A Father’s Rage

“No!” were the only words that came out of the troll’s mouth. The other words were too painful to speak.

Gunnar took his children high into the mountains after St. Olaf killed his mate.

“We hurt no one, no one,” wept the father.

Most trolls turn to stone in sunlight. Not the Highland trolls, they have no fear of dying from the sun.

This morning should have been joyous. Gunnar’s son turned two hundred and would soon become an adult.

“Papa, I want to go with you on the hunt,” the boy said.

“There will be plenty of time for that soon enough. This day is special, and I need you and your sister to go and gather heather in the valley below. Be sure to stay away from the humans,” answered his father.

“We will,” said the children as they waved goodbye.

The hunt was taking longer than it should, and Gunnar was late returning to his mountain cave.

“Children, come see what Papa has brought for you this day,” cried the troll.

When there was no reply, the troll dropped everything and rushed into his home. What he saw at first did not alarm him.

“Hey, you sleepy heads, wake up,” said Gunnar.

The siblings did not move. He prodded his son, who did not respond, so the father rolled the boy onto his back.

One word came out, “No!” yet it carried with it the grief of a father seeing his dead son.

He hesitated to touch his daughter’s shoulder. In the end, he knew her fate as well.

“Why? We hurt no one,” came the scream.

The children had done as their father said. They avoided the humans. As they were leaving the meadow, a farmer saw them. Soon, the villagers gave chase.

“Hurry, we must get to the cave for safety,” urged the girl.

Racing ahead of the mob, the two children reached the safety of their cave. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize the humans had no fear of the young trolls.

“Hold me tight, Greta. I don’t want them to hurt me,” cried the boy.

The humans rushed the troll’s den and seized the children. With blades of steel, they slit their throats, leaving them to die.

“We never hurt any of you. We gave you peace, why could you not do the same for us?” said Gunnar as he craddled his children in his massive arms.

The troll placed them on their mats and covered them, making them appear asleep.

“You have taken a father’s joy. Now I will take yours.”

Gunnar waited until night, then he collected his due. The screams of mothers and fathers rang out as they discovered their children dead or missing.

The morning light revealed a horrific sight. The missing children lay in a neat row. Their necks broken and holding one another in the fashion Gunnar found his children.

“They will find them sleeping. They will hope for the impossible. This will continue until they touch and know the truth,” said the troll.

The grief spread, and the villagers swore vengeance on the troll. Gunnar had different plans.

“My death will give them some comfort. I will deny them that. Their hearts will ache as mine aches now,” said Gunnar.

The troll climbed high into the mountains where no human could go, where he remains to this day. He knows each day he lives is a day the humans pay for his suffering.

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