Aussie Bites: Splot The Viking

Splot is not your average Viking boy. He's short and mild-tempered, and his hair is orange. The other Viking children think he might actually be a troll (this is a real insult). He tries hard to succeed in Warrior School, but finds it much more rewarding to talk to his friend Ingar, a forest troll. In a desperate attempt to prove himself a real Viking, Splot stows away on a longship sailing to Scotland, where the Viking warriors, sick of their monotonous diet of herring, plan to seize lots of scones and strawberry jam and cream. When they arrive, Splot can see that overpowering the Scots will not be an easy job, so he decides to try diplomacy instead.

With the help of a Scottish girl, Morag, he approaches the Clan Chief, who sets him a challenge: if he can get a fearsome monster under the bridge to leave, the Scots will gladly share their food with the Viking invaders. To Splot's surprise, the 'monster' is actually a forest troll who has been stranded in Scotland and longs to go back to Norway. The way is clear for Splot to take charge ...