This book reminded me a lot of Heidi, but in a much harsher land that made me glad my winter's are nowhere near that bad. While this book seems geared towards juvenile readers, it would be a great read as well for adults who want to know more about life in rural Scandinavia. ( )

Sidsel Longskirt: A Girl of Norway, translated by Dagny Mortenson & Margery Williams Bianco.

In this classic Norwegian children's novel, the eponymous Sidsel Longskirt - a name derived from the overly long skirt given to her by her elder brother Jacob - goes to live at Hoel Farm after the death of her mother. Here she contributes by working as an animal herder, looking after the flocks of sheep and goats, and traveling up to the farm's mountainside sæter each summer. As she grows, Sidsel proves that she is hardworking and goodhearted, winning the good opinion of Kirsti Hoel, and the friendship of her fellow summertime herders, John and Peter. The story concludes shortly after Sidsel's confirmation, as she looks back on her fifteen years of life, and forward to her new role as head milk maid at Hoel Farm, and her possible marriage to Peter.

After reading and greatly enjoying Lisbeth Longfrock, Laura E. Poulsson's 1907 translation of Hans Aanrud's 1903 Norwegian children's classic, Sidsel Sidsærk, I tracked down this later translation of the same work, done by Dagny Mortenson and Margery Williams Bianco in 1935, in order to contrast and compare the two. The first thing of note, as mentioned in my review of Lisbeth Longfrock, is the different titles. Whereas Poulsson chose to retain the alliteration of the original title, by changing her heroine's name, Mortenson and Bianco retained the heroine's original name, but lost the alliterative effect. A second, but no less important point, is the fact that this version presents a much simpler and briefer version of the story than that found in the Poulsson translation. Not having read the original, I can't say with certainty which is the more faithful, but I lean toward the earlier, longer work, in this question. Lisbeth Longfrock contains eleven chapters, and is 149 pages long, with an average of 27 lines per page. Sidsel Longskirt, on the other hand, contains ten chapters, and is 124 pages long, also with an average of 27 lines per page. 'Lisbeth' is a smaller book, with smaller pages, but its type is correspondingly smaller, so I think we can assume that each of its pages contains roughly the same amount of text as can be found on a page of 'Sidsel.' The different number of chapters is interesting, but unrelated to length or content, as the events of the first two chapters in 'Lisbeth' are all contained in the first chapter of 'Sidsel.' We can conclude from all of this that either Poulsson inserted 25 extra pages of story, or Mortenson and Williams left a corresponding amount out.

Almost from the beginning, it becomes clear that not only is there a disparity between the two versions in terms of text length, but also that the Poulsson and Mortenson/Bianco translations display different levels of textual complexity and (I would argue) lyric beauty. One of the things I most enjoyed about Lisbeth Longfrock was the lovely description it contained of the natural world, something for which Hans Aanrud was apparently known. A comparison of specific passages reveals that this is one of the things that has been greatly simplified and/or omitted in 'Sidsel.' Much of a cultural and religious nature has also been omitted, including the three-page description of the funeral of Lisbeth's mother, which is described in two sentences in the Mortenson/Bianco version. Also changed is the scene in which Lisbeth and her brother Jacob see one another for the first time after their mother's death, and both weep. In the Mortenson/Bianco version, only Sidsel cries, perhaps pointing to changing social expectations of young boys. Perhaps in 1907 it was still acceptable in America for a young boy who has lost his mother to cry, whereas by 1935, he is expected to be more stoic. Whatever the case may be, it's an interesting change.

All in all, I definitely preferred Lisbeth Longfrock to Sidsel Longskirt, even though the latter had illustrations by Ingri and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire, whose artwork I love. That said, although Sidsel Longskirt may fall short in comparison to its predecessor, it still has immense charm and appeal, and its simplified text might actually be preferable for younger children. For my part, I am glad I had the opportunity to read both, and hope to one day track down a copy of the third English translation of Sidsel Sidsærk, Anna Barwell's 1923 British translation, Little Sidsel Longskirt. ( )

Lisbeth Longfrock, translated by Laura E. Poulsson.

In this beautifully descriptive children's novel, Norwegian author Hans Aanrud chronicles the youth of the eponymous Lisbeth Longfrock - so named because of the overly long dress given to the heroine by her older brother Jacob, which she wears for most of the book - from her young childhood living with her mother on the mountainside, through her time of service working as a herder at Hoel Farm, to her eventual confirmation and entry into maturity. By turns poignant and joyful, the narrative explores both the sorrow that Lisbeth experiences, upon the death of her mother, and her subsequent departure from the only home she has ever known, and the satisfaction she derives from working for the kindly Kjersti Hoel, who takes her in. The scenes set at the Hoel Farm sæter - a mountainside pasture where livestock is taken in the summer, and where butter and cheese is produced - are rich with descriptions of the natural world, and the humor of Lisbeth's interactions with her two fellow herders, Ole and Peter, is deftly captured. The book concludes with Lisbeth's confirmation - a ritual whose spiritual and emotional significance is beautifully depicted - and with the granting of one of the heroine's fondest hopes, when she is made head milkmaid. Her long-term future is also hinted at, in the incipient understanding that has developed between herself and Peter.

Originally published in Norway in 1903 as Sidsel Sidsærk, this classic children's novel has been translated into English three times, beginning with this 1907 version done by Norwegian-American children's author and translator Laura E. Poulsson, whose father emigrated to the United States from Norway, and who was living in the region of Norway where the story is set, whilst she worked on its translation. Subsequent translations include that done by Englishwoman Anna Barwell in 1923 (Little Sidsel Longskirt), and that done by Norwegian Dagny Mortenson and American Margery Williams Bianco - for American publication - in 1935 (Sidsel Longskirt). As someone interested in issues of translation - I have the Mortenson translation on hold at the library, and intend to read it soon - I was immediately struck by the choices made by the different translators, beginning with the title itself. Clearly Poulsson wanted to retain the poetic alliteration of the original, making the decision to change the heroine's name. Barwell and Mortenson, on the other hand, have opted to retain the heroine's original name, but have sacrificed the titular alliteration to do it. This is the sole point of comparison I am able to comment upon, having not as yet read the other translations, although I hope to revisit the topic in my review of the Mortenson version. I will say that Poulsson's work here is admirable, her text (and Aanrud's, one presumes!), is lovely, full of descriptive passages that caught my attention, and capable of evoking great emotion, when describing Lisbeth's reaction to her mother's illness and death, her experience of her confirmation, and her final stock-taking, in which she looks back upon her short life. I appreciated the fact that Poulsson used footnotes, to communicate certain extra information to her readers. The story itself was engaging, without being sentimental or romantic in the slightest, and I came away wanting to read more by Aanrud. Fortunately, another of his children's novels, Solve Suntrap, has also been translated! Recommended to young readers who enjoy stories like Heidi, with its blend of natural and social observation, and its note of piety. ( )