μῦθοι Mythoi
Motif

Trolls. Sometimes underground spirits, sometimes also thought of as mountain-spirits. In many tales trolls are ogres. (Cf. G100, G400–G599.)

Marvels. · Marvelous creatures. · Spirits and demons. · Underground spirits. · view the constellation · filed as F455

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Scholars’ trail — 5references

The index’s own references — the collections where scholars sighted this story-shape, tradition by tradition. Titles on our shelf are live links; the rest is the frontier, not yet shelved.

  • Scandinavian**E. Hartmann Die Trollvorstellungen in den Sagen und Märchen der skandinavischen Völker (Stuttgart, 1936)
  • IcelandicMacCulloch Eddic 285ff., Boberg
  • NorwegianSolheim Register 18, 21
  • Finnish-SwedishWessman 60ff.
  • general *Fb "trold" III 852a
Within the index

Filed under Underground spirits. (Cf. F200–F399, Fairies and Elves.)

11 finer motifs beneath it
Home of trollsAppearance of trolls. (Cf. G304.1.)Characteristic activities of trollsPossessions of trollsVisibility of trolls. (Cf. F235.)Trolls and menTrolls and Christianity. (Cf. G304.2.4.1.)Troll killedBanning trollsRecognizing trollsOffspring of trolls
Filed beside it
Voetter (generalized underground spirit)Helpful underground spiritDwarf. (Underground spirit.) The dwarf, especially in Northern Europe, is considered an underground spirit. He is to be distinguished from the other conception of dwarf, viz., a very small person, pigmy, or thumbling (F535). [Note: For help in the preparation of this item I am indebted to Mr. Alfred Thomas of Chicago. For full titles of references see F420.]Mine spirits. Gnomes. (Cf. E336.)
Travels with
Giant ogre. Polyphemus. (For motifs concerning giants who are not malevolent but merely large, see F531.)Person falls into ogre's powerHero goes north to fight with trolls. (Cf. F455.)Confederate in disguise as "troll" frightens king's men, while his daughter helps prisoner to escape. (Cf. F455.)

wander