ELIZABETH LONGFROCK

About the Book

Hans Aanrud's short stories are considered by his own countrymen as belonging to the most original and artistically finished life pictures that have been produced by the younger literati of Norway. They are generally concerned with peasant character, and present in true balance the course and fine in peasant nature. The style of speech is occasionally over-concreted for sophisticated ears, but it is not unwholesome. Of weak or cloying sweetness, so abhorrent to Norwegian taste, there is never a trace. Sidsel Sidsærk was dedicated to the author's daughter on her eighth birthday, and is doubtless largely reminiscent of Aanrud's own childhood. If I have been able to give a rendering at all worthy of the original, readers of Elizabeth Longfrock will find that the whole story breathes a spirit of unaffected poetry not inconsistent with the common life which it depicts. This fine blending of the poetic and commonplace is another characteristic of Aanrud's writings. While translating the book I was living in the region where the scenes of the story are laid, and had the benefit of local knowledge concerning terms used, customs referred to, etc. No pains were spared in verifying particulars, especially through elderly people on the farms, who could best explain the old-fashioned terms and who had a clear remembrance of obsolescent details of high pasture life. For this welcome help and for elucidations through other friends I wish here to offer my hearty thanks.

About the Author

Norman Hull is the author of two children's books, Joyce's Holiday in France and Robin's Big Brother. He is a retired computer systems programmer/operator where he has written operation procedure for operators and terminal operation manuals for employees. He is a long time volunteer with the American Red Cross where he was a First Aid and CPR instructor where he wrote a First Aid Manual for Manufacturing Employees back in 1980. In addition to the Red Cross he served as an Instructor, Training Coordinator and Evaluator in the U.S. Navy. Overall, he has had over 40 years of teaching. Today he lives in Michigan where he spends his time assisting students with reading difficulties in the HOST program 2nd and 3rd graders and Summer School coaching students with learning challenges. His books have fictitious characters but everything else is based on actual locations, events, conditions, clothing and morals as they were in the 1890's.