Long ago, in a kingdom of steep mountains and deep forests, a young prince named Lars set out to find his fortune. His father, the king, had grown old and weak, and Lars wished to prove himself worthy of the crown. He rode his horse through valleys and over rivers until he came to a towering castle made of black stone. The castle belonged to a powerful troll king, who was known for his cunning and his hoard of gold. Lars, bold and eager, knocked on the iron gate and demanded a challenge. The troll king laughed and said, 'If you can complete three tasks, I will give you my treasure. But if you fail, you will serve me forever.' Lars agreed, not knowing that the troll king had a secret helper.
The troll king's helper was a maiden named Elin, who was kept prisoner in the castle. She was no ordinary girl; she had learned magic from the forest spirits and could speak to the wind and the trees. When the troll king ordered Lars to chop down an entire forest in one day, Elin crept out of her tower and whispered to the trees. The trees bowed and fell at Lars's feet, and he finished the task before sunset. The troll king was furious but pretended to be pleased. The next day, he commanded Lars to drain a vast lake and fill it with fish. Again, Elin helped by calling the river to carry the water away and the fish to leap into nets. Lars succeeded once more, and the troll king grew suspicious.
For the third task, the troll king ordered Lars to build a castle of ice that would never melt, using only his bare hands. This seemed impossible, but Elin gave Lars a small silver key. 'This key unlocks the heart of winter,' she said. 'Strike it against the ground and the ice will rise.' Lars did as she instructed, and a magnificent castle of crystal ice appeared, gleaming in the sunlight. The troll king was amazed but also angry. He knew that someone must have helped the prince. He summoned his troll guards and ordered them to find the traitor. Elin, watching from her window, realised that she would be discovered. She packed a bag of magical items: a comb, a stone, and a flask of water.
When the troll king ordered Lars to chop down an entire forest in one day, Elin crept out of her tower and whispered to the trees.
That night, Elin escaped from the castle and met Lars in the forest. 'We must flee,' she said, 'for the troll king will chase us at dawn.' They rode together on Lars's horse, and when they heard the thunder of troll feet behind them, Elin threw her comb over her shoulder. The comb turned into a thick forest of thorns, blocking the trolls' path. The troll king hacked through the thorns with his axe, but the delay gave Lars and Elin a head start. Soon they heard the trolls again, and Elin threw her stone. The stone became a mountain of jagged rocks, which the trolls had to climb. The troll king was strong, but the mountain slowed him down.
When the trolls appeared a third time, Elin threw her flask of water. The water became a wide, raging river. The troll king tried to swim across, but the current swept him away. His troll guards scattered, and Lars and Elin were safe. They rode to Lars's kingdom, where the old king welcomed them. Lars told his father everything about Elin's bravery and magic. The king, seeing Elin's wisdom and kindness, gave his blessing for them to marry. The wedding was celebrated with feasting and dancing, and Elin was no longer a prisoner but a princess. She used her magic to help the kingdom grow, making the fields fertile and the winters mild.
The story of the Master-Maid, as Elin came to be called, teaches us about the power of cleverness and teamwork. The motif of three tasks is common in folklore, symbolising a hero's journey through trials. The troll king represents greed and cruelty, while Elin embodies wisdom and resourcefulness. In retelling this tale, storytellers often change the magical objects or the setting, but the core structure remains: a helper who is underestimated becomes the true hero. This version, based on Andrew Lang's collection, shows how a character like Elin can be given more depth and agency. By focusing on her choices, we see that strength comes not from muscles but from mind and heart.