Deep in a hidden valley surrounded by Norway’s snow covered mountains, a small farmhouse stood quietly beside a dense pine forest. A humble family lived there, working the land with quiet determination, but it was the farmer’s wife who carried the true strength of the home. She was fearless, capable and never willing to surrender to anything, not even fear itself. Yet every Christmas Eve, their peace was destroyed by a terrifying Mountain Troll, a massive creature with stone colored skin and glowing red eyes that stormed into their home, devoured their feast and left chaos behind.
Year after year, the farmer and his son ran into the mountains to hide, leaving their house, food and holiday spirit behind. When another harsh winter arrived, the farmer sighed and prepared to flee once more. His wife refused to accept another ruined holiday. She stood firmly with her hands on her hips and declared that this year she would not allow the troll to ruin Christmas. Determined to protect her home, she began preparing a special dish that was meant for the troll, not her family.
She placed the largest iron pot on the fire and filled it with milk, butter and animal fat. But instead of adding grains to create the traditional Norwegian Christmas porridge, she quietly slipped in sharp metal scraps and broken steel pieces from the workshop. She stirred until the metal was coated in melted fat, making the dangerous pieces look like soft grains of creamy porridge. Her plan was simple but brilliant: lure the troll with something that looked delicious but would frighten it into never returning. When the porridge was ready, she poured it into a wooden trough and placed it where the troll always sat before hiding behind the barn door.
Near midnight, the ground trembled as the Mountain Troll burst into the farmhouse. Its huge shadow swallowed the candlelight. Seeing the wooden trough filled with what looked like a generous Christmas meal, it believed the family had fled as usual. It ate quickly and greedily, unaware of the blades hidden in the creamy mixture. Soon its stomach twisted in pain as the sharp metal tore inside. At that moment, the farmer’s wife stepped out confidently. She showed no fear as she confronted the giant, pretending that she herself could swallow metal without harm. She pulled out a small piece of steel and pretended to gulp it down, daring the troll to doubt her strength.
The troll froze, struck with a fear deeper than its pain. In its mind, only a powerful supernatural being could eat metal and live. Terrified that he was facing someone far stronger than himself, the troll panicked completely. Screaming, it threw the trough aside and fled through the snow covered night, racing back into the mountains. It never returned to the farmhouse again. From that year forward, the family enjoyed peaceful Christmases, all thanks to the courage, intelligence and unwavering determination of the farmer’s wife, whose bravery protected their home forever.