trolls
Trolls belong to the the most famous mythical creatures of the mountains. Their origins are believed to be in the earliest days of men, when the first brave souls ventured into the deep valleys and up the high passes. The incredible forces of nature and eerie sounds they found there quickly formed the pictures of giant monsters and ghosts in the heads of the yet uncivilized men. And these stories have not only survived but even grown over the centuries. Still the primitive common folk believe in such tales and each generation is fed these lies from their first days. Without proper education they of course have no other choice than to continue in their believe in such things.Altough trolls may be an offspring of supersticion, they quite clearly illustrate the dangers one can meet in the mountains. Falling rocks, earthquakes, Storms (especially thunder storms), landslips, flash floods as well as sudden weather changes are very real dangers in the mountains. All these things are - in common folklore - attributed to trolls.
- Introduction to the chapter "On Trolls and Giants" of the book "common fairy tales and their origins"
Their huge bodies often made from soil or sheer rock of course makes them far easier to imagine and fear then explaining the complex working of a weather system. Thus they still are a common way of teaching about the dangers of travelling the mountains while also entertain the people.
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