Mythologis
Trolls: The Complete Guide to Trolls in Norse Myth and Scandinavian Folklore

Mythical Creatures Mythology

Trolls: The Complete Guide to Trolls in Norse Myth and Scandinavian Folklore

The Giants, Mountain-Dwellers and Night-Trolls of the North

The complete guide to the troll: the hulking giants of Norse myth, the stone-dwelling trolls of Scandinavian folklore, the creatures that turn to rock at sunrise, and the long road from saga monster to fairy-tale ogre.

170 pagesPDFEnglishMythologis Library

$14.99

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Inside this book

What you will read

  • 11 chapters, primary sources
  • Instant PDF download
  • Original ink illustrations
  • Norse myth and Scandinavian folklore
  • Designed for print quality
See all chapters  +
  1. 01The Monster of the Northern Dark
  2. 02Troll and Giant: The Enemies of the Gods
  3. 03Trolls in the Eddas and the Sagas
  4. 04The Mountain-Troll of Scandinavian Folklore
  5. 05Troll Society: Treasure, Bridges and the Underground
  6. 06The Changeling: The Troll in the Cradle
  7. 07Turned to Stone: Why Sunlight Kills a Troll
  8. 08Trolls, Church Bells and the Coming of Christianity
  9. 09Famous Trolls of Saga and Tale
  10. 10The Troll in Norwegian and Swedish Storytelling
  11. 11From Folklore to Fantasy: The Modern Troll

About this book

About this Mythical Creatures mythology guide

In the oldest sources the troll is a giant, the enemy of the gods. In folklore it becomes the thing in the mountain that turns to stone at sunrise. This is the complete guide to the troll.

The troll is the monster of the Scandinavian dark. It is the thing in the mountain, the shape on the night road, the heavy footstep above the farm in the long northern winter. In the oldest sources it is barely separable from the giants, the ancient enemies of the gods; in later folklore it shrinks and multiplies into a whole population of mountain-folk, bridge-keepers and child-stealers who hate the sound of church bells and burst or turn to stone in the light of the sun.

This is the complete guide to the troll across the Norse world. The troll-women and giant-trolls of the Eddas and the sagas, where the word first appears; the mountain-trolls and forest-trolls of Norwegian and Swedish folklore, who hoard treasure and steal brides; the belief in the changeling, the troll child left in a human cradle; and the famous rule that sunlight is death to a troll, which runs from the old sagas to the modern fairy tale.

The book follows the troll from the cold heart of Norse myth to the folk collections of the nineteenth century, drawing on the Eddas, the sagas and the great folklorists, and every chapter cites its sources.

Delivered as a print-quality PDF within 24 hours of purchase.

What you will discover inside

  • Why the earliest trolls are barely distinct from the giants who fought the gods
  • The mountain-trolls and forest-trolls of Norwegian and Swedish folklore
  • The changeling: the troll child left in place of a stolen baby
  • Why sunlight turns a troll to stone
  • The troll's hatred of church bells and the coming of Christianity
  • How the saga monster became the troll of modern fantasy

Mythical Creatures mythology book at a glance

TraditionMythical Creatures mythology
Chapters11 chapters
Length170 pages
SourcesDrawn from the primary sources, cited inline
Reading levelBeginner-friendly. Every name and place is explained from scratch
FormatPrint-quality PDF
DeliveryPDF within 24 hours

Formats and editions

EditionWhat you getPrice
Instant PDFPrint-quality download, readable on any device. PDF within 24 hours.$7.99
PaperbackA paperback edition is on the way. Sign up on this page to hear when it lands on Amazon.Coming soon

About the author

Guillaume Henry, founder of Mythologis

Guillaume Henry

Founder & Editor-in-Chief, Mythologis

Guillaume Henry founded Mythologis to make the world's mythologies readable without losing what makes them strange. Every Mythologis book draws on the primary sources first, cross-references multiple translations, and avoids inventing details that aren't in the originals.

More about the author

Questions about the Mythical Creatures mythology book

When will I receive my PDF?

Within 24 hours of purchase. Your download link arrives in your inbox automatically.

Is this Norse myth or later folklore?

Both. The book begins with the troll as it appears in the Eddas and sagas, where it overlaps with the giants, and then follows it into the rich folklore of Norway and Sweden, where the troll becomes the familiar mountain-dweller of fairy tale.

Is this book based on primary sources?

Yes. It draws on the Poetic Edda and Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, the Icelandic sagas, and the nineteenth-century Norwegian folklorists Asbjornsen and Moe and their successors, with references to the standard translations.

How long is the book?

Eleven chapters, around 170 pages depending on the final layout.

Will there be a paperback on Amazon?

The PDF is available immediately. A KDP paperback edition follows once the book has been validated by readers.

What formats is this book available in?

Every title is available as an instant PDF, downloaded the moment you buy it: the link appears on the confirmation page and lands in your inbox. Selected titles also have a paperback edition on Amazon. Where the paperback is not out yet, you can sign up to be notified the day it does.

What is the return policy?

The PDF is delivered instantly by Mythologis. If a download ever fails or a file looks wrong, get in touch and we will make it right. Paperbacks bought on Amazon are handled under Amazon's own returns and refund policy.

Can I order from outside the United States?

Yes. The PDF is a digital download, so it works instantly anywhere in the world, with nothing to ship. Where a paperback edition exists, it is sold across Amazon's international marketplaces, with shipping rates and delivery times depending on your country.

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