The Giant’s Courting
A legend from Trolltjedn in Hemsedal
The Giant’s Courting
Behind Skogshorn, on the border between Hallingdal and Valdres, lies a small, still mountain lake.
Here, a giant troll woman once rowed across the water – larger than anything seen in these mountains since.
And her boat?
Made of copper.
Back and forth she rowed, day after day. Out on the lake, she guarded a copper cauldron filled with silver coins. A treasure she never let out of sight.
Far to the north, on Glittertind, lived a mountain giant. One day, he set out across seven blue ridges to ask for her hand.
He was welcomed into the boat.
But then he saw the treasure.
And his thoughts began to change.
The troll woman noticed at once.
She started to row in circles.
Slowly at first. Then faster.
And faster.
Until the world spun around him.
Night faded. Dawn approached.
The giant fought to escape before sunrise.
But the troll woman twisted the boat.
He was thrown backwards – over the edge.
As he fell, he caught hold of the boat.
And dragged her with him.
As the first light struck them, they turned to stone.
Like dark boulders, they crashed down the mountainside –
shattering into a thousand pieces.
And that was the end of the courting.
