Troll

Trolls are distinctive beings in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. According to ancient Old Norse sources, these creatures typically inhabited remote areas—rocks, mountains, and caves—living in small family groups and rarely offering assistance to humans.

As Scandinavian folklore evolved, trolls developed into distinct entities residing far from human settlements. Unconverted to Christianity and considered dangerous, their appearance varied widely across different traditions. Some accounts portrayed trolls as ugly and dim-witted creatures, while others described them as virtually indistinguishable from humans, lacking any grotesque features.

Within Scandinavian cultural traditions, trolls became associated with specific landmarks, which folklore sometimes explained as trolls that had been turned to stone upon exposure to sunlight. In contemporary popular culture, trolls continue to appear across various media, their image adapted for modern audiences while retaining connections to their Nordic origins.