Troll, legends and myth

Troll via Myth & Folklore Wiki

The Mythology of Norwegian Trolls

Scandinavian Trolls: Legends and Myths Explained

The Truth About Trolls via The US Department of Mythical Wildlife

Trolls in Norse mythology

Troll - Mythical Creature in Norse Mythology

Trolls. The Loveable Rejects of Mythology

The Enegmatic World of Trolls in Norse Mythology

excerpt from the article "Norwegian Fairytale Creatures" via Life in Norway

The Norwegian Troll

Where: Mountains, forests and under bridges

Perhaps the most famous fairy-tale creature in Norway is the troll. You can find them everywhere from cute souvenirs in giftshops to big statues in forests. We wouldn't want to insult an experienced fairy-tale traveller such as yourself by going over the basics, but here's a quick refresher just to jog your memory. The word “troll” is sometimes used in Scandinavian folklore as an umbrella term to describe a whole variety of different creatures. However, in the interest of specificity (and, by extension, your safety), when we refer to trolls in this guide, we consider the three Us: they are ugly, unpleasant and (h)umungous.

Norwegian trolls are often bigger than humans, and some can even be as big as the mountains themselves. You might think their size would make them very hard to miss, but trolls can blend in extremely well with surrounding nature. Furthermore, trolls have an exceptional sense of smell and if they catch your scent, it can be pretty difficult to escape.

Luckily, most trolls hide during the day, as sunlight turns them to stone. Yet, in the daytime it is sometimes possible to find evidence of where the trolls have been. For example, I was hiking in Sangefjell recently with a Norwegian friend who informed me that the reason there are rocks littered everywhere is because trolls on opposite mountains tend to throw them at each other during the night.

How to escape 

Trolls may be renowned for their size, but they're also known for their stupidity. If you're caught by a troll, then outwitting it may be your only way of survival. Even animals have been known to outsmart trolls. In “De tre bukkene Bruse” (The Three Billy Goats Gruff) (AT122E), three billy goats want to cross a bridge that has a troll underneath. The small one goes first, and the troll immediately jumps up and threatens to eat him. The small one says if he waits, another bigger goat will come next and he'll make a much better meal. The troll agrees and the small goat crosses.

The medium-sized goat then steps onto the other bridge and again, the troll jumps up to eat him. However, the medium-sized goat promises the troll the same thing as the small goat, and while the troll is unhappy, he agrees and lets the medium-sized goat pass.

Now it's the big goat's turn. The troll jumps out, but the big goat rams him with his horns and knocks the troll into the river. The troll drowns and the three goats live happily ever after.

However, this strategy has several conditions. First, you need to at least be as smart as a billy goat (we're sure you are, of course, but not everyone is). Second, the troll has to be one of the cleverer ones – that is, one that is capable of human speech. Third, we are unsure whether trolls speak any language other than Norwegian or how strong their dialect is.

In the worst case scenario, your best chance is either to hold out until dawn or find a church and ring the bell, as trolls hate the sound of church bells.

However, as with most things, the best strategy is a preventative one. Do not go out hiking in mountainous areas in the dark. Even if you don't encounter a troll, the wilderness can be an extremely dangerous place and you can easily get into serious trouble.