Iceland is a land where stories are as important as history. When Vikings settled the island they brought their tales with them. Every rock, hot spring and waterfall seems to have its own tale: cruel man-eating trolls rub shoulders with beautiful elves whose homes are hidden from mortal view, whilst vengeful ghosts envy the living, seeking to drag lost loves into their graves. Many of the stories in this collection are classic Icelandic tales, while others are completely new to English translation. Hjorleifur is typically Icelandic and grew up hearing stories from his grandparents. He is dedicated to breathing fresh life into the stories he loves. He lives in his native Borgarnes, and also spends a lot of time in Scotland, where he is becoming renowned in the Scottish storytelling circuit. AUTHOR: Professional storyteller, musician, innkeeper, farmer, builder/carpenter, cook, guide, Hjorleifur Stefansson is Icelandic through and through. From Borgarnes, about 60km north of Reykjavik, on the west side of the island, and with a father from the east side, he has stories from all over the island. He didn't learn stories from a book; he was served stories of old Iceland along with his porridge for years, his grandparents being storytellers by nature. A burgeoning storytelling talent from the far North, last year he wowed audiences at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival. He divides his time between Iceland and Scotland. 30 b/w illustrations