Norwegian fairy tales: Old Tales from the North
The Long-Nosed Princess
The long-nosed princess is the bride the enchanted prince says he must marry after the girl lights the candle. The tale describes her nose as three ells long. At the distant castle she wants the girl’s golden objects and exchanges nights with the prince for them, while a sleeping drink prevents him from responding. The reunion succeeds when he avoids the drink. He then declares that he will marry the woman who can wash the tallow spots out of his shirt. The princess, her mother and the other trolls only make the stains worse. When the girl cleans it at once, the prince chooses her. The story ends with the enraged troll household bursting and the captives being released.
Also known as Long-nose in East of the Sun and West of the Moon
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In the sources
An intended marriage
LiteraryThe prince names the long-nosed princess as the woman he is now required to marry at the distant castle.
The sleeping drink
LiteraryHer drink keeps the prince asleep during the girl’s first visits, until he learns what has happened and avoids it.
Failure at the washing
LiteraryThe princess and other trolls worsen the shirt’s stains. The girl succeeds, and the troll household’s defeat closes the tale.
Context & interpretation
This entry follows the title tale in the undated George H. Doran edition illustrated by Kay Nielsen. Its references identify the actual printed prose and exact Reader pages.
Original passages
Source 1
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
a nose three ells longOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 16
Actual checksum-verified public Reader prose image inspected. Printed pagination read from the text page, not inferred from illustration-list or plate-caption references. Short quotation transcribed with spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0253-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0253-E001-P0018
- Original scan leaf
- 28
- Recorded leaf number
- 28
- Current Reader position
- 19
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
the Princess came with her sleepy drinkOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 25
Actual checksum-verified public Reader prose image inspected. Printed pagination read from the text page, not inferred from illustration-list or plate-caption references. Short quotation transcribed with spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0253-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0253-E001-P0031
- Original scan leaf
- 41
- Recorded leaf number
- 41
- Current Reader position
- 32
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 3
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
the bigger the spots grewOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 26
Actual checksum-verified public Reader prose image inspected. Printed pagination read from the text page, not inferred from illustration-list or plate-caption references. Short quotation transcribed with spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0253-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0253-E001-P0032
- Original scan leaf
- 42
- Recorded leaf number
- 42
- Current Reader position
- 33
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 4
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
the Princess with the long nose after herOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 27
Actual checksum-verified public Reader prose image inspected. Printed pagination read from the text page, not inferred from illustration-list or plate-caption references. Short quotation transcribed with spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0253-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0253-E001-P0033
- Original scan leaf
- 43
- Recorded leaf number
- 43
- Current Reader position
- 34
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Continue exploring
The Castle East of the Sun and West of the Moon
The remote castle reached with the North Wind’s help, where the girl must recover the enchanted prince.
Shared source pageThe Three Golden Gifts
The apple, carding-comb and spinning-wheel that the girl trades for three nights of access to the prince.
Shared source pageThe White Bear
The enchanted prince who is a bear by day and a man by night in East of the Sun and West of the Moon.
Shared source pageThe White Bear’s Castle
The splendid dwelling entered through a steep hill, which vanishes when the girl loses the enchanted prince.