Chapter

Troll

The strangest wedding I ever attended was here in Västerbotten. Inside the cabin, which was not very spacious, the tables were set not only for human guests but also the mountain trolls. Relatives of the groom brought dried meat and cheese. His mother and father had everyone drinking liquor from a jar, as the guests shook hands with each other. Many drinks were poured onto the ground, for the lady of the mountain. I was told the trolls had come to visit, invisible to human eyes. They were described as old men, bearded and gray. Apparently, their gifts were greater than those of the humans – not given during daytime, but placed around the sleeping bride and groom. I remember nothing else, either from the explanation or the wedding feast, as the schnapps flowed too freely. My head is throbbing, and I dread the light of day.

— Carl Linnaeus, September 28th, 1732

Trolls live in communities in mountains and hills where they brew beer, keep livestock, get married, and have their own traditions. Although they hate everything about the Christian religion, the trolls can sometimes exchange favors and tools with humans. Forest trolls often have long beards, tails, and large noses. They can also look a lot like humans – sometimes even beautiful – but there is always some detail that gives them away. Their facial features are skewed, their skin greenish, or their pupils strange. The mountain trolls are related to giants. They are huge and hideous, with tusks, large ears, warty skin, or multiple arms or legs. Some trolls steal things from people's farms, and might even kidnap the humans themselves. The abducted will be offered enchanted food that looks delicious, but is actually disgusting slugs and frogs. Those who eat it become bound to the trolls. There have been cases where the trolls have snatched a baby from its cradle and left a changeling in its stead.

Ritual