Trolls

Sami J. Anteroinen 2008: Peikot
illustrated by Elena Klykova

The book gives detailed information about trolls in Finlan. It is known that trolls live in forest. So the most sightings of trolls have been made in Ostrobothnia, where are too few places to hide.

The troll are vanishing in to Lapland, where there is still room for them.  Their habitat is diminishing just like rare animals. The book also tells about trolls' eating habits, birth and charecteristics. I always thought trolls are small, but this book discribes them almost like giants.

 Most famous folklore is about changelings. The story tells that trolls used to switch human children with their own. The author is suggesting, that trolls wanted to have more intelligence in their gene pool.

In my mind trolls are always accociated with Norway. Norway has done a great job in branding trolls. This book shows me that trolls have been part of Finnish folklore as well. 

Beastbook

Suvi Vehmanen: Lapsen oma petokirja 2010
Illustrated by Laila Nevakivi

Little troll Ylli gets lost in the forest.Miihkali and Virve Forest elves are making a snow forest, when Ylli finds them. Miihkali and Virve ask him to stay with them.

 A wolwerine Hanna is making a nest for her offspring. She invites Miihkali, Virve and Ylli to her new home, and the cubs are born into the snowcave.

One night Miihkali hears the wolves. He and Virve go visit them. The wolves are starving and are worried about the trolls, who are after them. Miihkali and Virve tell Ylli about the wolves’ problems with the trolls.

The wolves gather to discuss what to do: there is an injured elk and the wolves smell the trolls, they too are somewhere near. The wolves debate whether to run or hunt. They decide to get some food.

The trolls hear the wolves and they fight among themselves if they should hunt for the elk or go after the wolves. The elk hear the troll’s bickering and leave.

 The wolves catch the injured elk and everyone gets to eat. On their way home, the trolls attack and capture small cub, Hermanni. Ylli arrives just in time to defend Hermanni. The trolls blame the wolves for stealing their food. It turns out that the trolls have been making up stories about the wolves. Miihkali and Virve arrive with the wolf pack. The wolves and the trolls make a deal: the wolves will teach the trolls how to hunt and the trolls stop chasing the wolves.

Playing hide and seek with weasel and stoate.

Spring arrives and the nature blooms, birds are singing. In June the wolf cubs investigate their environment as do the wolverine cubs. Wolf mother tells about bears and foxes. Miihkali promised in winter to weasel and stoate that he’ll play hide and seek with them in the summer. In the winter he thought that it was too easy for them to hide. It is not easier to find them in the summer either, because they change color. Ylli is hiding with lynx at the top of the tree. Ylli returns to his family and the leader wolf promises that he can take Hermanni with him. Hermanni is domesticated and his offspring will be dogs.

At the end of the book is a menu for predators: the appetizers, main courses and deserts. There is also pictures of the tracks and droppings of different animals, so even if you do not see the animal itself, you can see witch animal has been walking in the forest.

Basically this book is about wolves. The other beasts are described briefly. The illustrations of the book show also other forest animals and vegetation.

In some parts of Finland the wolves are feared greatly. I live in so in densely populated area (in Finnish scale) that I have no reason to fear them and I can easily say: “Live the wolves alone!” But I understand that in the northern and eastern parts of Finland the wolves come so close and have killed sheep and even dogs that they are considered troubling.

Rölli

Rölli's heart book cover

Allu Tuppurainen

Rölli is a troll like creature that lives alone in a forest. He spends his days wondering odd things in the world aan especially the odd behavior of humans.Rölli wants to be mean and evil, but it doesn’t quite work out. In his heart Rölli wants no harm. Rölli was created by Allu Tuppurainen and he had a tv show in Pikku Kakkonen. TV series Rölli was aired in 1986-2001.

Mr. Allu Tuppurainen has said that rölli isn’t a troll, but a blend of human and troll, a rölli. In the tv series Rölli sings a song related to the theme he is talking about. My favorite is “Omituisten otusten kerho” (Club for weird creatures). In this club everyone is welcome: if someone calls you a potato nose, or fat belly, join the club. The lyrics say that any physical feature can be considered weird by someone. And that you shouldn’t worry about it, just be you.

Rölli fishes in tv-series

 In 2007 was released an animated film, which main character was Rölli. This was a third film of Rölli and a first animated Rölli film. In the first two films, Allu Tuppurainen played the part of Rölli. In this animated film, Allu Tuppurainen gave voice to Rölli.








