They didn't start out with any great budgets for maintaining anything, the roads and bridges were pretty much use at your own risk.
Some bridges were built, and financed by, the users. There might be a sign at the bridge.
Pay Toll
which meant that you the traveller, before or after crossing, were expected to contribute out of your pocket, to help pay for the bridge.
These Pay Toll bridges weren't always manned 7 x 24, sometimes payment would be on the honour system. Most people in those days were honourable, so toll collectors weren't always required. Some "collection stations" would be just a bucket besides the sign, and the travelers would drop coins into the bucket.
Occasionally, there would be dishonest individuals who found a way of collecting some easy cash. They would station themselves at a bridge, and when an unwary traveler approached, would show them the "Pay Toll" sign, and demand payment - which they, of course, would keep for themselves. To avoid legal complications, the "Pay Toll" sign was altered, to read "Pay Troll". A bridge with a "Pay Troll" sign became known as a Troll Bridge, and a "Troll Collector" was known, simply, as a troll.
The local and national governments soon realised that the "Troll Bridges" were money pits. They weren't getting any money, because the trolls were keeping it all for themselves. Eventually, they started financing bridges and roads out of the taxes collected from the citizens, and the roads and bridges became "free".
But still the trolls tried to extort money from the unwary travelers. The knowledgeable travelers would look at the troll and say "No, I paid for this bridge with my taxes.". So the trolls had to depend upon extorting money from the unwary and weak travelers, who were too naive, or physically unable, to resist the demands of the troll.
One day, some of the Knights of the Realm heard about the trolls, and made it a practice to assist the unwary and weak travelers. They would stare the trolls down, and send them scurrying under the bridge, to hide there until the Knight left the area.
Eventually, the trolls started staying under the bridges, and avoiding the confident and strong travelers, and the Knights. When an unsure or weak individual walked onto the bridge, and there was no Knight around, the troll would reach out and grab the victim by the ankles, dragging him / her under the bridge and robbing her / him.
And that's all that trolls are - people of low intelligence who prey upon the weak. In online discussions, they lurk in the discussion areas, and watch for anybody to make a mistake. When a person, trying to help or participate in a discussion, says something procedurally or technically wrong, the troll will jump on his / her victim and correct her / him. Generally, the correction process will be done rudely or sarcastically, in an attempt to rob the victim of dignity.
And that's an Internet troll. A rude creep who lurks under the bridge, and preys upon the weak. The same as a Bridge Troll, except it trolls from its own home.
This fable is dedicated to "Wasted" of long ago Blogger Help Group fame. For more about trolls, see Chucks Tech World: My First Troll Calling, and, Beer And Puke Rank.
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