Neil Gaiman

Troll Bridge
Discussion questions:ю
1. The troll under the bridge is a popular character of fairy tales. What is its ‘normal’
behavior according to folklore?
In later Scandinavian folklore, trolls became beings in their own right, where they live far
from human habitation, are not Christianized, and are considered dangerous to human beings.
Both appearance and characteristics can vary, but the creatures are often both dangerous and
stupid. They tend to live in wilderness and areas inaccessible to man, such as mountain
caves, dense forests and the ocean.
2. The bridge is an important symbol for the story. What is the traditional meaning of
this symbol? In what way does it correlate with the meaning it has in this story? The troll
bridge is not the only bridge mentioned here. What are other bridges? Do all of them
symbolize the same thing(s)?
communication
Connection between past and future here.
Bridges are a liminal space, somewhat dangerous in that they span an open place between
two solid places. Some stories are told mainly to keep children away from places where they
are likely to be hurt—such as bridges, rivers, ponds and so forth, so there are stories about the
monster that will get them if they go there.
In the old manor
It had a weed-clogged ornamental pond, with a low wooden bridge over it. I never saw any
groundsmen or caretakers in my forays through the gardens and woods, and I never attempted to
enter the manor. That would have been courting disaster, and, besides, it was a matter of faith for me
that all empty old houses were haunted.
3. The author mentioned that children believe in ‘all things dark and dangerous’. Why
is this fact important for the story?
Children believe and adult know for sure
It is not that I was credulous, simply that I believed in all things dark and dangerous. It was part of
my young creed that the night was full of ghosts and witches, hungry and flapping and dressed
completely in black.
4. Neil Gaiman describes in detail the ritual Jack performs at the beginning of each
summer holiday: ‘on the last day of the summer school term walking home from school, I
would remove my shoes and socks and, carrying them in my hands, walk down the stony
flinty lane on pink and tender feet’. Why does he pay so much attention to it?
The boy likes nature, he is more sensitive than the others
5. In what way is the world of childhood depicted in the story? What are the most
important things for it?
Through connection with nature, first love.
The boy didn’t do everything he wanted in his life
6. How is the path the boy found described? What does it symbolize?
I found myself on a shady path that was new to me and overgrown with trees; the light that
penetrated the leaves was stained green and gold, and I thought I was in fairyland.
A little stream trickled down the side of the path, teeming with tiny, transparent shrimps. I picked
them up and watched them jerk and spin on my fingertips. Then I put them back.
I wandered down the path. It was perfectly straight, and overgrown with short grass. From time to
time I would find these really terrific rocks: bubbly, melted things, brown and purple and black. If
you held them up to the light you could see every color of the rainbow. I was convinced that they had
to be extremely valuable, and stuffed my pockets with them.
I walked and walked down the quiet golden-green corridor, and saw nobody.
I wasn’t hungry or thirsty. I just wondered where the path was going. It traveled in a straight line,
and was perfectly flat. The path never changed, but the countryside around it did. At first I was
walking along the bottom of a ravine, grassy banks climbing steeply on each side of me. Later, the
 path was above everything, and as I walked I could look down at the treetops below me, and the
roofs of the occasional distant houses. My path was always flat and straight, and I walked along it
through valleys and plateaus, valleys and plateaus. And eventually, in one of the valleys, I came to
the bridge.
The life road
7. What aspect of a child’s perception of the world is emphasized in this citation: “I
had, after all, walked a hundreds of miles, or so I was convinced, and might be anywhere”?
Children measure time with emotions and not according the clock
8. The fact that Jack was not truly scared when he saw the troll the author explains in
the following way: ‘It is good for children to find themselves facing the element of a fairy
tale – they are well-equipped to deal with these’. What is your understanding of this idea?
Children are taught that good will defeat bad
9. What did jack do and say to get away from the troll during their first meeting?
My big sister is going to be coming down the path soon,” I lied, “and she’s far tastier than me. Eat her
instead.”
“I’ve got precious stones in my pocket,” I told the troll. “Take them, not me. Look.” I showed him the
lava jewel rocks I had found earlier.
“Wait.” I dug my feet into the damp earth beneath the bridge, wiggled my toes, held on tightly to the real
world. I stared into his big eyes. “You don’t want to eat my life. Not yet. I—I’m only seven. I haven’t
lived at all yet. There are books I haven’t read yet. I’ve never been on an airplane. I can’t whistle yet—
not really. Why don’t you let me go? When I’m older and bigger and more of a meal I’ll come back to
you.”
10. How does the troll change with each new meeting?
At first, he trusted the boy "grows up - becomes tastier" and put off until later to eat him (the
first two times). Maybe he knew that the child would still be absorbed by his bad side so he
had a sense to wait for this moment
11. In what way did the world around Jack change as he was growing up? Why is so
much attention given to the description of these changes?
As I got older, fields began to disappear. One by one, furrow after furrow. Crawling out like
mushrooms houses with roads named after wildflowers and respectable writers. Our house,
our old, dilapidated Victorian house, was sold, it was demolished, the garden was divided
into lots. Cottages were being built everywhere. = Shows the process of urbanization,
changes in society and the way of life
12. Under what circumstances did jack encounter the troll for the second time? What
did he want most of all at that moment?
And then we just walked, choosing quiet country roads and empty paths.
And all this time I wanted to kiss her, touch her breasts, maybe put my hand between her
legs.
Finally I got the chance. An old brick bridge hung over the path, and we stopped under it. I
snuggled up to her. Her lips parted beneath mine.
And suddenly she froze, stiffened.
“Hi,” said the troll.
13. What did the boy offer the troll as an exchange for his life? Why didn’t the troll
except the offer?
- Do not eat me. Take her. I bet the girl is much tastier than me.
“She's innocent,” he said. “You don’t. I don't want her, I want you.
14. There is a sharp contrast between the first and the third meeting of Jack with the
troll. How is it created? What exactly has changed?
Before The troll used to be more confident, but believed the boy's words. now he ate him at
once, even though he was worried. And the man was no longer afraid of the troll, as if he
knew what he was doing.
“I’m a troll,” the troll whispered in a plaintive, frightened voice. - Salt-pain-old-troll.
He was shaking.
 “It's okay,” I told him. - Honestly, everything is fine.
He knocked me down on the ground, on leaves, wrappers and a condom, and sank down on top of
me. And then he raised his head, opened his mouth and ate my life, chewing with strong, sharp teeth.
15. What may the stone ‘with a strange rainbow sheen on it’ found by the main
character on his way to the troll bridge symbolize? Why was its presence ‘warm and
reassuring’? In what situation was a similar stone mentioned before? What are other
important symbols in the story?
From time to time I found some amazing stones: bubbly, molten round, brown, purple and black. If
you hold such a light, you will see all the colors of the rainbow. I was convinced that they were
extraordinarily valuable, and I filled my pockets with them.
***
By the path I found a pebble sprinkled with earth. When I picked it up and brushed off the clay, I saw
that it was a melted piece of something brown-purple with a strange iridescent sheen. I put it in my
pocket and squeezed it in my hand as I walked, its tangible warmth soothing.
A symbol of childhood memories, a symbol of the purity and innocence of a seven-year-old
child who, having matured, lost these traits, was absorbed in selfishness
Selfishness - This theme is explored through the character of the narrator, Jack. In the story, Jack
proves incapable of love and selflessness from the beginning until the end. As a child, he would do
anything to save his life, even lie and trade a fictional older sister for his life. As a teenager, he is even
worse, being willing to let the troll eat his first love, Louise, to spare his life. As an adult, he shows no
particular feelings for his wife and child. What is more, he cheats on the woman frequently.
16. Why did Jack start to cry when he didn’t find the troll under the bridge? What was
peculiar about the appearance and behavior of the troll this time?
He cried because the troll did not come. He seemed to be afraid of loneliness.
Now he was the same height as me, but otherwise he had not changed. His long hair was
matted, foliage tangled in it, and his eyes were huge and lonely.
17. How would you interpret the final episode of the story?
Не ебу An adult man no longer has any hope of self-correction, as he completely accepted
his bad side, became a lonely egoist???
18. This story is a parable. What message does it transmit to the readers?
The message is that we all have a monster within, trying to “eat our lives”, a negative side
which can take hold of us if we allow it.

