The Genre of Trolls - Doria

An old troll sports a wand possessing the power of disenchantment (Nyland
1896, 129), and several trolls own swords so tremendously heavy that humans
cannot even make them budge without imbibing a drink giving them
superhuman strength (SLS 31, 146; SLS 137 II, 1). The superiority of troll
weapons is evidenced in the tale of a human prince, who is being helped by
a troll prince. He receives a sword of solid, supranormal make, for anything
of lesser quality would be useless against the formidable troll king
(SLS 202 Sagor II, 1). Nevertheless, not only trolls find themselves threatened
by these mighty weapons; they can also be turned against humans,
like the rapier vanquishing the enemy in a single stroke (R II 427). More
mischievous an object is the pin employed to induce sleepiness in a boy
(Nyland 1887, 77), and straight out of a fantasy comes the purse of an old
female troll; it has the wonderful characteristic of being inexhaustible for
ten years (SLS 202 Sagor II, 28).
3.3 Interaction between the Realms
3.3.1 Conflicts
Many texts portray the conflict between man and troll, often triggered by
the latter’s abduction of human women and children. Sometimes the abduction
is preceded by a violation of a prohibition, as in the case of the
princesses walking bareheaded under the sky (SLS 137 I, 1; SLS 137 II, 1;
SLS 31, 146; cf. chapter 3.1.2). The abduction may also be motivated by
more romantic considerations. One troll steals the domestic animals of a
farm, and when the girls of the household go looking for them, it spirits
them away to its domain, where it proposes to them in its own quaint way:
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tå tar trulli inar å fört un nedst et in stega, såm hadd tri hundra trappsteg dom kåm til
en grann byggning tå fråga truli av flikkun “vill du bliva min ven?” – nej, sa un tå hugd
truli huvu av flikkun. (SLS 37, 6: 23)
Then the troll took her down a ladder which had 300 steps. They came to a splendid
building. The troll asked the girl: “Will you be my friend?” —[“]No[”], the girl said.
Because of this the troll beheaded her.
Another troll takes revenge for the spurning of its amorous advances by
transforming the hapless girl into a rat, along with everything she owns:
Description of the Troll Tradition