Pekka Lehtosaari 2007: Röllin sydän 
(Rölli's heart)
Illustrated by Janne Kopu and Kari Korhonen

Rölli's heart illustration

In this film, Rölli is a troll and he lives near rölli village. Rölli is just like every other lodger at Rölli Village: he likes pranks, making a mess and mischief and hates washing up, kissing and everything pretty. When he runs into a delightful and good hearted gnome girl Milli, he makes a new kind of a friend. The gnome forest is about to turn into stone and the only way to save the forest is to get a magical heart of Understanding from Winterland. In the film gnomes and röllis are total opposites and the adventure requires Rölli and Milli to work together.

 The animated Rölli is a bit different from the Rölli in the tv-series. In my mind they are two different characters, even though the creators of the animation tell that the film was made in the spirit and philosophy of the original films. I guess they couldn’t make a animation about Rölli talking to the audience and the animation film works well on its own.

Rölli's cottage in tv series

 Four Rölli films have been made this far. The two newer include many character in the rölli village.

In Powerpark, Tervajoki is Wonderland (Satumaa) based on the Rölli characters.

Rölli was selected most beloved fictional Finnish character (Satusuomalainen) in 2006.

Master Elf's Adventures

Cover of Mestaritontun seikkailut

Aili Somersalo 1919: Mestaritontun seikkailut
Illustrations Onni Mansneus

Characters from Päivikki's fairytale continue their adventures.

Master Elf has been lives in Fairytaleland and has been working for the King. He feels he is not appreciated and decides to leave and see the world. He takes with
him a pearl that he got from a mermaid with him.

The first person he meets is a witch called Mossy. Mossy has left the Mountain troll kings castle and is headed back home to his family estate at Great Swampisland. Mossy asks Master Elf to come with her. Master Elf follows. The estate is a small cottage. Master Elf decides to build his own place next to a big rock.

During the night Master Elf hears someone telling there is a fair maiden crying inside the rock. The next day Mossy warns Master Elf to stay in his hut and not to wander around in the swamp. During the night Master Elf hears the voice again. It seems that the big spruce is pointing at Mossy’s cottage. Master Elf sneaks up to Mossy’s window and sees two other witches with Mossy. The two witches tell Mossy what has been going on while Mossy was with the trolls.

The Witch King had wanted to marry the princess of Aurora, and send witches to take a treasure chest to the King. On their way the witches dropped the chest and the treasure was lost. The King of Aurora was the princess’s brother and he refused the marriage proposal. So the witches stole the princess and took her to the troll king. The princess, Dawn, had still declined and the Witch King imprisoned her to a rock. She was ordered to cut her golden hair and sow a coat for the Witch King. Meanwhile her brother and ladies waiting came looking for her and tried to rescue her. The witches turned him to a spruce and the ladies waiting into fog to the swamp.

The treasure chest was guarded by seven will o’ the wisps and can only be lifted by a prince that has been enchanted and has a pearl from the sea. The other two witches are worried about Master Elf being on the island, but Mossy assures them that Master Elf does not know about Princess Dawn and the treasure and even if he did, he cannot leave the island. The only way Master Elf could get help was to use a blue flower in a fairy spring that can send messages. But the flower appears only every full moon. Master Elf hears all this and he knows prince Nighteye of the Fairytaleland, who had been enchanted by a witch before.

 Master Elf starts looking for the flower, because it is full moon. The fog on the swamp helps him and he sends a message to prince Nighteye. The next day Mossy visits Master Elf and sees the precious pearl and steel s it. Master Elf is worried, how is he going to get it back. Nighteye arrives with his eagle, he has been protected by fog, so Mossy doesn’t see him. Master Elf tells him, what is going on.

Nightey arrives

 They decide to get the treasure first and then save Princess Dawn. First the go to Mossy’s cottage and find out she has broken her leg and her two friends have taken the pearl to the Witch King. Mossy gives Master Elf her a broom, magic matchsticks that make witches dance and clothes and, so he can get past the dragon that guards Witch King’s castle. Nighteye has a cape that turns anyone who wears it invisible. Nighteye wears Mossy’s clothes and Master Elf puts on the magic cape.

