11/19/2024
There's a new troll at the LaPlatte Crossing footbridge.
Strömkarlen is a river troll in Scandinavian folklore. If you listen carefully, you might hear Strömkarlen play his hardanger fiddle. And if you look closely, you can see that his fiddle has four extra strings that resonate the sound in a special way. When he plays, the music of the forest, the trees and birds, wind and water, dance over his fiddle strings.
It is said that when he gets to playing, “tables and benches, cups and cans, gray-beards and grandmothers, blind and lame, even babies in the cradle will begin to dance.”(Jacob Grimm)
There is some old magic in Strömkarlen. If you leave him a small offering, he might play a tune for you on his fiddle. If your offering is grand, he will run your fingers over the strings of his fiddle and you will be able to play so well the trees dance and the river sings and the waterfall pauses to listen.
Strömkarlen, guardian of the river crossing
Strömkarlen is a river troll in Scandinavian folklore. If you listen carefully, you might hear Strömkarlen play his hardanger fiddle. And if you look closely, you can see that his fiddle has four extra strings that resonate the sound in a special way. When he plays, the music of the forest, the trees and birds, wind and water, dance over his fiddle strings.
It is said that when he gets to playing, “tables and benches, cups and cans, gray-beards and grandmothers, blind and lame, even babies in the cradle will begin to dance.”(Jacob Grimm)
There is some old magic in Strömkarlen. If you leave him a small offering, he might play a tune for you on his fiddle. If your offering is grand, he will run your fingers over the strings of his fiddle and you will be able to play so well the trees dance and the river sings and the waterfall pauses to listen.
