The Trolls of Norway
In Norway, they say the trolls who lived in the mountains turned to stone if the sun caught them, and you can still see them in the rocks.
What was reported
In Norwegian folklore, trolls are huge, slow, often foolish beings who live in mountains, forests and under bridges. They avoid daylight, because the sun turns them to stone.
Many strange rock formations across Norway are said to be trolls who were caught by the dawn, and places are named after them, such as Trollstigen, the 'troll's ladder', a mountain road with steep hairpin bends, and Trolltunga, 'the troll's tongue'.
Explanations offered
Trolls are folklore, but they helped people explain Norway's dramatic landscape of jagged peaks and odd-shaped boulders. Today they are a beloved part of Norwegian culture, appearing in fairy tales, art and souvenir shops.
- When
- Told for centuries
- Where
- Trollstigen, Møre og Romsdal, Norway
- Witnesses
- Norwegian tradition
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.