Alesund, Norway-TROLLS EVERYWHERE-3 of 3

YES, Norway is all about TROLLS. Cute, ugly, or scary? "Trolls" covers several types of human-like beings in Nordic folklore and fairy tales with roots in Norse mythology. Trolls are an important part of our cultural heritage, and all Norwegians can tell you what they look like and how they belong.

"We don't know exactly when or where it started, however you will find them in our narrative tradition, and you can find them in our first written sources, sagas, from the Middle Ages. We don't know how old they are in people's imaginations, but it's old", says Ane Ohrvik, professor of cultural history and museology at the University of Oslo.

Both appearance and characteristics vary, and trolls are usually both dangerous and stupid. They can be big and sinister, even gigantic, like a huge mountain, or they can be small and playful. Some have one head, others have three. And it is also common for many of them to have only one eye. Once upon a time, these strange and dangerous creatures roamed freely in the mysterious Norwegian mountains and forests. But the trolls only went out at night, in the dark. Because there was only one thing that could scare a real troll: The sunlight.

Many held the notion that nature was inhabited by different types of creatures and that humans lived side by side with these creatures, which were more or less visible and more or less dangerous. Some are more imaginative and part of the fantasy, while others were more real and people maybe took some precautions against them. YOU DECIDE!

Note: After contemplating TROLLS, also see the beautiful waterfront here.Read more