Ash Lad Collection

Ash lad Espen, his father and half-bothers are delighted to be invited by prince Raul in a royal carriage to attend a grand ball for suitors of king Erik's daughter Kristin, but to their horror Pera and Pål are thrown in the dungeon, falsely accusing of poisoning the king. Espen sets out with princess Kristin on a long shot to find as cure the water of life in the mythical palace of Soria Moria, deep under an enchanted Norwegian lake, guarded jealously by its grim king's monsters. On the road they encounter robbers and fortune hunters, who cause problems, but ultimately find clues from the only man who ever returned from the lake, just in time for the execution of the alleged regicide culprits and inthronization of the real murderer unless they prevent it.

Nordic king Erik orders his heiress Kristian, who turned down all suitors, to marry Danish prince Fredrik (Frederic) before her 18th birthday, as legend holds she'll otherwise fall to the 'mountain king' of trolls. Instead she makes a fugue into the very mountains, and the king promises her hand and royal dowry to whoever rescues her. Prince Fredrik sets out with his burly retainers, but faces unexpected competition from three peasant brothers. Playful, clumsy Espen Askeladd (ash lad') always tested his farmer father's patience, unable to get any chores done, but is just chased in disgrace after 'accidentally' burning down the homestead. His strict eldest brother Per and glutton middle brother Pal set out to search for the princess to earn enough to rebuild the farm, and finding Espen trail along allow him to join. He picks up seemingly useless objects and earns, by kindness to a witch, a magical map. Their party and the prince's rival bitterly while facing dangers on the road to the troll king, who isn't there only magical challenge.