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Trolls are mythological creatures originating from Norse mythology and folklore. They have often been used to explain inexplicable phenomena in nature, such as large stones or mysterious rock formations.
Trolls can vary in size and appearance. They are born with one head and one eye, but as they grow older they often grow two more heads to scare away other trolls, although many still only have one eye. They eat coal and stones.
They often have coarse features, with long noses, bushy hair and stony skin. Trolls are closely associated with nature, especially mountains, forests and large landscapes. There are many stories of trolls living in mountain caves, under bridges or deep in forests. They are also known to be frightened of daylight and can turn to stone if exposed to the sun. That's why they only roam at night. Trolls can live as long as 1,000-12,000 years.
Listen to our troll creator Helge Nordskar talk about trolls and his lifelong fascination with them.
In a remote Norwegian village, surrounded by majestic mountains, lies a small community that lives in harmony with nature. The locals know old stories about the troll that is said to live in the mountains, but most people consider it just folklore.
A group of adventurous youngsters, led by the brave Olav and the curious Nora, decide to explore the mountains one summer day. With something to eat and drink in their backpacks, they set off on a hike, eager to find the famous troll.
As they hike deep into the mountains, the landscape begins to change mysteriously. Rocks seem to move and the trees take on a frightening aura. Suddenly, they hear deep, rumbling sounds that make them stop in fear.
As they approach a hidden cave, they see a figure that resembles a troll. What first appeared to be a stone formation now transforms into a living, terrifying creature. With eyes that glow in the dark and a terrifying appearance, the troll emerges from the mountain.
The troll stirs with a loud, deep growl that makes the ground tremble under the youngsters' feet. Olav and Nora, who have been leading the group, freeze, but the troll's enormous, sharp gaze falls directly on them. The eyes glow as if they have seen countless years pass, and an eerie calm rests over the old creature. For a few long seconds, they stand face to face with the troll, their hearts pounding in their chests, and everything around them is silent - except for the deep, heavy breathing of the giant creature in front of them.
Suddenly, against all expectations, the troll speaks in a deep, resounding voice: "Who dares to disturb my long sleep?". Nora, who has always been fascinated by the stories of trolls, takes a deep breath and answers in a trembling voice: "We... we just wanted to see if the stories were true. We didn't mean to disturb you."
The troll stares at them for a few more seconds before stepping back, clearly unimpressed. "True?" it says, wrinkling the rough stone skin of its face. "Truth is something humans have forgotten for many years." Olav takes a step forward. "What do you mean?" he asks, surprisingly brave.
The troll grins, revealing sharp, stone-like teeth. "You humans always forget... the forest, the mountains, what lies beneath the ground.
You don't believe it anymore, but I've been here for centuries. I am part of the mountain." All at once, the troll takes a step back, as if merging with the rocks around it. "Go home," it growls. "And don't forget me." With those words, the troll disappears back into the mountain, and silence descends over the landscape again. The young people are left standing, breathless, before they realize that they have witnessed something no one else will believe. They look at each other, and without a word they start walking back to the village - knowing that the trolls, the ancient creatures of the mountains, still guard the land.
There's a story about three large trolls that roamed the Heidal Forest. But the trolls only had one eye and they had to share it. All three had a hole in their foreheads so they could take turns carrying the eye.
One day, they came across two boys from Heidal who were logging. One of the boys thought they were going to give the trolls a run for their money, so he said to the other, "You run ahead and I'll run behind with the axe." Then he chopped off the Achilles tendon of one of the trolls. The troll screamed. The boy said "go home and get a load of gold and silver, or I'll chop off the other one too". The trolls wouldn't listen, so the boy chopped off the other troll's Achilles tendon! The troll then shouted at the sorceress with his eyes and told her to bring a load of gold and silver before this went completely wrong. The witch did so and the trolls went back into the forest.
Some people have heard a legend about this story: When the time of the trolls was over in the area, no one wanted to bury them. They ended up piling the trolls in Murudalen. They dug a deep pit and threw stones over it. Many people have searched for these mounds; one of the eyes is said to be in the mound, and it is said to be so clear that it glows. At Glittersjå there is such a mound, and it looks like the eye is inside. If you look down into the holes between the stones, you should be able to see the light...
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