The depiction of an emotional crisis is an unusual subject for folk literature. However, in

Bjørnson experiments with the representation of the protagonist’s psychological state within the form of the traditional folk tale. To convey Trond’s mind-set, Bjørnson uses motifs from Norwegian legends and folk tales.

Trond lives with his parents and their servant on a very isolated farm, fourteen miles from the nearest settlement. Like many of the boys in Bjørnson’s peasant tales, Trond is “rather afraid” of Alf, his father (113). Alf often relates the story of Blessom, a man who had been on business in Copenhagen, and was returning home to Vaage, and who was conveyed through the air on the sleigh of a “jutul”, a malevolent mountain giant. The jutul appeared in human form,

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Citation: Rees, Kathy. "Småstykker: Trond". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 06 September 2016 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35806, accessed 23 November 2024.]