Trolls

Romsdalen has been inhabited by trolls for millennia. Trolls live in caves in the mountains here and stay hidden from humans. Trolls are difficult to spot as they cannot tolerate sunlight and are only out in the evening and night. But if you listen carefully, you can hear them moving around inside the mountains. Trolls are known for being evil and stupid, and they are recurring figures in Norwegian fairy tales. But trolls have also been a natural and necessary part of Norwegian legislation. The oldest Norwegian Christian laws from the 11th century included a prohibition against "sitting out to awaken trolls," and in Norway's first national law from the 1200’s, contacting trolls was considered a very serious offense, carrying the harshest penalties. As late as 1695, a girl from Romsdalen was brought before the court after she had been missing without a trace for two years. When she returned home one day, completely naked, she claimed to have been held captive by trolls inside the mountains. The court found the girl credible and in her right mind, confirming that she had indeed been inside the mountain with the trolls.