More Troll Tales

Cold air hangs on the edge of the forest Moorsfest, were the trees begin to thin and the younger saplings nearly buried in the new fallen snow.   The moon shines upon the land a glaring white light, the snow glitters under it immenseness.  It looks magical the snow covered earth, as Urringår guides the forest boundaries.  She carries with her a hammer and an axe made in the smithies of Räasvoarbörg by Grimmodhr Troll, from long ago.  Our troll was big and strong a warrior of high regard among the forest folk, her flame red hair and piercing black eyes always alert.  Watched and took in what surrounded her, her gaze turned to Midvaard the ugly rowdy settlement of King Guthwyn.  The inn was busy full of noise and its cacophony could be heard far and wide, across what had been a silent place during nighttime.  Urringår looked upon it was disdain and contempt.  She watched the place looking at it until it became just a distant blurred noise, it would seem no nocturnal attacks were going to occur this night.  The folk of Midvaard were drinking!  Toward the vast mountains in the north Räasvoarbörg, little green flickers began to appear like candle light.  Slowly it started to rise expanding and twisting a majestic site recoiling green and blue moving above in space, lighting up the deep pendulous sky and the snowy land below.   Its unending beauty spellbound our troll; she stood transfixed watching and communicating with it and all the time learning from the aurora.  It guided the trolls and the other forest folk and Laarg too all linked with it in the wheel of nature.

#Note# the spelling of Räasvoarbörg is an improvement on its original, it reads better and feels that it fits in with the nature of what is trying to be achieved with these stories and lyrics.

MORE TROLL STORIES

Glørson sat on the mossy earthy undergrowth of the forest floor, sharp rays of light shone through gaps in amongst the dense tree cover.  Bright white it looked almost supernatural, and one expected some being to be present.  But not our troll who sat peacefully, eating honey from a nearby bee’s nest.  Thick golden clear liquid he ate with massive rough hands, with earthy ragged bread.  The honey had caught in his beard this he did not mind as he ate, the sound of the bees droned around him.  It was almost starting to hypnotize him the distant hum of bees going about their business, as he looked deep into the trees darkening and mysterious who knew what this troll saw?  Glørson knew his place here in the ancient forest Moorsfest; this was the place he was borne.  Even though forlorn as it was the forest was a dwindling place, but here in the very centre of all things the trolls regarded as paramount to their very being.  The trees were a form of natural architecture and also they lived beneath and amongst the trees, thinking and wondering of the mysteries of their world.  This clan of trolls spent many hours at counsel, sifting through every fine piece of this place in understanding the magic of nature.  This was no ordinary magic this was part of being, and using skills that were learnt over many hundreds of years.  Applying this knowledge to everything they did in equal measure, and this written in the vast history of the forest trolls.  It chartered how there language had evolved the various kings, and disputes, not all where with the folk of Midvaard.   These books were kept in vast archives underground, written on parchment and bound in leather.  Opulent and carefully scribed by Gloomy Glum Troll as Glørson was not a historian, very sharp and shrewd but not in the way Gloomy Glum was.  This environment was what the trolls were, every measure of what the trolls did related directly to the forest.  In all their philosophies this kept the equilibrium of nature in balance, the trees kept the trolls and the trolls kept the trees.  Time was spent between hunting, and many of the trolls hunted skilled in their craft.  Urringår she was a very good archer and a great warrior too, although there had been much conflict between King Guthwyn.  These were not always ongoing, and where more sporadic in nature.  This of course angered the trolls although things were far from harmonious between the two! 

#Note# the spelling of Glørson is an improvement on its original spelling “son” works better than “sorn” as in the style and setting of the stories.  Also the spelling of Midvaard is now only spelt with one I, as these stories are evolving one feels that this works better with the general flow of things. Trolls eating honey may sound odd but this is what got this part of the story started, and I liked the idea of a troll eating honey in a forest setting. Imaging the feeling of being alone in such a setting conjuring up the imagery for a dense forest, and the sound of bees.

ANOTHER DISCUSSION ON MOORSFEST AND TROLLS

MOORSFEST AND WHAT DO TROLLS DO DURING THE TIME OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN

This latest entry is to try and envisage what the forest Moorsfest looks like seen through the lyrics that I write, the above picture helps in some way imaging such a place.  Although Moorsfest is a lot more dense and tangled and much darker and difficult for people to navigate through, trolls and other forest creatures do not have this problem as they know all the ways around.  In the songs that I have written including Moorsfest, I have tried to put as much information regarding it.  To try and add depth in telling its history and all the battles and various sagas that have taken place there, also its occupants.  The trolls and goblins, elves, bears, owls, badgers, foxes.  All these play a part, although I must admit not all have been included.  However one can assume that these animals and birds would live in these habitats, although I do not like to assume!  Each song has told a separate tale about the place, and also at different points in its history.  Which I hope has been clear in it’s telling, what I have also tried to include is the solitude and silence of the place, which must be immensely beautiful.  To have just peace and just natural noises around, trolls pondering over the many things that vex them.  Hours spent deep in thought almost trance like, and at one with nature and their place within it.

