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baleanopteratungl sjötrungnis,
auðsug jötuns,
élsólar böl,
vilsinn völu,
vörð náfjarðar,
hvélsvelg himins –
hvat's troll nema þat?
They call me Troll;
Gnawer of the Moon,
Giant of the Gale-blasts,
Curse of the rain-hall,
Companion of the Sibyl,
Nightroaming hag,
Swallower of the loaf of heaven.
What is a Troll but that?
- from Skáldskaparmál
I've once mentioned that I'm not too fond of trolls. This is true to a point, but to be precise, what I'm not fond of is the stupid, blundering troll. The sinister, creepy troll on the other hand? They are a whole other category. So I thought – why not make a tribute to the trolls I do like? Well, here is my attempt at an audio-visual tribute to trolls.
True, sometimes trolls are stupid, but most of the time they are not. In Norwegian they are just as often referred to as "underjordiske" - those that dwell beneath the earth or the subterraneans if you wish. Trolls are nature. They live in mountains and deep forest lakes. Their realm is the dark pine wood forest and the lonely mountain plateau.
Hedningarna: Dufwa
There is a creepy, crawly feeling about this song. Like the rhythm is the footsteps of something sinister sneaking up on you. Based on that I’m ignoring the fact that it has nothing what so ever to do about trolls and posting it based on sheer mood. Hedningarna is folk rock/punk, but this is one of their more quiet pieces.
There is a boundary mentioned in almost all the folklore and the stories - between the inner fields marked by the stone or wooden fences and the outer fields beyond. The outer fields, the utmark, are where the trolls live. You cross into utmark and you're on their territory, their mercy.
Gåte: Margit Hjukse
This tells the story of young Margit who crossed into troll territory, got abducted by a troll and forced to marry him. She bears him six children and after begging dearly she is allowed to see her family again. But she is only with her father for an hour before the troll comes rushing in and takes her away. She is never seen again.
This song has a special place in my heart. The "Hjukse" mentioned is a large farm not far from where my grandmother grew up. When I was little she would show me the path where Margit was kidnapped, as well as the place where she had her last meeting with her family. In front of the local school there is a statue of Margit, crying in all her misery.
This version of the song is by Gåte, the name means riddle. It is a mixture of folk music and electronica-rock which creates a drive that is practically breathtaking.
Garmarna: Herr Mannelig
This tells the story of a troll hag asking the man "Mannelig" to marry her. She lists all the rich, wonderful gift he will get if he accepts; mills with wheels made of silver and gold, a wonderful sword, twelve horses that have never been ridden and a shirt made from a single sheet of silk. All this she offers while lamenting the fact that he refuses her a simple answer. In the end Mannlig tells her no, stating his reason to be that she isn't a proper Christian woman. The troll laments this as well, saying that a "yes" would have saved her from her torment, never divulging what said torment is. The song is quiet and sure - and it always reminds me of a wind blowing.
Trolls are magic. In Norwegian to troll means to work magic. Trolldom is magic. There is no old Norse word for witch, instead a woman cunning in magic was called a troll hag. The result is that if there are trolls there is magic. Usually dark and sinister magic.
Bjørgulv Straume: Fanitullen.
This tune was said to be made by the devil or the trolls. The myths vary on that point. What they do agree on is that the song is dangerous – and that it can enchant people. Make them loose their minds and their senses. It is called Fanitullen which means the devils tune. This recording is done with Jew’s harp, and is a very tradition folk music recording. I just love it.
Some trolls become more famous than others. The reasons for this are many, but few have such good reasons for his fame as Loki. Of Jotne descent (or if you will troll, since they are interchangeable) he became a god in the Norse pantheon. Later echoes of his character showed up in a lot of fairytales as a trickster, a con.man and the most cunning of trolls.
Annbjørg Lien: Loki
I will here go out on a limb and claim that Annbjørg Lien is perhaps one of the best folk musicians to come from Norway. Her instrument is the very traditional harding fiddle, but her music is a blend of traditional and electronica, samii and what ever else that crosses her path. Like Loki the trickster this is a track that changes and refuses to be pinned down.
I find that a good a closing for trolls as anything else.
