Norwegian Folktales

Dyre Vaa

Dyre Vaa was a daring youth from high up in Telemark beneath the Rauland mountains, where the deep Totak lake is. By the lake lies the Vaa farm. A neighbour, who knew that Dyre had never shown any signs of fear, asked him if he should be afraid to meet the giant trolls who were believed to be always hostile to men. Dyre answered briskly, "Not a bit, even if it were dark."

Then, on the next Christmas eve, when the feasting and mirth were at their height, a hollering from the hill across the Totak lake reached Dyre. It sounded like a hundred oxen lowing nearby.

"Well, it's right dark now," Dyre said, but straightway he loosened his boat from its moorings, and rowed across the Totak lake to find out what was the matter.

As he drew near to the other strand he heard a frightful yell, "Who are you?" Dyre told his name. And even though it was dark, he understood it was a tall troll he was encountering. The troll desired to be helped on his way home to his maidens in the Glomshill across the deep lake. "Bring the boat alongside so I can enter it," said the troll, but he seemed too big for the boat to carry him. The boat nearly sank.

"You must shrink a bit first. My boat is so small, and you are so tall. And it's dark," said Dyre.

The troll at once shrank so that the boat could float. Dyre's spirits rose, and he began to joke his passenger about his size. "Now tell, me, sir, what giant you are."

The troll growled, "Beware of joking!" Soon he grew more friendly as he was ferried over the lake, however, and said, "In your boat I will leave a token to show the measure of him you've ferried in the dark."

When daylight came on Christmas morning, Dyre could see what it was - a glove finger full of treasured wool. The glove held four large baskets, and was in itself very handy on the farm after it was emptied of the wool; Dyre used it for a meal measure.

Dyre was doubly rewarded beside the substantial return for his service to the troll, for he got a reputation for courage and strength.

Totak

Literature  



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