The second part of this entry, is as the title says what do trolls do in the midnight sun?  As all of my stories and lyrics are set in a fictional place around The Arctic Circle, and I know that the sun does not set during the summer months.  So do trolls go into a form of hibernation?  Or is there something about the sun during this season that does not affect Trolls, I have only just became aware of this and thought it was worth mentioning.  It would kind of be like an around the other way type of hibernation, as opposed during the winter months it would be during the summer months.  Or maybe there is something about the sun under the canopy of the forest that doesn’t bother trolls too much; anyway something to think about as autumn descends…

ODD THINGS I HAVE SEEN

Nine years ago whilst working in Cumbria, I used to take my dog for a walk on an evening.  I would take a route down the windy road down to a gate climb over and wander over open fields with established Hedgerows.  A nice wander might see the odd one or two folk milling about but that was about it, after a few weeks of doing this walk.  I noticed something a tad strange a plastic milk carton tied up in the hedgerow, it had been burnt at the top and had a piece of black cord with a silver object.  That I could not make out as it was quite high up, but at this point I found it rather unnerving!  Was it some kind of occult group?  This just seemed strange who had put this here and most importantly why?  After this I did no longer walk this route, and to this day I have always wondered what it meant and the reason behind this.

Could there be a lyrical theme here?  Going off on an odd kilter, with my usual lyrical topics.  It could be something esoteric and Dark searching dark avenues of wonder, However I am on Hiatus and do not like to stray to far from my song interests, it may lead to much of an eclectic mix of themes.  It would have to be another project but I am not looking to form anything new.  Megrimmtroll is dormant!!!

I wonder why people do these things, is it to get folk like me guessing? Or is there something more that I have not pondered.  Another thing, which happened around twenty years or more ago, was whilst walking to the pub.  With a mate we where walking down the road, that forked off to a single-track road.  It was nighttime and dark as it was autumn as I recall, all of a sudden we heard really loud footfalls thundering through the trees and undergrowth.  We did not stay to see what it was and ran; our imaginations got the better of us.  We thought it could have been a giant beast or a maniac, again I find myself wondering what would have happened if we had stayed to see what it was?  And again lyrical ideas spring to my, I guess the creative process never stops…

*note photo is not from either places described above*

HOW FAR DOES THE TROLLS CAVE GO?

Well now that I have released Megrimmtroll`s second demo, and have been pleased with the end result.  It took six months to get things right and at a stage where I believed them to be good enough to record, but now that is done I have come to a creative halt. 

So I think some form of hiatus is in order, to recharge the creative batteries as it were.  I think it would be good to work with someone else, to try and push the envelope out a bit.  It is good to work alone, but feel it might be a good idea to collaborate I am not sure though.  But I am thinking about it at least, I am largely pleased with what I have done so letting things stay dormant for a time maybe the way to go!  As I have learnt in my forty-five years of being on this planet, never say never.

Because I know what will happen six months down the line smack bang wallop, I have a new song.  This happened to me with Charcoal Daeth in December 2007 thought it was all over, as I stood outside Dalston Post Office clasping in my paw two packages and thinking this is it farewell and tatty bye.  However two demos later and finally its all over… Then came Megrimmtroll.

I have explored the troll’s cave in every dark corner wandered along dark earthy and stony corridors, talking as I go and always wondering what is going to happen next!  Blazing fires all aglow the deep rumblings of trolls talking in some mysterious language like I have never heard before, as I listen in there is much to be written and discussed in this age old cavernous labyrinth …

CAKE AND LETS HOPE THERE IS MORE CAKE TO COME!

So I have finally got round to recording two new songs, this has been brought forward.  The original plan was to record in December, as I like this time of year.  When recording I have done a number of songs at this time of year, the whole thing of Midwinter and black metal is just a generally good time.  However I felt that I was ready to record, I did not see the point in waiting until the end of the year.  Because I believe that I might go off the boil a bit, so I think that striking while the iron is hot was the best option.  I had made some minor changes to Of Soil & Old Magic’s of the Earth, at the end of the song.  The Outro is slightly altered from how I originally had written it, used some drums that I had recorded in 2009.  As I have quite a lot of Bodhran on tape, its quite uncomplicated I play the tape and play my bass over the top.  This particular drumming I used was played with drumsticks not the little stick that came with my Bodhran, it gives a different sound and think it adds a little variation.  

