Once there were three brothers. They were unfortunate and mis-shaped.
The first brother was very tall with enormous hands and feet. He was so clumsy that he broke things every where he went.
The second brother was of average height but he was a hump-back and tended to let his hair grow long and unruly, he never combed it or washed it. He was not hire able.
Third brother was well enough in body but he had great big ears, and bulging eyes that were yellow with sickness, and when he had a beard on he was quite frightening indeed. No maid would look at him.
Rather than lament their unfortunate states, the brothers decided amongst them selves to make their abode far away in the high mountains. Taking what tools and supplies they could gather, and a few goats for meat and milk they removed themselves from other folk and were content to live a life of seclusion.
Now first brother, though he was clumsy was rather clever at certain things, and fishing was one of them. Often he spent his days snatching salmon and gronling from the mountain streams and lakes to smoke for the winter.
Third brother favored long walks in the woods where he could forage for mushrooms and sweet onions and smell the fragrance of the earth.
Second brother was happy to tend the goats all through the lazy day, and became good at making cheese and kefir. He kept bees and could make a fine mead as well.
In this way the brothers survived and were happy.
As progress is ever the way of human-folk, a small village soon appeared not far from the brothers’ secret home-stead. Eventually the folk of the village began to discover signs left by the brothers.
The first evidence was foot prints, twice as big as any normal person down the valley on the shore of the lovely lake. 'It has to be a large creature' thought the villagers.
One day third bother was ambling through the dark forest early in the morning just before dawn finding fresh morals and savoring the mist rising from the rotten forest floor, never noticing the drunken farmer stumbling home in the early morning fog.
"It has bulging eyes and huge ears and digs in the earth" cried the peasant when he woke up that same afternoon.
And then second brother was spotted by a small girl one evening just after sunset. He was carrying a large Billy-goat over his already humped shoulders and the horns curved sharply, tangling in his shock of messy hair. He must have been a frightening sight for such a small child.
Now the village counsel thought long about what to do with a troll in the mountains near their ever expanding farmland.
No one wished to fight it. Every one agreed that trying to slay a troll was folly. And the best thing would be to try and keep it's belly full so it had no need to gobble up poor stringy peasant folk.
So it was decreed that every one should leave what extra they had each week down near the lovely lake by a tall pile of stones for the troll.
The three misfigured brothers knowing how they frightened regular folk remained hidden as well they could, deep in the high mountains and gratefully stowed away the strange offerings that the villagers left each Freya's-day. In this way they were able to live in the way simple folk imagine kings do, never suffering the pain of hunger or the lack of decent drink.
Alternate ending:
If one wishes for an even happier ending it could be supposed that during one particularly cold and hard winter the brothers decide to share the large store of food and goods collected from the frightened villagers. There by saving the village in a time of great need.
The first brother was very tall with enormous hands and feet. He was so clumsy that he broke things every where he went.
The second brother was of average height but he was a hump-back and tended to let his hair grow long and unruly, he never combed it or washed it. He was not hire able.
Third brother was well enough in body but he had great big ears, and bulging eyes that were yellow with sickness, and when he had a beard on he was quite frightening indeed. No maid would look at him.
Rather than lament their unfortunate states, the brothers decided amongst them selves to make their abode far away in the high mountains. Taking what tools and supplies they could gather, and a few goats for meat and milk they removed themselves from other folk and were content to live a life of seclusion.
Now first brother, though he was clumsy was rather clever at certain things, and fishing was one of them. Often he spent his days snatching salmon and gronling from the mountain streams and lakes to smoke for the winter.
Third brother favored long walks in the woods where he could forage for mushrooms and sweet onions and smell the fragrance of the earth.
Second brother was happy to tend the goats all through the lazy day, and became good at making cheese and kefir. He kept bees and could make a fine mead as well.
In this way the brothers survived and were happy.
As progress is ever the way of human-folk, a small village soon appeared not far from the brothers’ secret home-stead. Eventually the folk of the village began to discover signs left by the brothers.
The first evidence was foot prints, twice as big as any normal person down the valley on the shore of the lovely lake. 'It has to be a large creature' thought the villagers.
One day third bother was ambling through the dark forest early in the morning just before dawn finding fresh morals and savoring the mist rising from the rotten forest floor, never noticing the drunken farmer stumbling home in the early morning fog.
"It has bulging eyes and huge ears and digs in the earth" cried the peasant when he woke up that same afternoon.
And then second brother was spotted by a small girl one evening just after sunset. He was carrying a large Billy-goat over his already humped shoulders and the horns curved sharply, tangling in his shock of messy hair. He must have been a frightening sight for such a small child.
Now the village counsel thought long about what to do with a troll in the mountains near their ever expanding farmland.
No one wished to fight it. Every one agreed that trying to slay a troll was folly. And the best thing would be to try and keep it's belly full so it had no need to gobble up poor stringy peasant folk.
So it was decreed that every one should leave what extra they had each week down near the lovely lake by a tall pile of stones for the troll.
The three misfigured brothers knowing how they frightened regular folk remained hidden as well they could, deep in the high mountains and gratefully stowed away the strange offerings that the villagers left each Freya's-day. In this way they were able to live in the way simple folk imagine kings do, never suffering the pain of hunger or the lack of decent drink.
Alternate ending:
If one wishes for an even happier ending it could be supposed that during one particularly cold and hard winter the brothers decide to share the large store of food and goods collected from the frightened villagers. There by saving the village in a time of great need.
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