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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Asgard Stories, by Mary H. Foster and Mabel
+H. Cummings
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Asgard Stories
+       Tales from Norse Mythology
+
+
+Author: Mary H. Foster and Mabel H. Cummings
+
+
+
+Release Date: September 20, 2011  [eBook #37488]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASGARD STORIES***
+
+
+E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, eagkw, and the Online Distributed
+Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net)
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 37488-h.htm or 37488-h.zip:
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/37488/37488-h/37488-h.htm)
+      or
+      (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/37488/37488-h.zip)
+
+
+Transcriber's note:
+
+      Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=).
+
+      An Index of Names and a Key to Pronunciation can be found
+      at the end of the book.
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration: ODIN, THE ALLFATHER.]
+
+
+ASGARD STORIES
+
+Tales From Norse Mythology
+
+by
+
+MARY H. FOSTER and MABEL H. CUMMINGS, A.B.
+
+Illustrated
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+Silver, Burdett and Company
+New York      Boston      Chicago
+
+Copyright, 1901,
+By Silver, Burdett and Company.
+
+
+
+
+                     =To all our Children
+             who have loved the hearing of these
+                        Asgard Stories=
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+
+This little volume is the outcome of several years' experience in
+telling to classes of children the classic myths, both southern and
+northern. The insight and interest displayed by the children encourage
+the authors to hope that other teachers and pupils may enjoy the myths
+here reproduced.
+
+The interest shown at present in the teaching of myths to children seems
+to call for some such simple volume, giving the Norse myths in suitable
+form for use with pupils as well as for the children's home reading.
+There are various collections of the Greek tales, but the books dealing
+with the Norse myths seem to be more or less cumbered with detail, and,
+therefore, not adapted to very young readers.
+
+The experience of the authors satisfies them that the teaching of myths
+should begin with those of the North, and that the Greek tales should
+be given later, with comparisons and references to the Norse myths.
+The stories which were dear to our own northern forefathers stir our
+children more deeply and are more congenial to them than those which
+come down to us from the Greeks. This is perfectly reasonable. The
+graphic descriptions in the Norse tales of the hard struggle with rugged
+nature and the severe climate of the North naturally come home more
+closely to us than the less rigorous and sturdy conditions of the
+southern nations. Then, too, the moral tone of the Norse myths is
+higher, purer, and more steadfast than that of the Greek tales, and is
+more congenial to our Teutonic point of view.
+
+Much depends, of course, upon the teacher's careful study of the myths
+and insight into their significance. They should be presented in such
+manner as to awaken the interest of the children and lead them to make
+use of their own imagination.
+
+The value of the Norse myths has been urged by Carlyle, Dasent,
+Anderson, and others. "To me there is in the Norse system something very
+genuine, very great, and manlike," wrote Carlyle. "A broad simplicity,
+so very different from the light gracefulness of the old Greek paganism,
+distinguishes this Norse system. It is thought, the genuine thought of
+deep, rude, earnest minds, fairly opened to the things about them,--a
+face-to-face and heart-to-heart inspection of things,--the first
+characteristic of all good thought in all times."
+
+Anderson, the author of "Norse Mythology," wrote: "In the Norse
+mythology the centralizing idea is its peculiar feature; in it
+lies its strength and beauty. The one myth and the one divinity is
+inextricably in communion with the other; and thus also the idea of
+unity, centralization, is a prominent feature and one of the chief
+characteristics of the Teutonic nations.
+
+"While the Greek mythology foreshadowed the petty states of Greece and
+southern Europe, the Norse mythology foreshadowed the political and
+social destinies of _United_ Scandinavia, _United_ Great Britain, and
+the _United_ States of North America....
+
+"The poetic period of the child's own race should be melted and moulded
+into poetry, touched by a spark of Christian refinement and love, and
+then poured, so to speak, into his soul. The child's mind should feed
+upon the mythological stories and the primitive folklore of his race."
+
+While many works have been consulted in the preparation of this volume,
+the authors are especially indebted to the following: Thorpe's
+translation of Saemund's "Edda"; "The Younger Edda," in translations;
+Anderson's "Norse Mythology"; Guerber's "Myths of Northern Lands";
+William and Mary Howitt's "Literature and Romance of Northern Europe";
+and Mallet's "Northern Antiquities."