They fly to the Witch King’s castle. The dragon lets them in, because he knows Mossy’s clothes. On their way to the Witch King, they see that the castle is preparing for the wedding. Another dragon has heard that Mossy broke her leg and demands to see Nighteye’s legs. When Nighteye refuses, captures the dragon him and puts him in a sell. Master Elf is invisible and can continue to the Witch Kings chambers. He gets the pearl and runs. He then gets Nighteye and they use the magic matchsticks and get away.

 Back in the Swampisland they are in a hurry to see the will o’ the wisps. They start getting anxious and then the will o’ the wisps show. They get the treasure. Next they have to figure out how to get Princess Dawn out of the rock. Nighteye has a golden key that fits into a hole in the rock. Master Elf stays and keeps guard and Nighteye goes inside the rock to get Princess Dawn. The princess refuses to leave without her brother and ladies in waiting. She tells them that they need to break the spell by burning a witch’s broom. Master Elf persuades Nighteye and Princess Dawn to leave with the eagle. He will stay behind and burns the broom.

Nighteye meets Princess Dawn

 Mossy comes around and sees that the rock has been opened. She walks in and Master Elf locks her in. Then Master Elf burns the broom, but the fire also catches the spruce. When the last of the spruce has burned, the King of Aurora appears; soon also the ladies in waiting appear. King of Aurora tells Master Elf that he commands the clouds and they will take them to Fairytaleland.

 Nighteye and Princess Dawn have fallen in love and are waiting for Master Elf and the rest. Together they go see Nighteye’s parents, the King and Queen. They have missed Master Elf very much and are going to everything they can to keep him happy in Fairytale land. But there is sorrow in the land: the Princess of Fairytaleland is being held captive by the King of  the Sea.

The King of Aurora says, he’ll rescue the Princess Daylight. He has a mermaid friend that will help him. King of Aurora meets the mermaid by the seashore. She tells him, it is going to be diffilcult to get to the King of Sea’s castle. King of Aurora needs to find a cape made of fish scales under a white stone. The fish scale cape will make him look like a big fish. The moon rises showing them the way to the castle. The guard fish notices the king’s feet. The mermaid tells him that this is a new toy for Princess Daylight. The guard lets them pass.

Princess Daylight is sad

They come to Princess Daylight and she is sad, because her husband has died and she cannot go back home. King of Aurora tells her, how much her family in Fairytaleland and asks her to come back with him. Princess Daylight has heard of King of Aurora, but she tells him that it is really difficult to leave. King Aurora has brought the invisibility cape with him, but it doesn’t work underwater. There is one way: in the Dark Waters is a herb call Sorrowherb and its juice is more bitter than death. Princess Daylight knows the secret of the herb and believes it can set her free. The juice will age the drinker and it will kill all love. If the love does not die, it will get its reward. Princess Daylight gives the the King a peace of star. If the mud in the Dark Waters is getting too thick or the herb becomes too heavy, the King should rub the star three times. It will also lead the way to the Dark Waters.

The king leaves and finds the Dark Waters. It is cold and dark. Soon he sees the Sorrowherb. Its flower was black as sorrow and a its stem was so cold the King could feel his heart freeze. The King lost the brightness of his eyes and his feet got stuck in water. The herb flower was very heavy and he is about to fall into the mud. Then he remembers Princess Daylights star and soon he rises to the clear and clean waters. He gets back to the castle, where the mermaid waits for him. T

he mermaid is shocked to see him look so old. The Sorrowherb brings darkness and all fear it. Princess Daylight does not recognize the King. Princess Daylight drinks all of the Sorrowherb’s juice and turns into an old lady. The guards think that the mermaid is escorting an old wise woman that everyone respects. They can leave the castle in peace. Soon the King of the Sea realizes that Princess Daylight has escaped and raises a storm. The waves hit the King and Princess Daylight to the shore. As soon as her feet touch the ground, Princess Daylight becomes herself again.

All rejoice when Princess Daylight has returned. Soon there is a double wedding and evey one lives happily ever after.

A story of magic, quick turn of events. I always liked this more than Päivikki's fairytale. This story definately has a happy ending.
Names in Finnish:
Master Elf- Mestaritonttu,
Nighteye -Yönsilmä,
Mossy - Sammaleinen,
King or Aurora -Aamuruskonmaan kuningas,
Princess Dawn - Prinsessa Saraste,
Princess Daylight - Päivikki

Päivikin satu (Fairytale of Päivikki)

Cover of Päivikin satu

Aili Somersalo 1918
Illustrated by Onni Mansnerus

A classic fairytale of an orphan girl.

