Origin: Norway

Book: Scandinavian folk-lore; illustrations of the traditional beliefs of the northern peoples

Author: William A. Craigie

Published: 1896

In Højegaard in old days no one could stay over Christmas Eve. All the folk had to go down to the old farm in Rønnebæk, which has long been given up, and stay there till Christmas morning, for every Christmas Eve there came an ugly troll from Dragehøi, with a sackful of toads on his back, which he roasted at the fire in the sitting room, and ate one after another; but if any one ventured to stay there over night, he might be prepared to be torn in pieces by the troll.
One time, just as the folk were leaving the farm, there came a man who went about with a bear, exhibiting it. They told him why they had to leave, and advised him also to get away from there; but the man begged to be allowed to stay overnight, and as he was bent on doing so they finally gave him leave.

Towards evening, the troll came with his sack on his back, sat down by the fire, opened it and pulled out the one toad after the other, took each by a hind leg and held it over the fire till it was roasted, and then swallowed it. So one toad after the other went into him for some time, till he began to be satisfied.

Then he turned to the man, and said, “What’s your dog’s name?”

“Toad,” said the man.

The troll took a toad, roasted it, and held it out to the bear, saying, “Toad shall have a toad,” but the bear growled, and began to rise.

“Yes,” said the man to the troll, “just you take care, and not make him angry, or he’ll tear you in pieces.”

The troll looked quite frightened, and asked, “Have you any more like him?”

“Yes,” said the man, “this one has five young ones, which are lying outside on the baking oven.”

The troll made haste to tie up the toads he had left in the sack, threw it on his back, and went out at the door in a hurry.

Next morning, when the people of the farm came home, the man was lying all right in the bed, and the bear beside the fire, both quite comfortable. When the man told them how he had got on, they were very glad, and bade him come again next Christmas Eve, which he did, but the troll did not come, and has never shown himself there since.