+
+  BROOKLINE, MASS.,
+      September, 1901.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+                                 PAGE
+
+  THE STORY OF THE BEGINNING        1
+
+  ODIN'S REWARD                     9
+
+  TYR AND THE WOLF                 15
+
+  FREYJA'S NECKLACE                25
+
+  THE HAMMER OF THOR               33
+
+  THOR'S WONDERFUL JOURNEY         38
+
+  HOW THOR LOST HIS HAMMER         50
+
+  A GIFT FROM FRIGGA               58
+
+  THE STEALING OF IDUNA            62
+
+  SKADI                            76
+
+  BALDUR                           82
+
+  AEGIR'S FEAST                    89
+
+  THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI           97
+
+  THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS        103
+
+
+
+
+FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.
+
+
+                                                PAGE
+
+  ODIN, THE ALLFATHER             _Frontispiece_
+
+  THE NORNS                                        5
+
+  THOR CHAINING FENRIR                            19
+
+  FREYJA IN THE CAVE OF THE DWARFS                27
+
+  THOR AND LOKI IN THE CHARIOT                    41
+
+  THOR'S BATTLE WITH THE FROST GIANTS             53
+
+  IDUNA GIVING LOKI THE APPLE                     69
+
+  SKADI HUNTING IN THE MOUNTAINS                  79
+
+  THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI                          99
+
+  THOR FIGHTING THE SERPENT                      105
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE STORY OF THE BEGINNING.
+
+
+The people who lived long ago, in the far-off lands of the north,
+watched the wonderful things that happened out of doors every day, just
+as we do; but they did not know about the one loving God, who is the
+Father of all, who made them and the world, and rules it by his wise
+laws; so they thought there must be a great many unseen powers, living
+in the clouds, in the wind, in the storms, and the sunshine, and doing
+all those wonders that no man could do.
+
+And so those northern people, who were our own forefathers, came to
+believe in many gods--one for the sun, another for the thunder, another
+for the flowers, and so on.
+
+In the long, dark winters, when the bright sun had gone away from them,
+these northmen had time to think many thoughts about the powers of
+frost, and wind, and storms, which they called giants, and they used to
+tell stories and sing songs about the short, bright summer, the thawing
+out of the streams and lakes, the coming of the birds and flowers.
+
+With great joy the people saw the bright sun-god, Baldur, come back to
+them in the spring, after the long darkness, and knew that they owed
+their lives to his friendly warmth and light.
+
+As we read the stories, or myths, told by those people long ago, we can
+see that they were meant to tell about the world around us. At first the
+stories were told and sung from father to son--that is, from one
+generation to another; but later, when people learned how to write,
+these myths were written down, and kept with great love and care.
+
+This is the story they told of the Beginning. At first, before living
+creatures were in the world, it was all rough and without order. Far to
+the north it was very cold, for ice and snow were everywhere. Toward the
+south there was fire, and from the meeting of the fire and the cold a
+thick vapor was formed, from which sprang a huge giant. On looking about
+for some food, he saw a cow, who was also searching for something to
+eat. The ice tasted salt, and when the cow began to lick it, a head
+appeared, and at last the whole figure of a god stood before her.
+
+From these two, the giant and the god, came the two great races of
+giants and gods, who were always enemies to each other. The giants were
+constantly trying to break into Asgard, the home of the gods, in the
+sky; the gods, on the other hand, watched and planned to keep out the
+giants, and to drive them back to their own stronghold, Utgard. Our
+world, where men and women lived, was between Utgard and Asgard; it was
+called Midgard, and around this Midgard world, under the ocean, was
+coiled a monstrous serpent, who grew so long that his tail grew down his
+throat. He was called the Midgard serpent.
+
+A wonderful tree, named "Yggdrasil," connected all the worlds. This
+great ash tree had its roots in Utgard, and the tops of its branches
+reached up so high as to overshadow Asgard. Its three main roots were
+watered by three fountains, and near one of them sat the wise giant
+Mimir, of whom we shall hear later. The Norns, three sisters, also lived
+at the roots of Yggdrasil, and were careful to see that it was watered
+every day.
+
+A little gray squirrel was always running up and down the tree, jerking
+his tail and hurrying to tell the news to every one along the way. He
+was so anxious to be the first one to carry the news, that many times he
+brought trouble to himself and to others, because he was not always
+careful to tell a story just as he had heard it, and often every one
+would have been happier if the squirrel had kept the story quite to
+himself.
