Created 22-Aug-09
Modified 22-Aug-09
In Stockholm, we visited a shop called "Tomtar & Troll" that had been recommended by a friend who had been there. Tomtars and Trolls are small creatures in Scandinavian folk lore. Tomtars need to be shown due respect so the household can be protected from accidents and disasters. It was a custom to leave a bowl of porridge out at Christmas time for the Tomte. If the bowl was empty the next morning, all was well for another year.
Trolls have big ugly noses, long tails and really nasty dispositions. Trolls can't stand daylight, coming out only at night. They can live for several hundred years. Phrases such as "rich as a troll" or "ugly as a troll" are often heard in the Swedish language. We dared to take several home. The Tomtar and Trolls we picked up in Stockholm traveled with us on our cruise and kept the weather good and our journey safe. They have a quiet spot in our home where they demand and receive a great deal of respect.
© Alice Coyl