Päivikki is an orphan girl, whose foster father is kind, but foster mother and sister are evil. Päivikki is a pretty girl and her foster sister envies her. Päivikki has to do all chores, while her foster sister does nothing. One day the foster mother tells Päivikki to go pick some mushrooms. Her foster sister pretends that she has tooth ache and gets to stay home. Päivikki cannot find any mushrooms and she is getting sad: how dare she go back home without any mushrooms?

 Soon she sees fairies that have heard how kind Päivikki is to her sister, even though the sister is mean even to their cat. The cat has told the fairies how kind she is and as a reward the fairies show her, where the mushrooms are. But first gets to visit Fairytaleland. The road to Fairytaleland travels through Troll Mountain. The trolls are evil and should be avoided. The fairies give Päivikki an invisibility cape, but she must not speak while wearing it or else the cape will tear apart and vanish.

A troll sees Päivikki

 They approach Troll Mountain and see the first troll. The fairies hide and so does Päivikki. The troll passes by and the fairies move on. Päivikki gets scared and shouts that the fairies would wait. As soon as she says the words the cape wanishes. Päivikki must now be extra careful. Soon another troll comes along. All fairies hide and Päivikki hides behind a rotten stump. A raven reveals Päivikki’s hiding place and the troll finds her. The troll decides to take her as a toy for the Troll Kings daughter.

 Päivikki meets the Troll King and the King tells her that the Fairyland citizens are lazy and the trolls are hard working. He doesn’t let her go. A witch named Mossy takes Päivikki to the king’s daughter. The Troll Princess wants Päivikki to change her clothes and cut her golden hair. The Troll Princess wants to be the prettiest. Mossy takes Päivikki away, cuts her hair and stains her face and hair. Her hair will be spinned into gold.

 Päivikki entertains the Troll Princess and is her servant. When night falls Mossy says she likes Päivikki and lets her cat Nighteye stay with her. Päivikki is a little scared of the cat, but the cat’s purr is friendly. Päivikki cannot sleep. The cat starts to talk to her. Nighteye tells Päivikki that she can get out. Mossy has a key that opens any door. Nighteye will bite the leather strap and Päivikki will open the hatch in the floor. Päivikki pretends that she is sleeping so if Mossy wakes up, she won’t suspect her.

Nighteye gets the key and Päivikki opens the hatch. They take the stairs down and continue to walk to a cave. Nighteye sees a small sword and grabs it with them. The cave opens to a lake and the two jump into a boat. The boat bumbs into a rock. Nighteye asks Päivikki to open the rock and sunshine greets them. Päivikki is delighted and turns to pick up the cat. But there is no cat, instead there is a beautiful prince. The prince says that a troll had turned him into a cat and he had stayed that way, if Päivikki hadn’t taken him with her. The daylight changed him back. Nighteye tells Päivikki that his the Fairytaleland’s prince and that he will take Päivikki there and make her his sister. Päivikki is horrified; she cannot be a princess especially now that she looks horrible.

Nighteye touches the dirt with his sword and a spring appears. Päivikki also needs soap. Again Nighteye touches the ground and soap appears. Nighteye also makes clothes for Päivikki. They get tired and fall asleep. Nighteye wakes up and sees Mossy looking for them. They have to run. Nighteye hits the ground again, but nothing happens. Päivikki starts to cry. Suddenly Nighteye sees a hole in a trunk of a birch. He asks Päivikki for the key. Päivikki cannot find it! But then Moon shines and the key shimmers.

They are hardly inside, when they hear Mossy. Mossy asks her pet fox if the runaways are in the tree. The fox says yes. Then Mossy tells her raven to get the troll servants to cut down the tree. Päivikki and Nighteye are worried, but then the tree fairy appears infront of them and minimizes them to the size of a thumb. The fairy takes them to the top of the tree and helps them on leafs, which curl up so that they cannot be seen.

The fairy tells them to run to the tall grass, she will then let Mossy inside the tree. Mossy will probably leave and the fairy will join Päivikki and Nighteye back to normal. The leafs are separated: Nighteye’s leaf flies deep into the forest, but Päivikki’s falls right in front of the fox. Päivikki stays still. Then the fox smells Päivikki and takes the leaf and Päivikki to Mossy. Mossy turns Päivikki back to normal size. Nighteye comes running and asks Mossy to turn him back into a cat, he won’t leave Päivikki. Mossy turns Nighteye back to normal size.

