Nancy Farmer - The Sea of Trolls

To Harold, as always,
for finding Mimirs Well

HUMANS (SAXONS)

Jack: Age eleven at the beginning of the book

Lucy: Jacks sister; age five at the beginning of the book

Mother: Jack and Lucys mother; a wise woman

Father: Giles Crookleg; Jack and Lucys father

The Bard: A druid from Ireland; also known as Dragon Tongue

Allyson: Thorgils mother

Colin: The blacksmiths son

Brother Aiden: A monk from the Holy Isle

HUMANS (NORTHMEN)

Olaf One-Brow: Leader of the Queens Berserkers

Sven the Vengeful: Member of Olafs crew

Eric Pretty-Face: Member of Olafs crew

Eric the Rash: Member of Olafs crew; afraid of the dark

Eric Broad-Shoulders: Member of Olafs crew; afraid of the dark

Rune: A skald who can no longer sing

Thorgil: A berserker wannabe; age twelve

Thorgrim: Thorgils father; a famous berserker

Egil Long-Spear: Captain of a ship, not a berserker

Gizur Thumb-Crusher: Village headman; an oath-breaker

Magnus the Mauler: Village headman

Einar the Ear-Hoarder: Village headman; likes to collect ears

Heide: Olafs chief wife; a wise woman from Finnmark

Dotti and Lotti: Olafs junior wives

Skakki: Heide and Olafs son; age sixteen

Thorir: Thorgils brother

Hrothgar: King of the Golden Hall

Beowulf: A famous warrior

Ivar the Boneless: Olafs king; married to Frith Half-Troll

Tree Foot: Friend of Eric Pretty-Face; leg bitten off by a troll

Pig Face, Dirty Pants, Thick Legs, Lump, and She-Lump: Thralls

Hilda: Olaf and Lottis daughter

ANIMALS

Bold Heart: A noble crow

Cloud Mane: A horse whose sire came from Elfland

Maeve: An Irish wolfhound

Slasher, Wolf Bane, Hel Hag, and Shreddie: Maeves puppies

Golden Bristles: A troll-boar with a filthy disposition

Freyas Cats: Nine enormous troll-cats with beautiful red-gold fur

The Snowy Owls: A family of four Jotunheim owls

The Dragon: A mother with a nest of dragonlets

The Capercaillie: A turkey-size grouse with ten speckled chicks

Ratatosk: Gossip-bearing squirrel that runs up and down Yggdrassil

JOTUNS (TROLLS)

The Mountain Queen: Glamdis; ruler of Jotunheim

Fonn: The Mountain Queens daughter; speaks to humans

Forath: The Mountain Queens daughter; speaks to whales

Bolthorn: Fonn and Foraths father; the Mountain Queens chief consort

UNCLASSIFIABLE

Frith Half-Troll: A shape-shifter; daughter of the Mountain Queen andan unknown human; wife of Ivar the Boneless

Frothi: Friths sister; a shape-shifter; mother of Grendel

Grendel: A monster; his father was an ogre

The Norns: Nobody knows exactly what Norns are, but theyre very powerful

Jack woke before dawn and listened to the cold February wind lash the wallsof the house. He sighed. It was going to be another rotten day. He stared up at the rafters, savoring the last minutes of warmth. He was bundled in a cocoon of wool blankets over a bed of dried heather. The floor was deep, below the level of the ground. The wind that found its way under the door passed over his head.

It was a good house, with oak pillars planted the root end up to keep damp from rising from the ground. Jack had watched Father build it when he was seven. Father had thought a child couldnt understand such a complicated task, but Jackhad. Hed paid close attention and thought he could build a house even now, fouryears later. Jack forgot very little of what he saw.

At the far end of the long room Jack could see Mother stir up the cooking fire. The light danced on the loft. It was warmer up there, but smoky. His parents and sister slept up there. Jack preferred the fresh air near the door.

Mother scattered oats into boiling water and stirred the porridge vigorously. She added honeyJack could smell it. A poker glowed in the coals to heat thecups of cider Mother lined up on a shelf.

Its so cold, complained Lucy from the loft. Cant I have breakfastin bed?

A princess isnt afraid of a little thing like cold, said Father.

Princesses live in castles, Lucy pointed out.

Ah, but that isnt true of lost princesses.

Dont encourage her, said Mother.

Am I really lost, Father? said Lucy. Jack knew she loved this story.

Not for long. You were found by us, Father said fondly.

I was lying under a rose tree with a gold coin in my hand.

You were born in this house, not in some airy-fairy castle, Mother snapped.She plunged the hot poker into the first mug of cider. Jack could smell the rich tang of apples. He knew Lucy wouldnt listen to Mother. It was far moreinteresting to be a lost princess than a farmers brat. The gold coin was real,though. Father had found it while digging in the garden. It showed the head of a man, who Father said was a Roman king.

Someday a troop of knights will come riding by, Lucy said.

Theyve been searching for you ever since the trolls carried you off, saidFather. The trolls were going to eat you, dearestbut being trolls, theystarted fighting among themselves.

Shall we roast her with an apple in her mouth? said Lucy, repeating theoften-told tale. Or shall we make her into a pie?

Pie! Pie! roared half the trolls, said Father. The other half shoutedfor roast baby. They began to fight, and soon they had knocked each other senseless. Thats when I came by and found you.

Someday the knights will knock at our door, said Lucy. Theyll bow to meand say, Come and be our queen.

Why do you fill her up with this nonsense? Mother said.

Whats the harm in it? said Father.

Jack knew Mother had lost two babies before he was born and two afterward. She thought she would never have another, but to everyones surprise, sheproduced this last, perfect child.

Lucy had golden hair that made you think of sunlight. She had eyes the color of violets that grew in the deep forest. She was light as thistledown, merry as a lark. And because, at age five, she had always been loved, she loved everyone back. In spite of everything, Jack couldnt dislike her.

Right now she was being carried down the ladder by Father. She was too big for it. Jack could see pain flit across his fathers face as he stepped clumsily from one rung to the next. But healso saw joyjoy that was rarely present when Giles Crookleg looked at his sonJack.

Jack threw back the covers and stood up, stretching to let the new day flow into his body. Like everyone else, he slept in his clothes so there was no problem getting dressed.

He pulled away the wool plugging the door crack and climbed outside. A gray light was creeping over the eastern sea. It seeped into the moors and died abruptly in the dark forest to the west. The sky was the color of black ice. It was going to be a miserable day.

Jack ran to the privy. He bounced up and down to keep the frozen ground from sticking to his shoes. The Bard said the frost giants lie in wait for unwary humans, stunning them with their misty breath. You could never lie down outside in the dark of winter, no matter how tempting it was. That was how the frost giants got you, whispering of warmth to be found in sleep.