TrollsMost people today know of trolls mainly from books, games and films - the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Terry Pratchett spring immediately to mind. The term has come to refer to almost any large, powerful humanoid creature, often of low intelligence with an affinity for rock.The actual folklore of the original trolls originates in Scandanavian mythology. They are probably an offshoot of the "Jotun" from Norse mythology who battled the gods. Even here the word "troll" had many different connotations. The most well-known form of trolls are those of Norway: an oversized, brutish man-creature. They are usually unpleasant both in appearance and attitude. They would steal food from people and sometimes were able to become invisible. The worst behaving trolls would also steal away people to keep as toys, pets or slaves. Most trolls preferred to live in hills or mountains, often in complex cave systems. Some say that, like western dragons, trolls would amass and jealously guard a store of gold and treasure. Other concepts from Scandanavian folklore incude trolls being able to shape shift and also sometimes turning to stone if exposed to sunlight. Over the years trolls have become less fearsome and more popular, even "cute". Many companies have made and sold troll models of various types. In the 1960s Troll Dolls (also known as 'Dam Dolls' after the original creator Thomas Dam) became a popular fad as "good luck trolls". Dam Dolls are still produced today by the Troll Company in Denmark. Many people buy and collect troll figures and the original Troll Dolls of the '60s are especially sought after. Recently, the Trollz TV series has become a hit with young audiences and there is a wide range of Trollz stuff available to buy.
|
