Norwegian Trolls: Everything You Need To Know
If you know anything about Norway then you know that there are a lot of things related to trolls in that country. Trollstunga, Trollsfjord, the Troll Park in Senja – what exactly is going on there?
Well, trolls are monsters from Norse mythology, so it makes sense that they’re ever so present in Norway. What do they look like, where do they live, do they eat humans, and do they really exist are just some of the many questions I’ll answer about trolls! Read on to learn everything worth knowing about Norwegian trolls!
What Are Trolls?
Trolls are creatures from Norse mythology. They are mentioned in a variety of Old Norse texts, and they’re usually described as beings that live in isolated rocks, caves, or mountains. Trolls are believed to either live alone or in small families, and they do not get along with humans.
The exact origin of the word “troll” is not known for certain. Norwegian folk tales were passed down orally, so there’s no written record of most of them. Some of the first written records of the use of the word “troll” are in Prose Edda from the 13th century. In the book, an encounter between skald Bragi Boddason and an unnamed troll woman is described:
‘Trolls call me
moon of dwelling-Rungnir,
giant’s wealth-sucker,
storm-sun’s bale,
seeress’s friendly companion,
guardian of corpse-fiord,
swallower of heaven-wheel;
what is a troll other than that?’ (F