THE GIANT AND THE WITCH

Myths and legends have fed the imagination of Faroe Islanders for centuries. Stories of giants and witches, kings and battles, hidden people and magical creatures are found on all 18 islands.

These myths and legends may hold truths that can unlock the secrets of our ancient origins.

This is the story of the Risin & Kellingin, the giant and the witch from Iceland who tried to steal the Faroe Islands.

In ancient times, when islands and countries, land and sea, and everything on our planet lived and breathed in a different way than we know of today, Iceland decided that he wanted to own the Faroe Islands, and have it moved all the way up to his icy shores.

To fulfil this special task, Iceland sent the Giant and his wife, the Witch, off across the sea with orders to drag the Faroe Islands all the way to Iceland.

Some people say that the reason why Iceland wanted to move the Faroe Islands was that the weather there was so bad, the sun was never out, and the rain and storms made it impossible to inhabit these remote islands.

So, after crossing a stormy sea, the Giant and his wife reached the mountain top farthest to the northwest, called Eiðiskollur. The Witch quickly climbed on top of the mountain and tied a rope around it, making ready for the Giant, who stood firmly in the sea below the mountain, to start dragging.

But this was not an easy task. No matter how hard both of them worked; the Witch pushing from the top of the mountain, and the Giant dragging from beneath, the islands stayed firmly fastened to the underground, and would not move.

All that pulling and pushing created tremendous pressure, so that the mountain itself cracked, and today we can still clearly see the opening in the mountain, where the Witch first tried to fasten the rope.

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