Peer Gynt demands the Mountain King's daughter and half his kingdom -- but the price the troll king asks is to lose himself forever.
In the Hall of the Mountain King is a thrilling scene from the drama Peer Gynt, written by Henrik Ibsen in 1867. Rooted in Norwegian folklore, the story follows Peer Gynt as he encounters the dangerous trolls and their king, the Mountain King, in their underground realm. Peer must pass their trials to escape. This is a modern adaptation for fabeltales.com.
Did you know the search term "Ash Lad in the Hall of the Mountain King" is a popular one? That's because of a Norwegian film that borrows the scene and title from Ibsen and Grieg, but swaps out Peer Gynt for our well-known folktale hero, Ash Lad. It shows just how central the Hall of the Mountain King is to Norwegian culture -- and to what people search for.
Part One: The Encounter with Sorcery
There was uproar in the great hall beneath the mountain. Whispers, growls and shrieks came from every corner. The trolls, with their grey, crooked faces, were furious and worked up. High on his throne sat the Mountain King, ruler of all trolls, his crown and scepter glittering in the torchlight. Around him stood his children and kin, all turned toward the stranger who had dared enter their dark realm.
Before the throne stood Peer Gynt, a bold boy from the world of men. He had crept deep into the trolls' realm, and now he stood there -- brave and upright -- demanding both the king's daughter and half the kingdom as dowry.
A furious uproar broke out in the hall. The trolls stamped, pounded the stone floor, and shouted over one another.
"Strike him dead!" someone screeched. "A Christian man's son has bewitched the Mountain King's fairest maid!"
The little troll children hopped and skipped with eagerness.
"Shall I cut off his finger?" piped one little one.
"Shall I tear at his hair?" shouted another.
"Hee-hee! Let me bite his thigh!" laughed a troll maiden, and an old hag growled:
"Shall he be boiled to broth and stew?"
Then the Mountain King raised his hand, and silence fell. The king leaned forward and studied the human with a heavy, glowing gaze.
"Ice water in your veins!" he growled.
"We've fallen on harder times in recent years, and help shouldn't be pushed away. This boy looks strong and healthy. So -- it's my daughter you're asking for?"
Peer, unafraid, answered calmly:
"Your daughter -- and the kingdom as dowry, yes."
The king nodded slowly.
"Half you shall have while I live," he said, "and the other half when I one day pass on."
The boy smiled and answered:
"That will do just fine."
And so the bargain was struck beneath the mountain, between man and troll king. But the adventure was far from over.
Part Two: The Trolls' Vows and Trials
Becoming king in the Mountain King's realm was no easy matter. The bold boy had to make vows and pass trials. The first demand was the harshest of all: to forget everything about the world beyond the mountain's borders -- day, light, and everything human.
"You have some vows to make," said the Mountain King in a deep voice.
"Break even one of them, and the whole pact is broken, and you won't leave here alive. First, you must swear you'll never care what lies beyond Ronde's borders. You shall shun the day, and avoid every patch of light."
Peer answered without hesitation:
"If I get to be called king, that's an easy price to pay!"
The Mountain King smiled crookedly and leaned back.
"We'll see about that," he said. "Now comes the test of wisdom. What's the difference between troll and man?"
The boy thought it over and answered:
"There's no difference, as far as I can tell. Big trolls want to roast and small trolls want to claw; humans do the same -- if only they dare."
The king grunted, pleased.
"True enough. We're alike in that -- and more. Out there, beneath the shining sky, men say: 'Man, be yourself!' But here among us, we say: 'Troll, be yourself -- and nothing more!'"
The trolls laughed and stamped on the ground.
"Do you grasp the depth of it?" one of them asked.
Peer shook his head.
"It seems murky to me," he answered.
Then came the next trial -- to learn the trolls' way of life. The king handed him a bowl of dark, bubbling drink. The smell was sharp and sour.
"You must learn to appreciate our simple, homely way of life," said the Mountain King.
