Friday, March 9, 2012

My life with Trolls


Art by Theodor Kittelsen
Some of you may think that trolls do not really exist. Actually when I think about it, none of you believe in them. That’s ok, I can relate. I never gave trolls much thought until moving to a place that was full of them. For 4 years I lived in troll country. No not Norway, I mean real troll country, the birth home of the troll, Sigdal Norway. Sigdal was the home of Theodor Kittelsen and father of all trolls. No one really knew about trolls before Kittelsen started illustrating them and telling his troll stories. 


Art by Theodor Kittelsen

The landscape in Sigdal was just like this and I was living right under that huge troll at the base of the water you see at his feet.

It didn't take me long to get a job at the local museum and folk music center where I was surrounded by Norwegian culture at its best.


Me sitting on the steps of the old sheriffs headquarters.

So here I am, this crazy American girl guiding tourists around Norwegian treasures and culture. All of which I learned after a 6 week course. Walking around beautiful old buildings, picking flowers for displays and talking to people about beautiful works of art, this was an amazing job and it was located just around the corner from my house. A house that I might add was made of timber and in the yard were very old apple trees. It was not uncommon to find a moose in the yard early in the morning munching on fallen apples. How many people can sit on their front steps, have a conversation with a moose and listen to a waterfall while drinking their morning coffee?

My relationship with trolls started out slowly. I didn't see them at first. You know the feeling when you are sure there is someone there even though you cannot see them? That is how it all started. I would walk around the museum grounds and down by the river to pick flowers or look for mushrooms. Sometimes I could hear the sound of students at the center while they practiced the Norwegian fiddle and I would hum along, daydreaming and lost in my own thoughts. When you stand in the middle of nature and let it overcome you, the trolls will come out to play. You will find yourself stumble on a path and look up to see a twig with a grin. Trolls like fairies will confuse you and get great pleasure watching you stumble around.

As a child sitting on the bank of a river and dipping a stick into the water, I would watch the ripples make pictures and dream of places where magical creatures could exist. When you remember your childhood and these dreams that is when trolls make you stumble. That is when fairies dance on your shoulder and that is when you need to remember those childish dreams. Look into a pool of water or up at the clouds. Look at the rocks and the trees and you will see them everywhere reminding us of what we have forgotten. Trolls make the child in us want to come out and play. Trolls most definitely Rock!

Now I could have given you facts about trolls. The kind that you read about in books. I have read that trolls are big and stupid, that they have snot running out of their nose and that they would eat you for breakfast if they could. We have all seen those kind of trolls. We have worked with them, maybe even lived with them, but I choose to tell you about the trolls I have met on a different path. Not all trolls are bad. Look around you, look in the water, in the forest or up in the sky. I promise, if you look hard enough you will see them come out to play.

Help me celebrate my One Year BlogAversary and come to my TROLLFEST. 

Share a story about your first blog post or post it again.

 
Now the good part! If I make 500 followers before next month I am going to give away a prize! I will draw one of your names and send you a Norwegian Troll. Look, isn't she cute? She is sitting here just waiting to take a trip! Since she will most likely travel far, I am sending some Norwegian Chocolate with her as well.Winner will be announced in April, lol...not on April Fools day. I am not that mean!

Click on this banner to join our party
Trolls Rock


Hope to see you soon among the trolls! Monday is Minnie day and she is stopping by to tell you how she is going to deal with the A-Z challenge this year. Have a great week-end everyone, any special plans you want to share?




14 comments:

Come At Me Bro said...

This is great!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I bet that was a dream job! And wow you had long hair.

Sloane Taylor said...

It all sounds wonderful! It must be great to live in such a romantic area.

Gossip_Grl said...

It sounds like a wonderful place to be. I always pictured most trolls as being on the practical joker with a naughty side, or like the wise guy. But if provoked or was protecting something only then maybe a mean streak in them would show. : )

Unknown said...

You look just the part for the job, Siv. What a lovely part of the world you live in, so steeped in the stories I love. I'm giving you a Sunshine Award - just visit my blog to collect it. :-)

Emma Calin said...

I loved your post. I remember the song "I'm a troll" from the Billy Goats Gruff" but now I only come across them as reviewers on Amazon. You look like Malena Ernman with that hair - wow, what a look. I've travelled miles to hear her sing. Your style is transcendent - kinda Wagner meets Wordsworth. I've signed up.

YelenaC said...

I love this post! :) And the place where you live sounds so peaceful and beautiful!

Golden Eagle said...

It sounds like a beautiful place! :)

Congratulations on a year of blogging.

Crazy Life of a Writing Mom said...

Such a magical post! I LOVE that picture of you. You're so gorgeous ;)

Michael Horvath said...

Do you want to trade morning coffee sometime? I have mine with a sea otter who shows up once in awhile. No trolls here though.

Deniz Bevan said...

I'd love to have a morning coffee in a spot like that! I'm going to post my Troll fest story tomorrow.
Love hearing about magical creatures.

Anonymous said...

I loved this post. I was thinking you should start a book with the begining of that post. Seriously. You could rock a story with that begining.

Amalie Berlin said...

I agree with the Crazyiness: Fantastic opening monologue for a protagonist I'd definitely read about! Don't know much about trolls, but I did watch Troll Hunter the other day, they weren't nearly as adorable as that little guy with the bad hair day above! I think I prefer them wild and smiling to huge and man-eating.

Unknown said...

Very cool blogfest and you know you can count me in. I'll let you know what day I post. Congrats on 1 year!! Yay!