Asbjörnsen, Peter Christen (1812–1885)

Norwegian writer and folklorist. In collaboration with Jørgen Moe, he wrote the collection Norske Folkeeventyr/Norwegian Folk Tales 1841–44. On his own he published Norske Huldreeventyr og Folkesagn/Norwegian Fairy Tales and Folk Legends 1845–47, in which much of the growing national spirit in Norwegian literature can be traced.

Asbjörnsen was born in Oslo. He became a tutor out in the country, spending much time studying the poetry and folklore of the local people. Later he became a government forestry inspector.