The Trolls Who Almost Changed Iceland’s Geography – Folklore Friday

All Things Iceland

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024.

Why Trolls Tried to Make the Westfjords of Iceland an Island

Centuries ago, in the wild and rugged land of Iceland, three mischievous trolls hatched a plan to reshape the landscape forever. Their goal? To sever the Westfjords from the rest of the island by digging a massive channel between Húnaflói Bay and Breiðafjörður Bay.

These trolls loved a good challenge, so they added a competitive twist: as they dug, they would turn the earth they dug into islands.Deep in their task, the trolls were so focused on their wicked work that they failed to notice the sky brightening—the worst mistake a troll could make, for sunlight spells doom to such creatures

The Trolls Try to Escape the Death

In the west, where two trolls toiled tirelessly, hundreds of small islands began to speckle the shallow waters of Breiðafjörður. But in the east, where one lone troll struggled with the deeper, harsher waters of Húnaflói, only a few meager mounds rose from the sea.

As the first light of dawn began to creep across the horizon, panic set in. The two trolls in the west abandoned their work and sprinted northeast, hoping to escape the deadly sunlight. But they were too late. The rays of the morning sun caught them in Kollafjörður, instantly turning them into stone, where they stand to this day.

Their frenzied digging left behind the Gilsfjörður and Bitrufjörður fjords—mere hours more and they might have succeeded in turning the Westfjords into an island.

Meanwhile, the third troll in the east, furious at her lack of progress, slammed her shovel into the ground in frustration. With a crack, a piece of earth broke free, forming what we now know as Grimsey Island. But before she could celebrate, the rising sun caught her as well, turning her to stone.

Today, her petrified form remains in the village of Drangsnes, known as the Kerling rock formation—a reminder of the trolls’ ill-fated quest to reshape Iceland’s coasts.

Random Fact of the Episode

The Westfjords is one of the oldest parts of Iceland. The ancient basaltic lava flows date back to the Tertiary period, which is around 7 to 16 million years ago.

Icelandic Word of the Episode

Tröll – troll

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