En glad Gut (A Happy Boy) is a novel published in 1860 by the Norwegian writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson.
[2] The main character, Øyvind Plassen, is a cotter's son that eventually wins a foothold in life, and thereby also his beloved Marit, a farm girl, through education at an agricultural school.
[3][4] Edvard Beyer wrote in Norges litteraturhistorie (Norway's Literary History) that "The story has a lyrical feel, especially the scenes from childhood.
The critics had many words of praise, and with its cheerful tone and simple message—Løft ditt hode, du raske gutt!
and Elsk din neste, du kristensjel 'Love your neighbor, you Christian soul'—A Happy Boy is perhaps the most beloved of all of Bjørnson's stories.