It’s hot beyond measure and another heat wave is set to hit Europe soon, so where else could we go to find you a tale besides up North!
Luckily, we had just the collection handy! This story was inspired because we received a copy of “Sámi folktales from the Near and Far Worlds” by Just Knud Qvigstad and Isak Saba as translated by Barbara Sjoholm published recently through the University of Minnesota Press. Sjoholm has many stories about the Sámi like “From Lapland to Sapmi” and this is just her latest book in a long line of work on the Sámi people.
The Sámi Peoples and their Folktales
The Sámi are an indigenous group in Sápmi which stretches across Scandinavia. Traditionally fishers, reindeer herders and animal trappers, oral storytelling has always been a way to preserve their culture and traditions.
Unfortunately, like most indigenous groups elsewhere in the world like North America and Australia, their identity, their land and their resources are at constant risk.
Another collection we consulted was “By the Fire” originally by Emilie Demant Hatt and also translated by Barbara Sjoholm. Her stories follow the reindeer migrations, ogres, trolls, and other fantasy creatures, but also the very real human adversaries.
What we have seen of Sámi stories between the two collections is a mix of fairytales and folktales. There are kings, princesses, ogres, trolls but also ghosts, hauntings and dead lovers that are more gothic in nature. Through the collection, you can feel time passing you by.
So get ready to make some questionable decisions with us and dubiously steal some treasure!
The Lad and the Dubious Magical Item
The story we chose to retell is called “The Lad who stole a Troll’s Hat, a Bird and a Horse and Married the Princess” (Qvigstad, Saba 61-64) collected from Ole Andersen Samuelsberg in 1923. It loosely follows the Aarne-Thompson Uther type 328 “The Boy who Steals the Giant’s Treasures” – this type is for the Jack Spriggins of the world, but it can include trolls, ogres and other large creatures being robbed of their golden treasure.
An Unexpected Encounter
There once was a poor boy who lived with his mother. He often spent his time hunting for berries, and that was usually their only meal for the day.
One day, he was gathering berries between tussocks when a hidden door opened and some voices called out to him. They asked if he was the one who stomped all over their rooftops and made noise every single day. The boy apologized and said he was just picking berries.
While the old tale only once referred to them as “people,” the description remains quite vague. They could have been some type of sprite, fairy, elf, or traditional Scandinavian nisse creature.
The mysterious creatures considered his apology and then asked him to pick some berries for them as well, since he was so skilled. They offered to pay him in exchange, and the young boy went hurrying home to tell his mother. He was determined to work through the night if he had to.
So, he picked berries and picked berries, and the creatures were very pleased with him. They invited him to stay, and so he did. The next day, he asked why they didn’t just pick the berries themselves, and they admitted they might be seen by humans if they did!
Discovering the Wishing Hat
Then it was evening, and the boy settled in for the night. Those who had been there went off, and only an old woman stayed behind with him. As the lad looked around the room, he spotted an old hat. The old lady claimed it had belonged to her son and was a powerful magic hat that could transport a person anywhere with a single wish.
When the others returned, they invited him to stay another night, but the boy started to wonder if his mother was already missing him. The creatures told him he would have to go see her and went off again. As soon as they were gone, he popped the magic hat on his head and wished he was home!
Wood print “Spring” by Sámi artist John Savio. Wikimedia.
The King’s Challenge and the Trolls
Suddenly, the lad was teleported straight home. Next, he thought he might try going to the King’s castle (mostly because he had no real plan) and when he arrived, the guards and court didn’t know what to make of the strange poor boy.
However, the kingdom had bigger matters to consider, and they paid him no heed. The King had a beautiful daughter, and because so many suitors wanted to marry her, the King set up a dangerous quest.
Deep in the forest lived lovely golden birds that sang beautifully, but they belonged to the mythical Trolls. Whomever dared to brave the forest and bring a golden bird back for the King would marry his daughter and become the next king.
When the boy heard this, he wondered if he should go and take a look at these magic birds. The boy’s logic was purely based on vibes; he possessed a powerful magic item but zero forethought.
Another Random Old Lady
He traveled to the forest, and lucky for him, the trolls’ houses were there but the trolls themselves were away. Instead, he found another old woman in a house and asked after the birds. She told him where they were kept, and he found the birds that shone like gold, even spotting some glowing horses to boot. However, he didn’t want to risk taking them just yet, so he went back to the castle.
Except, once he arrived at the castle, he thought it over and decided to go right back to the forest.
This time, he asked the old woman when the trolls were coming back. Then, he told her he wanted to steal a bird, and she advised him to take the ugliest bird and never look back. Following her advice, he took the ugliest bird and returned to the castle.
But he wasn’t done yet. The chaotic boy returned to the forest a third time and asked when the trolls were returning. Once again, the old woman gave him the timeline, and he announced he wanted to take a magic horse.
She advised him to take the ugliest creature and not turn back. He considered it, but chickened out at the last moment and returned to the castle empty-handed.
The Trouble with Trolls
When he returned to the court, he found that the palace clerks had stolen his bird and told the King they were the ones who had fetched it. The only problem was that the bird refused to sing. It was a particularly ugly bird, so without its magical song, it was useless to look at.
But the moment the lad appeared, the bird began to shine and sing wonderfully.
The boy then decided to go back for the horse, but this time, he accidentally teleported right into the middle of the troll houses—which were now fully occupied.
Illustration by John Bauer for ” Pojken och Tomtemössan ” by Vilhälm Nordin in “Bland tomtar och troll” (Among gnomes and trolls), 1910. Wikimedia Commons.
The trolls were raging over the theft. When they saw the boy, they assumed he had just arrived and asked if he had seen anyone traveling past with a bird.
He claimed he had, but told them the bird wasn’t singing and was already far away. The angry trolls did not even bother with him and rushed off to find the thief. Left alone with the old woman again (who was likely confused as to why this boy never followed instructions but kept coming back) he was told one last time to take the ugliest horse and stop. coming. back.
This time he listened, but instead of using his hat, he chose to ride the glowing horse. Terrified that the trolls were hot on his heels, he kept riding in fear.
Only when he finally cleared the forest and saw the sun shining did he don his magic hat and wish himself back to the castle. Again, no sense just vibes.
A Chaotic Happy Ending
The Princess had been sitting next to the golden, hideous bird when the lad materialized on his horse next to her! She was startled by his sudden appearance but not surprised.
“Sámi Couple” by Sámi artist, John Savio from “The Mysticism of Sámi art” by Linda Curfs (Hanna) for the University of Texas
She admitted to him that she had been watching him magically reappear and disappear all week, and noticed the bird only sang in his presence. She demanded to know how on earth he kept magically teleporting into her castle.
The lad declared he was the one who brought the bird, making him the rightful husband. The princess and the lad went to the King, showed him the glowing horse and the singing bird, and the poor lad and the princess were married.
That was how a poor young boy acquired a magic hat, a magic bird, a glowing horse, and somehow ended up as the King. It turns out no magic item is too useless when placed in the hands of a total chaos gremlin.
And that, dear travellers, is the story of the “The Lad who stole a Troll’s Hat, a Bird and a Horse and Married the Princess” which is exactly what he does in the tale.
If you want more Sámi folktales, then be sure to check out the new book! It is such a comprehensive collection and there is a range of stories.
We also have a collection of other Scandinavian and Icelandic tales to help you cool down:
- Iceland
- Norway:
- Norse Mythology:
Disclaimer: “Sámi folktales from the Near and Far Worlds” by Just Knud Qvigstad and Isak Saba as translated by Barbara Sjoholm received through Netgalley. All opinions are our own.
Tales from the Enchanted Forest 
