[Ansteorra] Re: Trolls and Dwarfs

[C. L. Ward]

>Sorry, but I must have missed most of
>the conversation -- can someone tell me the
>difference between a Troll and a Dwarf?

Certainly.  Dwarves are closely related to the alfar (some people call the
alfar "elves"), and both have affinities with the spirits of our dead
ancestors who go to dwell in the hollow cliffs and mountains.

Trolls, on the other hand, are more closely akin to the jotunn and Þurs
(some people call these beings giants).

It's also to remember that sometimes the distinctions blur - giants and gods
intermarry, as do humans and selkies, or humans and giantesses, or humans
and trolls.  Sometimes you will get troll-like humans (Egil Skallagrimsson
was said to be one such).  Sometimes you will find giant-like beings living
in mountains and working as extremely skilled master-smiths as the dwarves
do.

::GUNNORA::

(Do you *really* want to get me started discoursing on the fine points of
utgarðling identification?)