Translation exercises:
1. Translate the following words and expressions: н
fallow, пар, незасіяна або незорана земля
credulous, довірливий\легковірний
flinty, кремінний\твердий\суровий
to penetrate, проникнути (всередину)
a ravine, яр\ущелина\овраг
translucent, напівпрозорий\що просвічується
gawky, незграбний
to snuffle, сопіти
to snort, хропіти, пихтіти, фиркати
a badger, борсук
to sniff, нюхати, шморгати, сопіти\учуяти
crotch, проміжність\розгалуження (?)
to meander away, блукати навмання
embankment; дамба, набережна

2. Translate the following words and expressions: н

a small bulrush patch; невелика ділянка очерету;
a weed-clogged ornamental pond; забитий\заросший бур'янами декоративний ставок;
 an aging tattered Victorian house; (старіючий) обшарпаний вікторіанський будинок, що
старіє;
gonk hair; (оброслий волоссям/вкритий волоссям) волосся як у гонка (іграшка)
a taunt woman; глузлива жінка (насмешливая)

3. Translate the following sentences: ю

1. That would have been courting disaster, and, besides, it was a matter of faith for me that
all old houses were haunted. Це б довело до лиха, і, окрім того, я був глибоко переконаний,
що всі старі будинки населені(переповнені) привидами.
2. The converse held reassuringly true: daylight was safe. зворотне твердження було
обнадійливішим: вдень було безпечно.
3. I picked a stalk of wheat, pulled out the sweet grains, peeling them between my fingers,
chewing them meditatively. Я зірвав стебло пшениці, витягував солодкі зерна, лущив їх
між пальцями, та медитативно розжовував.
4. Breath that smelled of leaf mould and the underneath of things. Дихання, яке пахло
перегноєм (листяним) та пеклом (виворотною стороною речей).
5. I pounded down the track in the green light, puffing and blowing, until I felt stabbing ache
beneath my rib cage, the pain of stitch; and, clutching my side, I stumbled home. Я летів по
доріжці осяяній зеленим світлом, піхкаючи та важко відихаючи, поки не відчув, що під
грудною кліткою мене ніби ріжуть ножем; і, схопившись за бік, я поплентався додому.
6. The trees were skeletal black against the harsh grey winter sky. Дерева на тлі сірого
зимового неба здавались чорними немов скелети.
7. There was a river at right angle to the road, and a path I’d never seen before beside it, and I
walked down the path, and stared at the partly frozen river. It gurgled and plashed and sang.
Річка протикала перпендикулярно дорозі, а біля неї була стежка, якої я ніколи раніше
не бачив, і я йшов стежкою і дивився на річку, що вже частково покрилася льодом.
Вона булькала, хлюпала і співала.