슬프거나 아플 때 이 도깨비에게 한숨을 불면 이내 즐거워진다고 한다. 덴마크 전래 민담에 나오는 북
구의 도깨비는 빨간 가슴과 검은 눈, 긴 꼬리를 가졌으며 인간에게 친숙한 이미지를 가지고 있다.

크기: 18 x 14 cm
포장: 18 x 14 x 2 cm 박스 상자
재질: 플라스틱 + 실
Design: Christian Flensted

Troll-Puffing and Puffing-Trolls

Many, many years ago when trolls were still to be found in Denmark, it was common knowledge that if you fell and hurt yourself so that it was really painful, you simply puffed at a troll and the pain stopped immediately. The old Danish nursery rhyme – “Puffing at trolls when feeling sad, lessens pain and makes you glad” – is perhaps still remembered by some people, and reminds us of this old household remedy.

Most Danish trolls at that time were, unfortunately, shy and afraid of people. It was therefore not always easy to get hold of a troll when one needed it. One certain kind of troll, however, was not afraid of people, and in fact liked to be puffed at. These were small jovial creatures with big black shiny eyes and a long tail. Like most other trolls they had one or two gold rings in one ear, but something quiet special about them was the red, heart-shaped mark on their chest. Because of this mark, and also because of their friendly nature, they were first called “Heart-Trolls”. Later, when people found out that Heart Trolls liked to be puffed at, they were called by no other name than “Puffing Trolls”.

Close to the Funen village of BRO lies a little wood. Everybody knew it in the old days because it was one of the few places where there were a lot of Puffing-Trolls. Near the wood was the local poorhouse, and when the children who lived here fell and hurt themselves, they merely shouted “Puffing-Troll! Puffing-Troll!” and in the twinkling of an eye, two or tree small trolls came dashing out of the forest to be puffed at. Gone was the pain, and the children were happy again.

Many grown-ups also found out that if they were feeling depressed or worried, puffing at a troll was an excellent way of restoring their good humour and getting rid of their worries.

One icy cold winter a couple of Puffing-Troll families seeking warmth moved into the spacious attic of the poorhouse, and in so doing they didn’t need to run as far when called for.

Trollosophers of today do not believe that Puffing-Trolls exist any more, but in the building that was once the poorhouse, rustling and pitter-patter can be heard now and then from the attic, and it is strongly felt that these sounds are made by the descendents of the early Puffing-Trolls.

The Puffing-Troll in this carton has been inspired by a depiction carved in a stone found in the vicinity of the old poorhouse, and the present residents of the former poorhouse claim for certain that puffing at this troll has the same effect as with the original Puffing-Trolls.

There are, however, two important formalities which must be observed if full benefit is to be derived from your Puffing-Troll:

1. It must have a name, and the name must be given by the family with whom the troll has come to live. Younger members of the family are often the best at finding names for trolls. Listen carefully to their suggestions.

2. The whole family should take part in finding a good place for the troll to hang, and they should all be present when it is being hung up – not too high, not too low.

Puffing at trolls
when feeling sad,
lessens pain
and makes you glad.