Jón Árnason

Jón Árnason (17 August 1819 – 4 September 1888) was an Icelandic author, librarian, and museum director who made the first collection of Icelandic folktales.

Career Jón Árnason was educated at the Latin School in Bessastaðir.

From 1848 to 1887, he was the first librarian at what became the National Library of Iceland in Reykjavík; in 1881 its name was changed from Íslands stiptisbókasafn (Foundation library of Iceland) and his title became Landsbókavörður Íslands (National Librarian of Iceland). Meanwhile he also served as the first librarian of the Iceland branch of the Icelandic Literary Society. by working as secretary to the Bishop and as a teacher and custodian of the library at the Latin School, which had moved to Reykjavík.

Folk tales and other publications Inspired by the brothers Grimm's Kinder- und Hausmärchen (Grimm's Fairy Tales), Jón began to collect and record folktales, together with Magnús Grímsson, a friend who was a schoolmaster and later a clergyman. After Magnús Grímsson died in 1860, Jón Árnason finished the collection on his own. as Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur og Æfintýri (Icelandic Folktales and Legends), comprising over 1300 pages. In 1954–61 it was reissued in Reykjavík in 6 volumes.

Jón and Magnús lacked the time and means to travel much to collect tales, instead relying on present and former pupils and other contacts to send them tales in writing.

Jón Árnason also wrote biographies of Martin Luther (1852), Charlemagne (1853), and Sveinbjörn Egilsson.

Personal life Jón married late in life but his son died before he did.

Publications Jón Árnason and Magnús Grímsson (Ed.) Íslenzk Æfintýri. Reykjavík, 1852. Jón Árnason. Íslenzkar Þjóðsögur og Æfintýri. 2 vols. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1862, 1864. Jón Árnason. Ágrip af æfisögu Dr. Marteins Lúters. Reykjavík, 1852. OCLC 52435258 Jón Árnason. Sagan af Karlamagnúsi keisara. Copenhagen, 1853. OCLC 264953221