Trolls and water

[designer]

All the legends I fine involving trolls some how include water, often bridges. Anyone know why the connection? I can't find any info on why.

[bubblykiss]

Trolls love water, just not for bathing in. And think about poor Billy Goat Gruff, he had such trouble with those damned trolls.

[Sweetpumper]

There's a lot of them in the ET section of the forum, so I'm not sure water has anything to do with it.

[Crabby Kitten]

Trolls turn to stone in sunlight. Landmarks are connected with trolls and these creatures fear the sun and lightning. They live in mountains, caves and in burial mounds. You'll find different types of trolls and they can be found in Scandinavian, English, German and Celtic legends. They look after treasure and hoardes, be it in caves or under water. Yes they're also connected to bridges. There is a nasty troll in the fairytale "Billy Goats Gruff". They have the ability to alter their appearance.

Apparantly the idea of trolls living under bridges is from recent as 15th Century England when soldiers hunted their enemies and a fallen king hiding under bridges. The saying about trolls being under bridges come from this but it might have an older connection. Trolls are considered nature beings of the land instead of water.

[Emin]

All the legends I fine involving trolls some how include water, often bridges. Anyone know why the connection? I can't find any info on why.

For example? Which legends? I'm into the Troll mythology myself I just haven't read much stories that involve them.

[aquatus1]

I don't remember any particular issue trolls have with water, even though water has traditionally been considered a spiritual cleanser, and a barrier to the supernatural in many cultures around the world.

Then again, most of my knowledge about trolls comes from

. Probably the only "found footage" movie that I find well made.

[Davros of Skaro]

My guess it started as something to scare kids from swimming without an adult around?

I imagine also when traveling to new territory you wonder if the people that built a bridge you come across are friendly or not?

Legends/myths may have mundane origins that grow.

Edited August 21, 2014 by davros of skaro

[freetoroam]

All the legends I fine involving trolls some how include water, often bridges. Anyone know why the connection? I can't find any info on why.

as explained by davros, very likely another "scare" legend on that point, but generally in folklore trolls lived in caves or among rocks. Not sure what "all the legends I find"

bit you have been reading, as there is much about trolls in caves and, among rocks, but the fact that water was around somewhere would not have been unusual in Scandinavia, it does have a few rivers.

[GrimmOne]

I don't remember any particular issue trolls have with water, even though water has traditionally been considered a spiritual cleanser, and a barrier to the supernatural in many cultures around the world.

Then again, most of my knowledge about trolls comes from

. Probably the only "found footage" movie that I find well made.

Loved that movie, there explanations were pretty flawless to

[NicoNico]

I guess the concept of tolls from from trolls & bridges?

Troll:Give me $1.25 to cross this bridge or you cannot pass!

[Likely Guy]

I guess the concept of tolls from from trolls & bridges?

Troll:Give me $1.25 to cross this bridge or you cannot pass!

"None, shall pass!"

Channel the Black Knight from Monty Python's 'Holy Grail', while you read that.

[Capt.]

All the legends I fine involving trolls some how include water, often bridges. Anyone know why the connection? I can't find any info on why.

Grendel's Mother is often described as a "water troll" who lived in a lake or mere. No bridge involved but a cave with similar stone roofing. http://en.wikipedia....r-seal-women-21

If I were going to speculate it might have to do with "water apes" , eyes designed for nocturnal vision, and ultraviolet radiation. On a slight tangent have you read: http://www.amazon.co...8E ? Although a little extreme, he does have some interesting arguments about Neanderthals that makes them sound a lot more like fairy tale monsters.

Neanderthals (left) had much larger eye sockets presumably devoted to superior night vision. Bright sunlight might have simply hurt Neanderthals and similar hominids. Here in the north there are very loooooong winter nights but they are usually not as dark as l. 48 nights due to the snow, clear air, the aurora, thinner magnetosphere, etc.... Ideal hunting conditions for something with just slightly better night vision but if they adapted to the cold then they might have to "reverse hibernate" in cold dark places during the summer.

[BiffSplitkins]

I like to post all of my internet comments from under bridges.