Trolls: Good or Bad?
TROLLS: GOOD OR BAD? by Nancy J. Cohen
Trolls originated in Norse mythology before the days of Christianity when the people of Norway believed in ancient gods. These beings were considered to be mean, ugly creatures with humanoid shapes. Trolls had abnormally large ears and noses and were unusually strong.
Said to possess supernatural powers, they lived in mountains and caves. But not all of them had malformed features. Their women could be beautiful. Indeed, these lovely females would lure young farmers away who would never be seen again. The only sign that a woman might be a troll was a cow-like tail spotted under her clothing. Another sign might be her elegant style of dress, inappropriate for the woods. Beware, or you might be taken as a mate or a slave to do her bidding.
In literature and films, trolls range from tall and lumbering without much intelligence to cunning creatures with magical abilities. Part of their power comes from their understanding of nature. For example, they can communicate with animals. They can see well in the dark and hear better than humans, and may even possess shapeshifting abilities. That log you see in your path? It could be a troll, waiting to sneak up on you.
What are some of their other talents? They can alter their appearance to look more pleasing. This explains why they may appear cute and cuddly. These are unlike most images of trolls in folklore which show them as ugly creatures. Trolls can blend in with their surroundings, merge into the shadows, or become invisible. This power of disguise comes in handy when they go to steal or kidnap children. They use their powers to take what they believe should be theirs and to create mischief among mankind.
Trolls resent how people encroached upon their territory, and many of their mean pranks are a way to get even. Like the aboriginals who inhabited the land before people appeared to raze the trees for planting crops, trolls are nature-loving beings. They live underground in halls made of gold and crystal where they have families and raise their young. They hoard treasures they steal along with food and cattle.
Folks should be careful going about at night, which is when they operate. Sunlight is deadly to them. It turns them into stone. Thus rocks and boulders that have a particularly human shape might be attributed to a former troll. Trolls also don’t like loud noises, so if you encounter one, ring a bell or bang on a pot. They also fear steel, so carrying an object made of this metal might help ward them off.
Once Christianity came into play, trolls were considered to be fallen angels or pagans who had died and could not enter heaven or hell. Wearing a cross would help to keep them away.
In Warrior Prince: Book One in the Drift Lords Series, my bad guys are evil trolls called Trolleks who’ve invaded Earth through a rift in the Bermuda Triangle. Norse mythology comes alive in this tale of magic, myth, adventure, and romance. Only the Drift Lords—warriors from space—can save the world along with a special group of Earth women with legendary powers.
Can you think of any films where you’ve seen trolls? What does the image of a troll convey to your mind?
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**All commenters during Nancy’s blog tour will be entered into a drawing for a Warrior Prince T-shirt and magnet and a pdf copy of Warrior Prince. Go to http://bit.ly/9ytdvu for a complete schedule of her tour stops.
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Warrior Prince: Book One in the Drift Lords Series by Nancy J. Cohen
When mythologist and Florida resident Nira Larsen accepts a job as tour guide for a mysterious stranger, she's drawn into a nightmare reality where ancient myths come alive and legendary evils seek to destroy her. To survive, she must awaken her dormant powers, but the only person who can help is the man whose touch inflames her passion.
After a dimensional rift in the Bermuda Triangle cracks open and an ancient enemy invades Earth, Zohar—leader of the galactic warriors known as the Drift Lords—summons his troops. He doesn't count on a redheaded spitfire getting in his way and capturing his heart. Nira has the power to defeat the enemy and to enslave Zohar's soul. Can he trust her enough to accomplish his mission, or will she lure him to his doom?
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**Two lucky readers who comment on this blog will be randomly selected to win ebook copies of Keeper of the Rings. If you wish to enter the drawing, please leave your email address so you can be contacted if you win. No purchase necessary to enter.
12 Responses to “Trolls: Good or Bad?”
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I enjoyed learning more about these mythic creatures whom we have feared and reviled in literature and movies. This reminds me of a lower-than-I-wanted score on an essay I wrote defending the actions of Grendel's mother. I think we need to get to know the trolls and their motivations before we judge them.
Most recently, I think of the trolls from the Harry Potter books and movie. Before that, I just had a vague notion of them as storybook characters who lived under bridges.
Trolls generally have a bad association. I have a collection of cute troll dolls, however. Remember when those were popular?
For me, the image of a troll comes from The Lord of the Rings (The movie. I haven't read the books) I think fantasy for sure.
Thanks for the chance to win! lisarayns(at)gmail.com
Lord of the Rings has a wealth of fantasy creatures, to be sure.
I remember having those cute troll dolls as a kid… not so much a fan now. As for trolls in entertainment, it is funny my little nephew watches a cartoon called Mike The Knight and it has trolls in it. They are nice trolls, the vikings are the ones that act bad in the cartoon. LOL! Thanks for sharing!
I mentiion movies with trolls in my personal blog but I think I forget The Tenth Kingdom. You just reminded me. The trolls in that film were the comic relief.
I really like the spin you did with your Trolls. Especially the original name. Your book looks very interesting !
Thanks, Sheri. The Trolleks in my stories are to be feared!
RACHEL R. AND SHERI FREDRICS have each won a copy of Keeper of the Rings. I will look for your emails or you can give it to me here.
Strangely enough, the first thing the word "troll" brings to mind is those annoying jerks that live on the internet and exist only to make trouble on forums or comment sections of blogs! They've been making the web unpleasant since it was created!
As a bad horror movie afficianado, the first trolls that come to mind are the "stars" of two of the worst movies of all time, Troll and Troll 2!
The book sounds great! Thanks for doing the appearance today!
Heather
H.A., Check out my movie review on films that inspired my tale: http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/movies-as-inspiration/
Troll is one of the movies I mention. And interestingly enough, the main character's name is Harry Potter. He's a kid destined to become a wizard. Sound familiar?