Boots Who Ate a Match With the Troll
Encyclopedia
Boots Who Ate a Match With the Troll is a Norwegian fairy tale
collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe. The troll is, as they often are, not very intelligent while the boy is clever, winning an eating contest.
threatened them as they came, one by one; the two older ones allowed themselves to be chased off, but the youngest
asked for food. When the troll threatened him, the boy pulled out some cheese, claiming it was a stone, and squeezed it until whey came out. When he threatened to deal with the troll as he had with the "stone", the troll offered to help him with the wood-cutting.
The troll suggested that he come home with him. Then he went to build up the fire and sent the boy for water. The boy realized he could not carry the huge buckets, so he declared they were too small, and he could just fetch the spring. The troll exchanged chores with him.
When the porridge was made, they had an eating match, but the boy put more into his scrip than into his stomach, and when it was full, he cut a hole in it. The troll said he could eat no more. The boy suggested that he cut a hole in his stomach, which would let him eat as much as he liked, and it didn't hurt much.
The troll did so, and died, and the boy took his gold and silver and paid off the family debt.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe. The troll is, as they often are, not very intelligent while the boy is clever, winning an eating contest.
Synopsis
A farmer sent his sons to cut wood in a forest he owned, to pay off debts. A trollTroll
A troll is a supernatural being in Norse mythology and Scandinavian folklore. In origin, the term troll was a generally negative synonym for a jötunn , a being in Norse mythology...
threatened them as they came, one by one; the two older ones allowed themselves to be chased off, but the youngest
Youngest son
The youngest son is a stock character in fairy tales, where he features as the hero. He is usually the third son, but sometimes there are more brothers, and sometimes he has only one; usually, they have no sisters....
asked for food. When the troll threatened him, the boy pulled out some cheese, claiming it was a stone, and squeezed it until whey came out. When he threatened to deal with the troll as he had with the "stone", the troll offered to help him with the wood-cutting.
The troll suggested that he come home with him. Then he went to build up the fire and sent the boy for water. The boy realized he could not carry the huge buckets, so he declared they were too small, and he could just fetch the spring. The troll exchanged chores with him.
When the porridge was made, they had an eating match, but the boy put more into his scrip than into his stomach, and when it was full, he cut a hole in it. The troll said he could eat no more. The boy suggested that he cut a hole in his stomach, which would let him eat as much as he liked, and it didn't hurt much.
The troll did so, and died, and the boy took his gold and silver and paid off the family debt.
External links
- Norwegian version, ePub and audio book in Speex format available.
- Boots Who Ate a Match With the Troll