` (`Tales from
Denmark`) `Whatever Will the Devil think of Next` (`The Ghost on Horseback and
other stories`)
Hans Fortune
Hans is aptly rewarded for his stream of sensible advice.
Per Red Hat
A proud princess is taught the error of her ways and learns to love a poor wretch, or so she
thinks.
The terrified Suitors
A grieving widow proves adept at rejecting the advances of three would be suitors intent
on seizing their chance.
The Church Watch
A king and his queen are given the chance of becoming parents, but only if they follow the
instructions of an old woman. They fail to do so and their daughter dies. A reluctant soldier
is given the means to restore the princess to life, but he would rather desert his post.
The Boy who feared Nothing
A boy undertakes dangerous tasks and receives the gratitude of a miller.
Suckling Pig
A baby benefits from breast feeding and grows into a boy of prodigious strength. The story
is a variant of: `Boy` (`Tales from Denmark`) `The Mermaid’s Son` (`Three Pieces of
good Advice`)
Troll’s Ointment
A midwife’s curiosity gets the better of her when she attends the wife of a troll; she pays a
terrible price for her mistake.
Twelve black Men and twelve Pairs of Shoes
An idle son, who is a disappointment to his father, changes his ways after receiving magic
gifts and solves the mystery about where a princess disappears to at night.
Nail Dough
This short story teaches the benefit of cleanliness.
Soren and his crazy Wife
A man despairs of his wife’s behaviour and leaves her vowing never to return unless he
meets three people who are as daft as she.
This story is a variant of `The Foolish People` (`Tales from Denmark`)
Death Wishes
Two short stories in which two women learn they are not ready to embrace death.
Death and the Doctor
A man discovers that Death spares no one after he has reneged on a deal he made with
Death.
Prince Karl and the enchanted Castle
Karl befriends a talking horse which helps him in his search for three princesses. They
share many adventures after he is betrayed by his brothers. (`Prince Karl and the
enchanted Castle` contains elements of almost every wonder story in the companion
volumes.)
The Magic Apple
This story is a variant of: `The Long Noses ` (`Tales from Denmark`) `Magic Fruit`
(`More Tales from Denmark`)
I Know what I Know
This is a story which should carry a health and safety warning.
Four Magic Tricks
A young man acquires a knife with a shocking capability. He uses the knife to his
advantage.
Big Lars and Little Lars
When the ox belonging to Little Lars is killed by his wealthy brother, he strikes lucky
when he happens on an errant priest.
Little Lars’ luck seemingly runs out when he plays his brother and the other townsfolk for
fools.
Kidnapped by a Mermaid
When a baby is born into a large family, its despairing father makes a deal with a mermaid.
When the boy is twelve, he decides to annul the agreement; the mermaid, however, has
other ideas.
The boiled Eggs
A calculating landlord tries to cheat a guest, but is outwitted by a wily attorney.
The Journey to Trom’s Church
A young farmhand turns the tables on a witch who has been using him as her horse.
Marvel
This is a touching story of a devoted, but hideously ugly son who will do anything to keep
his mother safe and ensure her future happiness.
Hare and Duck
A young girl is mistreated by her evil stepmother. This story is a variant of `Bright Eyes`
(`Tales from Denmark`)
The helpful Animals
After a tailor recovers from a vicious attack by his travelling companion, the cobbler, he is
set a number of difficult tasks to complete before overcoming his enemy and becoming a
father and king. The story contains elements of: `The Difficult Challenges` (`Tales from
Denmark`) `Per, Povl and Jesper` (`The Ghost on Horseback and other stories`)
Mette Tight-fist and Hanne Open-hand
This is a cautionary tale; be careful what you wish for.
Misshapen Mouths
The story is a storyteller’s delight, but definitely not P C.
The Visit to the red Stone
A boy meets with fairy folk and is given a magic gift, which he uses to good effect.
Despite a rise in his station and fortune, he honours the promise he made to the fairies.
The Deceitful Knight
A boy helps a family of pigs who stand by him when he falls foul of The Red Knight. The
story contains elements of: `The Difficult Challenges` (`Tales from Denmark`) `Per,
Povl and Jesper` (`The Ghost on Horseback and other stories`)
The bewitched Sow
A boy spends his pay of four farthings on rusks, which he later feeds to a sow in need. It is
a wise decision as the sow is bewitched and his act of kindness leads to greater things.
A Magician’s Prank
A magician practises the art of cannibalism as part of his act, but it does not meet with
approval from one member of the audience.