Trolls are also repelled by lightning, which kills them – likely a result of their run-ins with Thor who is said to have hunted trolls across the land. As un-Christian beings, trolls are said to go crazy when they hear the bells and run far away. If you can’t get the better of a troll in an eating contest, then the best way is to ring church bells. Thus, the boy took all of his gold and silver and the farmer could pay off his debts. The troll, being rather stupid, did so and promptly died. Once the troll was full and could eat no more, the boy suggested that the troll cut a hole in his stomach, like they boy appeared to have done, so that he could eat as much as he liked. Once it was full he slashed a hole in it and continued to eat. They ate as much as they could, however the boy had placed his knapsack under his shirt and was filling it with the porridge, without the troll noticing. Once it was ready the boy suggested they have an eating contest. The boy tended the fire while the troll went to get water to make porridge. The troll obviously didn’t want a whole spring in his house and so they exchanged chores. The boy realized that he couldn’t carry such massive buckets, let alone filled with water, so he claimed they were too small and that he would simply bring the whole spring instead. As he was tending the fire, he pointed to two huge buckets and asked the boy to fetch water. Thus, the troll was fooled and, fearing his great strength, offered to help the boy with his wood cutting.Īfter working hard, the troll invited the boy back to his home for a meal. When he encountered the angry troll, Askeladden pulled out the piece of cheese and, pretending it was a rock, squeezed it until the whey came out. When his first two sons went into the forest and returned empty handed – having been scared away by the troll – Askeladden went into the forest with a piece of cheese to keep him from starving. One tale tells of Askeladden, the youngest son of a farmer who needed wood from the forst to pay off his debts. They may set clever riddles but they’re usually easy enough for humans to overcome. Aside from being unfriendly, they’re also generally depicted as stupid and dangerous. No matter the type of troll, they all have some characteristics in common. They use their connections with nature to baffle and deceive humans. In Norse mythology, however, they’re not generally friendly to humans. These are more akin to the trolls that help Queen Elsa in Frozen. Unlike their forest-dwelling cousins, cave trolls live completely underground and are generally depicted as smaller than humans with a large round abdomen and short stubby arms and legs. These are also the trolls whose riddles you have to solve to cross a bridge, if you ever find yourself inside a fairytale, or playing an RPG! Trolls of the caves They are said to use their connections with nature to uproot trees to use as clubs as well as being able to cause hurricanes and avalanches. These are the beings that eat hobbits for dinner in Lord of the Rings or distract from Voldemort in Harry Potter. They’re generally depicted as large, dumb, brutish creatures akin to a large neanderthal. The first type is known as the forest or mountain troll. What we do get a kind of agreement on, when we distil all of the arguments down, is that there are two types of troll. Some theorize that they’re four distinct classes of beings while others believe that troll is a catch-all for ‘mischievous creatures. There’s much overlap in the terms jötunn (giant), troll, þurs (hostile monsters) and risi (heroic beings). The noun troll or troll, meaning variously fiend, demon, werewolf and giant, comes from a proto-Germanic word trullan or unknown origin. Gods and monsters are referred to by different names and when we come to interpret the source material – the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda that were the best attempts at writing everything down – we find various scholars disagreeing on almost everything! So where do our mythical trolls come from? And what are ‘proper’ trolls like? Well, the answer to that, as always, is complicated! Join us as we go into the Hall of the Mountain King and try to get to the bottom of the legends.Īs Norse mythology was mostly handed down orally, it can be difficult to get a real handle on what’s what. Each portrayal is slightly different from the last. We’ve seen them helping Queen Elsa in Frozen, trying to cook Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings and guarding bridges to the annoyance of our fairy-tale heroes. Trolls are one of the mythical creatures that are portrayed in popular culture on a regular basis. Whether it’s a tacky figurine lined up on a gift shop shelf ready to give you that ‘perfect’ souvenir, or a fluorescent haired cartoon toy aimed at entertaining children, we all know trolls. You may have driven Trollstigen or hiked to the Troll's Tongue, but how much do you know about the mythology?
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