Troll Master's Secret Rooms

A boy named Lars and his mother were very poor and lived in a run-down shack. Lars took a job at a dark, scary house nearby to earn money so that they could eat.

The owner of the house was called the troll master. Lars never saw any trolls, so he didn’t know why the owner went by that name.

But Lars did know one thing.

The troll master was a mean man. The boy didn’t want to work for the troll master, but Lars badly needed the money.

One day, the troll master told Lars that he was going away on a trip for a few days.

Before he left, the troll master warned Lars, “While I am away, do not enter the secret rooms in the cellar.”

Lars tried to obey, but after two days his curiosity became too great.

Lars went down the stairs and opened the door to the first room. He saw a whip made of thorn branches lying on the floor.

“What a big fuss over a stick!” Lars said to himself.

He wondered if the next room was holding something more interesting.