This little fellow is standing outside of the ski museum at the Holmenkollen ski jump. He looks quite happy and content. I guess he enjoys all the tourists taking photos of him.
Trolls are mythic creatures from the Norwegian folk tales. They usually live in the deep forests, inside mountains or under a bridge. According to the fairy tales, trolls don't like sunlight. In fact, if the sunrays hit them, they'll turn into stone.
Some trolls are very mean, some are kind, some are huge and some are small. They're also known to be quite gullible, so if a troll captures you - keep your head clear and try to fool him. Like "Askeladden" (Ash lad) in this story:
One day Askeladden and his two older brothers were out in the forrest, they met the Troll. This troll was not a good one, and it caught the three brothers and brought them to his cage. Askeladden realized that they would all be eaten the next day. But he would try to fool the troll.
"Let's have a competition", said Askeladden to the troll.
"If I can eat more of that porridge than you, then you will set us free."
The troll thought this boy was very funny. How could this little boy eat more than him? But the troll agreed to the terms, and they started eating. After they had finished the first bowl, the troll was very surprised that Askeladden still seemed hungry. What the troll didn't know was that Askeladden had his bag inside his sweater and that he used this bag to put the food in.
"Why don't we bring another bowl of porridge on", said Askeladden, but now the troll was starting to get full. After a while the troll said to Askeladden that he could not eat any more. Nor could Askeladden, so he suggests to the troll that the can cut their belly open with a knife. The troll may be stupid, but not that stupid, and he laughs and says that he will do it if Askeladden does it first. Of course Askeladden just cuts his bag, while the troll, who really don't want to lose the competition, cuts his belly.
After the troll is dead, Askeladden releases his brothers, and takes all the gold in the trolls cave with him back home.
For a more modern version of another fairytale (Little Red Riding Hood), check out the link in the menu to the right - under Norwegian comedy.
7 kommentarer:
When you see a troll with at least one hand in his pocket it means one of two things.
The most obvious is that the artist has trouble carving hands.
I can't explain the other.
I hope you get to see the last photos in the robin series.
Have a nice weekend.
So, trolls don't like sunlight. That must be why the troll lived under the bridge in "The Billy Goats Gruff."
Different kind of trolls has always been living also in Finland :) and
elfs and pixies.
Even sauna has got it`s own "sauna elf".
Nice weekend to you!
I love these trolls. I had a photo of one taken in Narvik posted on Blogtrotter 70s & 80s! Memories of a fantastic trip...
Thank you for all your comments! :)
As a child, troll stories always used to frighten me. I'll show the photo to my grand-daughter but I think I'll skip the story!!
Kate: I'm sorry to hear you got scared as a kid by the troll stories! I think these fairytales are made in a way that kids think is exciting without getting too scared. At least that's how I remember them. Almost everyone I know has grown up with the fairytales about Askeladden and the trolls, and we're not traumatized. :)
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