[Transcriber's note: Front matter listing the novels of BJÖRNSTJERNEBJÖRNSON moved to end of book]
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
THE BRIDAL MARCH
ONE DAY
THE NOVELS OF BJÖRNSTJERNE BJÖRNSON
[The Bridal March (Brude-Slaatten) was written inChristiania in 1872. It was originally published in the second volumeof the first popular edition of Björnson's collected tales, issued inCopenhagen in that year. In November 1873, a small edition waspublished in separate form, and this was followed by an illustratedissue, of which a second edition appeared in 1877. The Bridal Marchwas originally composed as the text to four designs by the Norwegianpainter, Tidemand. It was dedicated to Hans Christian Andersen.
One Day (En Dag) was originally issued in the NorwegianMagazine "Nyt Tidsscrift," late in 1893; and was republished in avolume of short stories during the following year.
E. G.]
There lived last century, in one of the high-lying inlandvalleys of Norway, a fiddler, who has become in some degree alegendary personage. Of the tunes and marches ascribed to him, someare said to have been inspired by the Trolls, one he heard from thedevil himself, another he made to save his life, &c., &c. But the mostfamous of all is a Bridal March; and its story does not end with thestory of his life.
Fiddler Ole Haugen was a poor cottar high among the mountains. He hada daughter, Aslaug, who had inherited his cleverness. Though she couldnot play his fiddle, there was music in everything she did—in hertalk, her singing, her walk, her dancing.
At the great farm of Tingvold, down in the [Pg 2]valley, a young man hadcome home from his travels. He was the third son of the rich peasantowner, but his two elder brothers had been drowned in a flood, so thefarm was to come to him. He met Aslaug at a wedding and fell in lovewith her. In those days it was an unheard-of thing that a well-to-dopeasant of old family should court a girl of Aslaug's class. But thisyoung fellow had been long away, and he let his parents know that hehad made enough out in the world to live upon, and that if he couldnot have what he wanted at home, he would let the farm go. It wasprophesied that this indifference to the claims of family and propertywould bring its own punishment. Some said that Ole Haugen had broughtit about, by means only darkly hinted at.
So much is certain, that while the conflict between the young man andhis parents was going on, Haugen was in the best of spirits. When thebattle was over, he said that he had already made them a Bridal March,one that would never go out of the family of Tingvold—but [Pg 3]woe to thegirl, he added, whom it did not play to church as happy a bride as thecottar's daughter, Aslaug Haugen! And here again people talked of theinfluence of some mysterio