:-)

eaja:

Art by Maj Fagerberg

Trollsonen som hade solögon (also known as Trollsonen som hade solögon och vart skogsman) is a Swedish fairy tale written by Vilhälm Nordin (sometimes also credited as Vilhelm Nordin). It was originally published in one volume of Bland tomtar och troll hundred years ago. That version had breathtaking illustrations by John Bauer (his illustrations from this fairy tale can be found here).

This version with illustrations by Maj Fagerberg was published 1990 in a story book called Trollskogen.

I’m far too lazy to translate this fairy tale into English (and besides, my translation would have been poor anyway), but I can at least try giving you a short summary of it:

Humpe’s father is tired of being a forest troll, so he has moved to the mountains to become a mountain troll. He has left behind his wife, Humpa, and their son, Humpe. Humpa is teased for she is not being like other trolls and they fear Humpe because he has sun eyes. Humpa dies later and Humpe is left alone. But not far too long. He later meets a beautiful birch maiden and wins her heart by kissing her. She enjoys his company and he hers. The birch maiden then says ”You’re now a forester and i’m your young wife.” But then suddenly he remembers he is a troll and runs from her, only to discover he is not a troll anymore. He has become a human-like being. When he kissed the birch maiden, he was released from the trolls. They marry and lived happily ever after.