The troll, Sigge, and Rehaugane

There are several folk tales connected to the boulder called "The Virgin Mary's Sewing Needle".

One of them tells the story of St. Olav and the troll, Sigge.

Olav wanted to build a stone church with a tower at his royal farm at Avaldsnes. He did not have much time himself as we was often traveling around the country to talk to the people about Christianity. Because of this, he made a pact with a troll that lived in one of the old burial mounds up on Blodheia. The deal was that if the troll could built the church by an agreed deadline, he would have the moon, the sun or the soul of Olav.

The troll began his work, and such underground creatures they build with sorcery, and can therefore work much faster than any Christian man can imagine. The day before the deadline, Olav was getting very nervous. It looked as if the troll would be able to finish his work on time, and then what was Olav to do? Not even kings can bring down the moon or the sun, so how would he save his soul?

In the evening the king rode up to Blodheia, where the battle between Håkon the kind and the suns Eirik Blod Axe had once taken place. One of these mounds were called "Prinsahaugen". From this mound, Olav could hear a child weeping. He stoppet and listened. Then he heard a woman singing:

So, so little child. Soon comes Sigge, you father, with the sun and the moon.

Now Olav knew the name of the troll, and therefore he was saved! Everyone knows that if a Christian man calls a troll by its name, the troll will turn into stone. The king rode back to the church and hid away in the wall of the church. When the troll was about to put down the last stone on the church tower, Olav called; "Be careful now, Sigge, the last stone will not sit." In the same instant the troll was turned into stone, and fell head down to the ground next to the church.

Kilde :

Avaldsnes Norges Eldste Kongesete
http://avaldsnes.info/olavskir... : Marit Synnøve Vea