‘East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ is a collection of Nordic and Norwegian folklore, edited and collated by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe. The two men were so closely united in their lives’ work that their folk tale anthologies are commonly mentioned only as ‘Asbjørnsen and Moe.’ This volume contains the classic ‘East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ and ‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’, alongside other lesser-known stories such as ‘The Three Princesses of Whiteland’, ‘The Widow’s Son’, and ‘The Cat on the Dovrefell’.

The stories of ‘East of the Sun and West of the Moon’ are accompanied by the dazzling colour and black and white illustrations of Kay Nielsen (1886 – 1957). Nielsen was a Danish artist belonging to the golden age of illustration. He was influenced by Japanese art and the Swedish folklore – becoming a crucial participant in the Art Nouveaux movement. His art is characterised by long, swooping lines, open spaces and a certain macabre, yet ephemeral quality. Presented alongside the text, his illustrations further refine and elucidate the Asbjørnsen and Moe’s masterful storytelling.

Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.