Bland tomtar och troll
Among Elves and Trolls
Swedish folklore and fairy tales

Bland tomtar och troll in English means Among Elves and Trolls and it's a Swedish folklore and fairy tale annual.

"By the edge of the pool and out in the water are soft tussocks covered with brown bear moss and wooly white cotton grass. All is so quiet—not a sound, not a flutter of life, not a trembling breath—all of nature seems to be holding its breath listening, listening with beating heart: soon, soon."

These words, taken from “Leap the Elk and Little Princess Cotton grass” by Helge Kjellin appear in the October 2004 edition this fairy tale annual.

Every culture has their treasured folktales. Many times, stories from one country find their way into another country's culture - and into their hearts.

"Among Elves and Trolls", is an annual of Swedish folklore and fairy tales. It began in 1907 in Sweden and its popularity has not waned, although it has continued to be published each and every year of the past century.

The contributors of this fairy tale annual have historically been prestigious and popular Swedish authors and illustrators including such names as John Bauer, Einar Norelius and Gustaf Tenggren.

Some of the great works by John Bauer were featured in the first volumes. His distinctive style of haunting yet beautiful works that mixed realism with fantasy graced the pages of the beloved "Bland tomtar och troll" in 1907.

However his works that are the best known appeared in the editions published from 1912 to 1915. It was Bauer's contributions that created the image of trolls for the publication and the rest of the world as well.

Quite often, each era of the "Bland tomtar och troll" is mentioned with the primary artist in the title, such as "John Bauer's Bland tomtar och troll."

Gustaf Tenggren was Bauer's successor and his works appeared in it too.

The distinguishing traits of his style are caricatured faces on figures that are silhouetted in dark and mystery. However, he is best known for his work as a chief illustrator for The Walt Disney Company in the late 1930s.

He worked on such Disney films as "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "Bambi" and "Pinocchio."

Einar Norelius followed Tenggren and brought his unique illustrations to the book.

His troll pictures were beautiful and frightening, yet the images gave one the feeling that if they could manage to get close enough, they could simply fall into the artwork and become a part of the world he had created.

While "Bland tomtar och troll" is a collection of Swedish folklore and a treasured book of fairy tales, it is also a celebration and showcase for the talent that contributed to its pages.

The artists and authors are how the book is defined and it is the lively descriptions of trolls that spill over into other cultures and influence how the world sees these creatures.

Likewise, it is the artists who contributed to the publication over the years that have given us images, imprinted upon us, what a true troll looks like and all the beautiful intricacies of the fairy world.

So, though Sweden holds "Among Elves and Trolls" in its heart, the world has fallen in love with it as well.