"Don't ask whether it tastes sour or sweet; what matters most is that it's brewed right here at home."
Peer wrinkled his nose.
"Blast your homely drink! I'll never get used to the ways of this land!"
He thought it over for a moment, and muttered:
"Well, it's written somewhere: you must force your own nature. Maybe the drink grows less sour with time. Fine, then. So be it."
The trolls laughed loudly, and the king said:
"Next, you must cast off your Christian-man's clothes and wear a tail, like the rest of us."
Peer's eyes went wide.
"I don't have a tail!"
"Court-troll!" shouted the Mountain King. "Fasten my Sunday tail onto him!"
"No, you will not!" shouted the boy, and broke free.
"Are you trying to mock me? A human is nothing but a speck of dust -- but one ought to bow a little to custom and habit."
The trolls laughed and drew back, but the king looked at him gravely. He still had one more trial in mind.
Part Three: The Refusal and the Flight from Troll-Home
After giving up almost everything, the decisive trial arrived. The trolls held a feast in honor of their new son-in-law, and music and dancing filled the hall. But to Peer, everything seemed dreadfully ugly.
"Something dreadfully ugly," he muttered.
"A bell-cow strikes gut-strings with her hoof, and a sow trots along in stocking-hose."
The Mountain King looked at him sternly.
"Remember, he has human senses!" he said to the others.
Peer tried to smile.
"Oh-ho, was that you? A little jest at a feast, you know, is never meant so ill."
The king answered coldly:
"Yes, my son, then you must be cured of this cursed human nature of yours."
Then he explained what the cure would mean: changing his sight forever.
"In your left eye, I'll make a little scratch," said the Mountain King, "so you'll see askew; but everything you see will seem fine and grand. Then I'll cut out the right one entirely."
Peer stared at him in horror.
"Are you drunk?"
"No," the king answered calmly.
"Then you'll see that the bride is lovely, and your sight will never again be troubled by trotting sows and bell-cows."
Peer swallowed hard.
"Listen," he said.
"When will my sight heal again -- back to human sight?"
"Never, my friend," the Mountain King answered.
Then the boy straightened his back and answered in a clear voice:
"Well then, I'll thank you and be on my way. I'm leaving."
"You wouldn't try to force your way past me, would you?" the king asked, threatening.
"And you'd still be a troll?"
"Yes, so help me God!" cried Peer.
"For a bride and a well-kept kingdom, I could bear a great deal. But this -- knowing that I could never be free again, that I couldn't die like a proper human being, that I'd walk as a mountain troll all my days -- that, I will never agree to!"
At that, the Mountain King turned red with rage. He stamped on the floor, and the hall shook.
"Throw him against the mountain wall, children!" he roared.
"Oh, father, can't we first play eagle-owl and eagle!" howled the troll children.
"The wolf game! Grey-mouse and glow-eyed cat!"
Peer fought for his life as the trolls threw themselves upon him.
"Let go of me, devil's spawn!" he shouted.
"Ow! The old one was bad, but the young ones are worse! Help, mother, I'm dying!"
At that very moment, the sound of church bells rang out far away. The holy chiming pierced through the mountain, and the trolls shrieked in terror. The hall shook, the stones crumbled, and everything went dark.
As the trolls fled, the boy stood alone once more. The mountain closed, and stillness returned. Peer Gynt -- the man who had defied the Mountain King -- was free.
THE END
What Did We Learn from "In the Hall of the Mountain King"? 🤔
What did Peer Gynt learn from his adventure in the Hall of the Mountain King? A hugely important lesson: it's fine to dream, but you should never let others decide who you are! 🤩 The Mountain King wanted to turn Peer into a troll forever, but Peer refused to lose the chance to be himself -- even if it meant losing a kingdom! 🙌
Remember: it's great to adapt a little, but never give up who you truly are, deep down! ❤️
We have many more exciting tales and legends from Norwegian folklore waiting for you! Come and read our other stories -- maybe you'll meet Ash Lad or the spooky hidden folk next time? 📚✨
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