Origin of trolls

“Anyone know when trolls first appeared? I'm reading The Hobbit (1937) and they're there:

"And this is what he saw. Three very large persons sitting round a very large fire of beech-logs. They were toasting mutton on long spits of wood, and licking the gravy off their fingers. There was a fine toothsome smell. Also there was a barrel of good drink at hand, and they were drinking out of jugs. But they were trolls. Obviously trolls. Even Bilbo, in spite of his sheltered life, could see that: from the great heavy faces of them, and their size, and the shape of their legs, not to mention their language, which was not drawing-room fashion at all, at all."

However I suspect trolls have been around longer than 1937 when The Hobbit was written. Anyone have an early reference to these creatures?”

“Trolls suck!”

“Billy goats gruff?”

“Hey I have some of that I my chin......:)

Have not shaved in quite some time.”

“This is what Merriam-Webster's online dictionary says about trolls:

Main Entry: troll
Function: noun
Etymology: Norwegian troll & Danish trold, from Old Norse troll giant, demon; probably akin to Middle High German trolle lout
Date: 1616
: a dwarf or giant in Scandinavian folklore inhabiting caves or hills”

“All right I am related to a fake gaint troll.

I was born in the states but I am 100% Norwegian American.

:)”