This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1866. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Icelandic legends Jon Arnason PREFACE. Encouraged by the generous welcome accorded us by the reviews and the public, and urged on not less by friendly hands and friendly voices than by our own warm interest in the work, we come forward, this time more confidently, with a Second Series of the Legends of Iceland. We have thought fit, as this is our final selection from Mr. Arnason's work, to introduce it with an Essay which shall enable our readers to take a general and comprehensive view of the popular fancy of Iceland; of its mode of regarding the world of wonders, visible nature, and the various phases of human life and character. To students of folk-lore in all its bearings, we sincerely trust that this Introduction may prove valuable: to the general reader, we doubt not that it will be interesting and amusing. We have purposely avoided entering into minute details, preferring to give a broad and clear outline of our subject, rather than to exhaust the pith or spirit of the tales which constitute our volume. By so doing, we believe that the Essay will rather enhance than detract from such interest as the stories may possess. To students of folk-lore let us point out, that many of the tales in this book have a far deeper moral and meaning than may appear on their surface, or to the reader who glances superficially over them with a view to whiling away a spare half-hour. Upon this undercurrent we should have dwelt in our Introduction, had we not found, early in the day, that, by so doing, we should have converted an essay into a volume almost as large as the one it was intended to preface. Moreover, we should thus have overstepped the limits of our plan. We have therefore thought it better to leave ...