In both pieces, the theme of fear is at the forefront: Those who speak honestly about their fear have essentially already conquered it. In "The Great Trolls," the two children, Julia and Marius, find themselves in serious danger due to the trolls and save themselves through their courage, perseverance, and the power of their imagination. The trolls are not actually evil; some aspects of them are just funny. However, the trolls' differences can become dangerous. But those who know how to deal with them properly can dispel the danger and even tame the wild. The fairy tale "The Birch Nose" revolves around ghosts: imaginary, legendary, unreal figures that can instill fear in both adults and children. For the audience, they are invented fantasy characters in a fear-inducing play. For the characters in the play, they are temporarily real—even if they later deny it. In both pieces, singing is encouraged.