Watching Trolls Sleep I added some outdoor recording of the wind blowing and birds singing, I feel that it brings about the whole feeling of nature.  As sometimes I do play outside and these sounds are included, so again it brings something else to the music.

On this release I worked with pictures something I did on the track, Grymmuurh the Grave Mountain Troll.  I have used a painting I did from several years ago and some drawings and a throw to look like a backdrop to create something theatrical, like a stage set well that’s the general idea.

MgtrolL 2^nd August 2012 Full Moon

A DISCUSSION ABOUT TROLLS

A DISCUSSION ABOUT TROLLS IN RELATION TO NEANDERTHALS

A while ago I had a brief discussion of the existence of Troll`s and a suggestion, that there could be similarities between troll`s and Neanderthals.  From what I have learned myself about Neanderthals they have largely been misinterpreted by people outside of academe, I think the same can be said about troll`s!  Often labelled as brutish creatures of low intelligence, which I believe to be wrong. You only have to look at stone tool assemblages to see that a fairly sophisticated tradition was in use.  these are creatures who live among natural habitats using what they need.  And being part of nature unlike humans who act above nature, and take unnecessarily. 

Im my own stories of Trolls they are protecting the forests from the unprecedented attack from people on their ancient homelands, they simply want to be left alone without interference from folk.  What is it with the human trait of interfering with what does not concern them?  Trolls lead a holistic natural way of life, I think Neanderthals may have been similar.  When the first Homo Sapiens appeared they seem to be more aggressive than their counter parts who have been suggested were more docile, this has also been suggested why Homo Sapiens endured being more cunning.  Although not as robust and strong, they adapted to a changing environment that Neanderthals appeared to have not.  This is were I think it becomes really interesting, was their warfare between the two groups?  Obviously it would be difficult to interpret, and would go down the subjective route of discussion. And there may be many ambiguities in looking at sites, where both groups were present.   My main question is were Neanderthals wrongly explained, and they were in fact Trolls?  Clive Gamble talks about the folk traditions of Yetis and Almas, why not then the tradition of trolls? After all the tales of trolls goes back a long way in Scandinavian folklore, Terry Pratchett mentioned “What makes us human” this was in discussion about Xmas and our human need to believe things of otherness.  So with tales of fantastical creatures and beasts there must be some truth in them?  I feel that there is a desire to relay stories about otherworldly creatures, is it just our imagination that takes us off to another place with these tales.  I feel there must be some basis of truth through a vague oral tradition that trolls did at some stage exist, and with more scientific research there may have been an evolutionary strain that was the troll.  In Johanna Sinisalo book “Not Before Sundown” mentions an interesting point, “Because of their great outward resemblance to humans or apes, trolls were originally mistaken for close relatives of the hominids; but further study has demonstrated that the case is one of convergent evolution”

So could there be different types of trolls over time, as they are believed to be long-lived creatures?  From the stories I have read reveal an almost reclusive type of creature, and that they live in remote areas away from humans.  And their numbers of populations would be small if they did walk this earth; in scattered groups in the remote parts of the earth, I would like to believe that this is so.  Maybe through anecdotal or oral histories more can be revealed, or perhaps archaeological evidence may become apparent in the future. I think smaller groups would fit this model especially if they do live among us today, they would have characteristics that would surely vary between trolls? In their behaviour within these groups and how they behave amongst one another, I wonder if in all the stories whether this can be deciphered? I find this whole phenomenon fascinating I just hope and believe that there is some truth in the things I have discussed above.

One last point I would like to make is the collection of folk tales. Asbjørnsen Moe collected stories in the nineteenth century, but what lies before this?  From the depths of time is there something more tangible evidence from these oral traditions; we also have The Kalevala that Elias Lönnrot who collected this story from various parts of Finland, which has a very long oral tradition.  With all these folktales I believe that there must be something that has a physical past.  Through the murk of time, and that these stories in certain contexts did exist in some sense of a real past.

Bibliography

Clive Gamble The Peopling of Europe 700, 000-40,000 Years Before Present. The Oxford Illustrated Prehistory of Europe Ed Barry Cunnliffe. Oxford University Press 1994

Johanna Sinisalo, Not Before Sundown. Peter Owen London 2010

Norwegian Folktales Selected From The Collection of Peter Christen Asbjørnsen And Jørgen Moe Pantheon Books New York.

Oxford World Classics The Kalevala An Epic Poem After Oral Tradition By Elias Lönnrot, Translated By Keith Bosley.  Oxford University Press 2008