Trolls · Turned to Stone by the Sun

The mountains of Norway are full of troll legends: they live in caves, do not come out by day and fear light — caught by the sun, they turn to stone. The odd rocks and rock pillars on the mountains are said to be trolls that did not get away in time.

The name Jotunheimen means “the home of the giants”. They are said to fear church bells, and to fear people saying prayers.

Climbers joke about this, but the daylight hours in the Nordic countries are extreme: in summer the sun does not go down, in winter it does not come up.

Folklore / Jotunheimen · Norway / Time immemorial