Why the Sea Is Salt is a Norwegian fairy tale included by Andrew Lang in The Blue Fairy Book. Andrew Lang (31 March 1844 – 20 July 1912) was a Scots poet, novelist, and literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales.
A poor man begged from his brother on Christmas Eve. The brother promised him, depending on the variant, ham or bacon or a lamb if he would do something. The poor brother promised; the rich one handed over the food and told him to go to hell. Since he promised, he set out.
He meets an old man along the way. The man begs from him, and he gives something; in all, the old man tells him that in some underground place, they will want to buy the food from him, but he must only sell it for the hand-mill behind the door, and come to him for directions to use it. It took a great deal of haggling, but the poor man succeeded, and the old man showed him how to use it.
