Norwegian fairy tales: Old Tales from the North
The Three Golden Gifts
The three golden gifts are received from old women during the girl’s search for the White Bear. The first gives her an apple, the second a carding-comb and the third a spinning-wheel. The women cannot show her the whole route, but lend horses and suggest that the objects may prove useful. At the distant castle, the long-nosed princess wants each gift. The girl refuses payment in money and instead bargains for a night with the prince. The first two visits fail because he has been given a sleeping drink. By the third, other captives have told him about the visitor, and he avoids the drink. The gifts therefore open the way to a conversation that the journey alone could not secure.
Also known as Golden Apple, Carding-Comb and Spinning-Wheel
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In the sources
Gifts on the road
LiteraryThe old women give the girl three distinct golden objects while passing her along the route towards the winds.
A different price
LiteraryAt the castle she trades the objects for access to the prince rather than accepting gold or money.
The third night
LiteraryThe prince stays awake after hearing the captives’ report and avoiding the princess’s sleeping drink.
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
this gold apple you may take with youOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 18
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-P0022
- Original scan leaf
- 32
- Recorded leaf number
- 32
- Current Reader position
- 23
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
the golden carding-combOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 18
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-P0022
- Original scan leaf
- 32
- Recorded leaf number
- 32
- Current Reader position
- 23
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 3
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
the gold spinning-wheelOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 19
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-P0023
- Original scan leaf
- 33
- Recorded leaf number
- 33
- Current Reader position
- 24
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 4
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
It’s not for sale, for gold or moneyOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: East of the Sun and West of the Moon, printed p. 23
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-P0027
- Original scan leaf
- 37
- Recorded leaf number
- 37
- Current Reader position
- 28
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 5
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
the Prince wide awakeOpen 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
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 Four Winds in the White Bear Tale
The East, West, South and North Winds who carry the girl towards the castle beyond ordinary reach.
Shared source pageThe Long-Nosed Princess
The prince’s intended troll bride, who bargains for the golden gifts and fails the test of the stained shirt.