04/12/2024
The Troll Ride
Peder Lars, the son of a farmer, was heading to town to get some fine duds for his date that night. Lisa was the daughter of an alderman, but she loved Peder never less. He was to meet her at six o’clock.
On the way to town, he came across a strange woman. She had asked if he would perform an act of kindness for her. Peder said he would if he could. She had asked him to get her some resin from seven different pine trees to cure her limp so she might make it home.
She had given five people a gold coin to fetch it for her, but she still found herself exhausted in this ditch after quite some time. Peder said he would help after she answered his question.“How did someone so ugly get so much gold?” said the rude boy.
“My legs ache so much, and my mother is looking for me; can you hear her?”
Peder said he could not, and she climbed up on his horse and whispered in his ear with her mother’s voice:“Where are you, daughter, sweet and fair? I’m looking everywhere.”
Peder did agree that she had a face only a mother could love.
“I see you hate Trolls and laugh at me, but if you get me the resin so I can walk again, I will pay you this sack of gold,” she said, shaking her purse.
Peder just slapped her hand and sent the coins flying into the ditch, saying he despised her kind and rode off.
After he bought his new suit, he passed the seven pines and heard the Troll’s mother calling for her again. He thought about helping the Troll, but he would be late meeting Lisa. Halfway home, his horse stopped dead, and he could hear Mother Troll calling again:“Where are you, daughter, sweet and fair? I’m looking everywhere.”
His heart grew warm as he thought about helping the Troll, but with a quick breeze, it grew cold again as he headed for home.
The horse stopped again and once more the mother’s voice was heard:“Where are you, daughter, sweet and fair? I’m looking everywhere.”
By now, Peder thought he was cursed to hear the voice until he went back and fetched the resin. He delivered it to the Troll and wished he would never have to see her again after her quest had cost him his date with Lisa.
Afterward, he rode on, never looking back.
Out of the blue, Peder had seen his brother on his horse, all in a lather. He rushed Peder on because the rich Miller’s son had waited for him not to show. Peder spurred his horse on and left his brother behind as the forest scratched his face and tore his new clothes as he heedlessly stormed through.
Soon, no matter how hard he spurred his horse, she got slower and slower, no matter how hard she tried. Then a miracle happened: the horse began to fly!Peder thought someone or something else had sat behind him. When he turned, he only saw a gray blur disappear over the horse’s rear. Faster and faster, they went on a wild ride.
Lisa’s father and the Miller were ready to make wedding plans for Lisa, but Peder just made it on time. Lisa threw her arms around him in his tussled state.
The couple was married.
Over the years, no matter how late Peder would start a journey, he always made it on time. That little gray being who always sat behind him on the horse when he was not looking made sure of it. For even though he was a horse’s rear, the Troll’s daughter appreciated his begrudged help and also granted his other wish: that he never see her again.
From Trolls: A Compendium.
https://www.salemhousepress.com/2021-Site/Books/Trolls.html
