THE TROLLS “JÓKA” AND MOUNT AKRAFJALL The fairytale of the troll and our mountain in Akranes

Akrafjall Once upon a time we had no mountain where our Mount Akrafjall is now. Then it so happened that a troll, called Jóka, who lived in the Snæfellsnes peninsula to the northwest of Akranes, happened to hear of a beautiful mountain in the south of Iceland. february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland2

Iceland and the arrow shows where Snæfellsnes is located february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland3

The troll JÓKA Made by the children at the age 3 years old february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland4

Her cave in Snæfellsnes One fine evening in summer, the troll decided to go to the south of Iceland to get the mountain and to make the landscape near her home more beautiful. february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland5

The mountain She walked very fast and purposefully to the area in the south. In the late evening she reached the south of Iceland and she placed the mountain on her back and began to walk to her home in the west. february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland6

As is often the case with trolls they are rather stupid or forgetful - and our troll forgot that she should not be walking out in the open air when the first rise of sunshine reached above the horizon in the morning because then she would turn into stone, become petrified, as always happens to trolls under these circumstances. february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland7

When Jóka, our troll, realized that the rise of the morning sun were about to reach her, she threw the mountain from her back and the mountain fell where it is now and it split into two parts as we see it today. – This is why Mount Akrafjall is where it is now february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland8

The troll tried to run away from the sun but could not escape the rise, and they fell on her and she changed into stone. A part of her is still seen in our mountain today - in the bulge-like part up in the valley february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland9

This is the story of the Troll Jóka and our local mountain, Akrafjall february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland10

Photos from the children work Painting the caveMaking the mountain february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland11

Finding stones to make small trolls Reading a troll story february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland12

THE TROLLS “JÓKA” AND MOUNT AKRAFJALL Once upon a time we had no mountain where our Mount Akrafjall is now. Then it so happened that a troll, called Jóka, who lived in the Snæfellsnes peninsula to the northwest of Akranes, happened to hear of a beautiful mountain in the south of Iceland. One fine evening in summer, the troll decided to go to the south of Iceland to get the mountain and to make the landscape near her home more beautiful. She walked very fast and purposefully to the area in the south. In the late evening she reached the south of Iceland and she placed the mountain on her back and began to walk to her home in the west. As is often the case with trolls they are rather stupid or forgetful - and our troll forgot that she should not be walking out in the open air when the first rise of sunshine reached above the horizon in the morning because then she would turn into stone, become petrified, as always happens to trolls under these circumstances. When Jóka, our troll, realized that the rise of the morning sun were about to reach her, she threw the mountain from her back and the mountain fell where it is now and it split into two parts as we see it today. – This is why Mount Akrafjall is where it is now. The troll tried to run away from the sun but could not escape the rise, and they fell on her and she changed into stone. A part of her is still seen in our mountain today - in the bulge-like part up in the valley. This is the story of the Troll Jóka and our local mountain, Akrafjall. february 2014 Friðbjörg, Anney og Jóhanna- Iceland13