Thanks to Thiele, to Hylten-Cavallius and Stephens, and to Asbjörnsen
and Moe, Scandinavian Folklore is well to the front. Its treasures are
many, and of much value. One may be almost sorry to find among them the
originals of many of our English tales. Are we indebted to the folk of
other nations for all our folk-tales? It would almost seem so.
I have introduced into the present volume only one or two stories from
the Prose Edda. Space would not allow me to give so much of the Edda as
I could have wished.
In selecting and translating the matter for this volume, I have
endeavoured to make the book such as would afford its readers a fair
general view of the main features of the Folklore of the North. C.J.T.