Trolls of the Wilderness
Medieval to Modern · Scandinavian Folk Tradition
- First attested
- 13th centuryOld Norse sagas and Norwegian oral folk ballads.
Unexamined primal habits resist the light of consciousness until confronted and illuminated directly.
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen & Jørgen Moe, Norske Folkeeventyr (1841–1844).
Ancient beings of isolated Scandinavian boulders, deep pine forests, and mountain caves.
Evolving from early Norse giant lore into rich post-medieval Scandinavian folklore, trolls inhabited the untamed wilderness (utmark) of Norway and Sweden. Ranging from colossal multi-headed mountain brutes to cunning subterranean mound-dwellers (bergtroll), they guarded ancient treasures and kidnapped unsuspecting mortals into their mountains (bergtagning). Bound to darkness, outdoor trolls turned into solid mossy boulders when struck by the morning sun, reflecting the living petrified geography of Nordic terrain.
Light
Respecting wild boundaries, caution in unfamiliar territory, and recognizing primal instinct.
Shadow
Stupidity, stubborn isolation, animal greed, and being turned to stone by exposure.