Although some of these tales bear a similarity to the well-known standard fairy tales, which have been the delight of countless children for many generations, they all possess an originality peculiarly their own. It is remarkable too that, whereas in most southern legends it is always the prince who delivers the princess and performs the heroic and valorous deeds, in these Icelandic tales it is for the most part the young princess or peasant maiden who undergoes all the hardships and trials, and after countless dangers rescues the prince who has fallen under the ban of some wicked witch or...