 Suddenly the sun rises and Mossy like other trolls die in daylight. She runs back into the mountain. Päivikki and Nighteye laugh happily, because they are saved. The children start walking, they get hot and tired. They start running until they arrive at a white gate. On both sides of the gate stand two white creatures. They are fairies. The gate flies open and Päivikki and Nighteye walk into Fairytaleland.

Nighteye takes Päivikki to meet his parents and asks if she can stay. When he tells them that she is an orphan that was found in a brown basket, the King and Queen realize that Päivikki is their long los daughter. The witch Mossy that Päivikki met earlier stole her when the King and Queen had been riding near the Troll Mountain. Päivikki stays. The garden in Fairyland is magnificent and the children row on the lake. Once Päivikki sees a white hand rising from the water, the hand gestures Päivikki to come. Nighteye gets mad and tells her that the mermaids are trying to lure her to the lake. He also warns her that if she follows the mermaids, she can never come back.

Later in the sunset Päivikki sees a coral castle at the bottom of the sea. From the foam rises the King of Sea’s son and encourages Päivikki to come to him. Nighteye begs Päivikki not to look to the sea. The King is having a ball for the newly found princess and everyone is invited. After the ball, Päivikki climbs to the roof and looks at the sea. A fairy comes to her and says she brings a message from the sea. The Prince loves Päivikki and has sent her a gift. It is a pearl broach. As soon as it is attach to Päivikki, she feels the salt water running in her veins. The King’s right arm Master Elf comes looking for Päivikki and tells her that everyone is looking for her and that they are afraid that she has been kidnapped again.

That night Päivikki cannot sleep. She keeps looking at her pearl. She starts walking in the castle. In the foyer sits Master Elf sleeping, Päivikki gets a key from him and opens the door. She is looking for Nighteye, who she thinks is calling her. She cannot find him. Päivikki runs to the lake and takes the rowing boat to the lake. The waterlilies follow her and under them are the beautiful faces of mermaids. Päivikki gets scared and she screams that she wants to get back to Nighteye. The mermaids only laugh and sit inside the boat. They try to lure Päivikki into the water. Päivikki calls for the Master Elf, who hears her and starts running toward the lake. He sees that the mermaids have gotten Päivikki into the water, but she is still holding on to the boat. Master Elf helps Päivikki to the boat and rows her back to shore. Päivikki gives her pearl to Master Elf as a thank you.

The next day Päivikki and Nighteye go to visit Päivikki’s old home. Her foster family does not recognize her. Her sister is jealous; she thinks she would have been more suitable than Päivikki to be a princess. Nighteye tells her that she is too proud and evil, but since the family took care of Päivikki, he has brought them gifts. Päivikki gives her foster father a box that has three yellow leafs. Her foster mother laughs derisively, they have enough leafs on the yard. But not leaves like these. Nighteye takes one of the leafs and the leaf turns into a cow. The next leaf he puts on the foster father’s arm and it turns to clothing. The third leafs turns into a cake.

 Päivikki and Nighteye leave and Päivikki wants to see the sea. Nighteye promises to guard her from the mermaids. The sound of the waves make Nighteye fall asleep and a red moon rises from the sea and creates a wide silvery road. A voice tells Päivikki that it leads to the Castle of the King of Sea. Suddenly a beautiful, green eyed boy stands next to Päivikki. The boy repeats what he said. Päivikki wants to know, how he knows that. The boy says he has been there. The boy says he is the King of the seas son. He invites Päivikki to come to the castle. Päivikki tells him, she cannot, because then she cannot return. He tells her that they can go only so far that she can come back. Päivikki turns to wake Nighteye up, but a strong tidal wave rushes over her. Päivikki is blinded by the foam and she feels the wave taking her to the sea. Päivikki feels the King of sea’s son that holds her hand. His eyes mesmerize her. They swim to the sea, where the wind sings praise to the sea. Great joy fills Päivikki and she forgets everything but the green eyes. They sink deeper to the bottom of the sea and the deeper they sink the less Päivikki remembers Fairytaleland and Nighteye. So became Päivikki the queen of the seas.

 Is this a happy or a sad end? That is for the reader to decide. The Päivikki's story isn't over yet. Aili Somersalo wrote another story about the Master Elf.