Trolls in Norwegian Folklore

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Trolls belong to the imagined landscapes of Norwegian folklore: forests, mountains, and places beyond the familiar household. They can be threatening, foolish, strange, or unexpectedly sympathetic. There is no single description that fits every story.

Older stories, changing forms

The word and its associations reach back into Old Norse tradition, but the troll has changed over time. Later legends, fairy tales, illustrations, and modern entertainment have each given it different features. A small friendly figure in a contemporary design is therefore part of a continuing interpretation, not a literal portrait of one fixed ancient creature.

It is useful to distinguish folklore from natural history. Troll stories tell us about imagination, storytelling, and the way people related to their surroundings; they are not evidence of a real species living in the mountains.

From spoken tale to printed image

Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe began publishing Norske Folkeeventyr in 1841–1844. Their work brought oral stories into print through collection and editing. Later illustrators helped give the characters a lasting visual presence.

Theodor Kittelsen is especially closely associated with the Norwegian troll in art. His Skogtroll, probably drawn in 1906 and used as a book-cover illustration in 1907, is one example of the connection between a creature and its woodland setting.

Why the surroundings matter

When looking at a troll image, pay attention to the landscape as well as the face. A tree root, a rock, or a patch of moss can make the figure feel connected to its setting. Expression and posture then determine whether the scene seems mysterious, humorous, or welcoming.

Our troll clocks explore a gentler contemporary world of forest figures, couples, and families. These are imaginative scenes inspired by the broad storytelling tradition, rather than illustrations claimed to come from a specific old tale.