Northern mythology

SWEDISH TRADITIONS. 89
'^
to him : Wilt thou come in and eat milk porridge with
me?^^ ^^No," answered the other; "if thou hast more
than thou canst eat, keep it till to-morrow/^ " Thanks,"
said the giant ;
" had I known that before, I should now
be rich." The giant was never seen afterwards.
When the Trolls and Giants were driven away by the
Christians, they took refuge out at sea, on uninhabited
rocks and on desert strands, where, according to general tradition,
they have in later times been seen by mariners.
Some sailors belonging to Bohuslan, when once driven on
a desert shore by a storm, found a giant sitting on a stone
by a fire. He was old and blind, and rejoiced at hearing
the Northmen, because he was himself from their country.
He requested one of them to approach and give him his
hand, " that I may know," said he, " whether there is yet
strength in the hands of the Northmen." The old man
being blind, was not sensible that they took a great boathook,
which they heated in the fire and held out to him. He
squeezed the hook as if it had been wax, shook his head
and said, " I find the Northmen now have but little
strength in their hands compared with those of old."
THE TROLLS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS.
Of the manner in which the Trolls celebrate Christmas
eve there are traditions throughout the whole North. At
that time it is not advisable for Christian men to be out.
On the heaths Witches and little Trolls ride, one on a wolf,
another on a broom or a shovel, to their assemblies, where
they dance under their stones. These stones are then
raised on pillars, under which the Trolls dance and drink.
In the mount are then to be heard mirth and music, dancing
and drinking. On Christmas morn, during the time
between cock-crowing and daybreak, it is highly dangerous
to be abroad.
One Christmas night in the year 1490, as Fru Cissela