The Icelandic tale of HvítserkurThis imposing monolith is called Hvítserkur, also known as Troll Roc

The Icelandic tale of HvítserkurThis imposing monolith is called Hvítserkur, also known as Troll Rock. Hvítserkur means “white shirt” in Icelandic and derives its name from the smattering of bird guano left behind by roosting sea birds. The 15 metre tall basaltic stack is located off of the Vatnsnes Peninsula in north-western Iceland and is likely the remnants of an old volcanic plug. Erosion by the sea has worn away the surrounding rock, as well as rock its the base, leaving behind two arches. To prevent the monolith toppling over, Icelandic authorities have reinforced the base with concrete.In Icelandic folklore, Hvítserkur was a giant troll who lived at Mount Bæjarfell with his family. One night, he was awoken from his sleep by a loud ringing noise. Hvítserkur knew that humans were making this sound - men who had moved to Iceland and no longer believed in the deities Odin and Frey.As the nights went by, the sound only got worse. It was particularly bad around winter, the Giants’ favourite time of year. Hvítserkur had had enough! He realized that the sound was being made by a bell hanging in a house on the other side of Húnaflói. To stop the awful noise, Hvítserkur would travel to that house and destroy the bell once and for all.Trolls despised the light of day, turning to stone upon its arrival. Hvítserkur was no exception. He decided to make the journey one evening, believing that he would make it to the bell before the following dawn. As the Hvítserkur began his preparations, his son, Bárdur, insisted on going with him so that he might see the world. He also argued that he would be able to assist his father should the work prove too difficult to do alone. Hvítserkur had serious reservations; the fjords were very deep. After arguing for a good portion of the night, Hvítserkur relented and Bárdur accompanied him on the journey.Unfortunately, the fjords were indeed very difficult for Bárdur to cross and they made very slow progress. As the duo approached the Vatnsnes Peninsula, day was quickly looming. Hvítserkur was sure they could still get to the house on time and break the bell before daybreak. As he stepped over the mountain and into the sea, he looked eastward, just in time to see the sun rising. Instantly, he began turning to stone. Hvítserkur felt this happening, and gave a last ditch attempt to destroy the bell by throwing his hammer at the building that housed it. However, he failed, and it is believed that the hammer can seen today at the eastern part of Þingeyrarsand (Thingeyrarsand).YKImage credit: ‘hvitserkur’ by Martin Secombe, 2013 (https://flic.kr/p/fHCUmK). Used under creative commons licensing.Further reading:More great photos: https://www.flickr.com/groups/hvitserkur/pool/A great guide to Hvitserkur, including travel info:https://guidetoiceland.is/connect-with-locals/regina/hvitserkur-up-north -- source link
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