One cannot help feeling that Norway has a different scale of measurement to that in use in most other countries of the world: here every element of the landscape - valleys, mountains, rivers, waterfalls - seems abnormally large, to the extent of conveying a vague sense of awe, as well as admiration. It could be that men feel smaller here, as they gaze in wonder at the evidence - all around them - of primordial forces which were at work here aeons ago, when the earth, was still young. Marvels of the creation are to be seen in the vast grasslands of the Artic tundra, in the glaciers of Svartisen or Jostedalsbreen, in the intricate ramifications of the fjords and in the immense pine forests inhabited by mysterious beings, as even the most knowing individual would surely not deny. Among the snow-capped peaks of the Lofoten islands, in the mists of the far-away Svalbards, at the foot at dizzying waterfalls where even the palest rays of the sun bring out resplendent rainbows, ancient legends live on and their magic is almost tangible. The grandeur of nature in Norway knows no rivals in Europe. It is accentuated moreover by the harmonious incorporation in the natural landscape of cities, villages, roads, daring bridges, built by a population whose limited size is amply compensated by exceptional willpower and industry. These accomplishments of Norway's people stem from their inveterate ability to adapt to the changing seasons and from their intense and admirable patriotism (with none of the excesses of nationalism). The pictures gathered together in this book are intended as a tribute to the largely unspoiled beauty of Norway: in certain respects a legendary country, which is why it deserves to be better known.