Boil a Manchild for Odin

For hundreds of years the northern Swedish trolls have been favored by Odin. The forests and lakes were theirs for the living. No humans around to claim homesteads and fishing rights.

But then things change. Humans develop fire-sticks that can kill a wolf at a hundred paces and the trolls have to retreat into the hearts of mountains.

And things get worse. Accidents happen. Signs occur. Odin is no longer pleased with his people. There is only one way to placate him—and this has not been done for many, many years: a manchild sacrifice.

Kurr, who is young at seven hundred seasons, is chosen for this, along with an equally young she-troll named Hulgur.

Kurr has never caught a manchild and the mountain thinks him odd. Hulgur has never caught one either. Perhaps they are not the best choice, but they picked the stones from the sack, and must go.

This is their story.

—

Thought by some a modern classic, this fairytale is rendered by the voice of someone who obviously grew up in these forests, and may, for all we know, have made these trolls' acquaintance.