An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/trollen

by Friedrich Kluge

trollen, vb., ‘to roll about, loll, trip,’ from MidHG. trollen, ‘to run with short steps’; perhaps allied to MidHG. trolle, ‘booby, uncouth person’ (lit. ‘ghost-like monster’). Fr. trôler, ‘to stroll about,’ is a Ger. loan-word.