+
+The gods and goddesses, all together, were called the Aesir, and the
+chief and father of them all was Odin. His lofty throne rose high in the
+midst of Asgard, the sacred city, which the gods had built for their
+beautiful home.
+
+From Asgard, arching over and down to the lower world, was a rainbow
+bridge, called Bifrost--"the trembling bridge"; upon this the dwellers
+in Asgard could travel every day, all except the mighty Thor. His
+thunder chariot was too heavy for "the trembling bridge," so he had to
+go around a longer way.
+
+After the gods had made men and women, and had taught them to dwell on
+the earth, in the world of Midgard, Odin looked forth one morning from
+his heavenly seat, to see what further work was waiting for his helping
+hand.
+
+He noticed, far away below him, a race of small beings, some of them
+busy, doing mischievous deeds, while others sat idle, doing nothing.
+Odin sent for all these little people to come to him, and when they had
+reached Asgard, and were admitted to his palace of Gladsheim, they
+entered the great judgment hall, where they found all the Aesir sitting,
+with Father Odin at their head.
+
+  [Illustration: After the painting by Ehrenberg,
+  THE NORNS.]
+
+The little people waited in a crowd near the door, wondering what was
+going to happen to them, while Hermod, the messenger of the gods, ran to
+his master to say that they had come.
+
+Then the Allfather spoke to the little dwarfs about their evil deeds
+among men, and he told the naughtiest ones that they must go and live
+down underground, and look after the great furnace fire in the middle of
+the earth, to keep it always burning. Some must get coal to feed the
+fire, and others still were to have charge of the gold, and silver, and
+precious stones, under the rocks. Not one of these busy dwarfs must ever
+appear during the day; only by night might they venture to leave their
+tasks.
+
+"And now," said Odin, turning to the idle ones, "what have you been
+doing?"
+
+"We were doing nothing at all, so we could not have harmed any one, and
+we pray you to spare us!" cried they.
+
+"Do you not know that those who sit idle when they should be doing good
+deserve punishment, too?" said Odin. "I shall put you in charge of all
+the trees and flowers, and shall send one of the Aesir to teach you, so
+that you may be doing some good in the world."
+
+Then the little elves went to work among the flowers, and Frey, the
+bright god of summer and sunshine, was a kind master to them. He taught
+them how to open the folded buds in the sunshine, to fill the honey
+cups, and lead the bees along the flower passages to find their food, to
+hatch the birds' eggs, and teach the little ones their songs, and then
+each night to fetch the water for dewdrops, to be hung on every leaf and
+blade of grass.
+
+When their work was finished, and the moon had risen, these busy elves
+and fairies enjoyed many a happy evening, dancing and frisking on the
+green by moonlight. And so our world of Midgard was filled with busy
+work and play.
+
+Even now, in our time, the people in the lands of the north, and in
+Germany, have many old sayings and stories that have come down to them
+from the days long ago. There is a beautiful white flower in the north,
+which is called Baldur's Brow, because it is so pure and bright, like
+the face of the dear sun-god, Baldur; and in some places, when the
+farmers gather in their harvest of grain, they leave a little bunch of
+it standing in the field, for Father Odin's horse.
+
+We have some English names to remind us of those old tales of our
+forefathers, for we have Tuesday named for Tyr, or Tiu, the brave god
+who gave his right hand to save his friends; Wednesday, or Wodensday,
+named for Odin; Thursday, for Thor, the thunder-god; and Friday, for
+either the goddess Frigga, or Freyja, or for Frey, the god of summer,
+who ruled the fairies.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+ODIN'S REWARD
+
+
+One night when all was quiet in Asgard and the Aesir had gone to rest,
+Odin, the Allfather, sat awake on his high throne, troubled with many
+thoughts. At his feet crouched his two faithful wolves, and upon his
+shoulders perched the two ravens of thought and memory, who flew far
+abroad every day, through the nine worlds, as Odin's messengers.
+
+The Allfather had need of great wisdom in ruling the worlds; after
+thinking a long time on the matters which needed his care, he suddenly
+started up, and went forth with long strides from his palace of
+Gladsheim into the night. He soon returned, leading his beautiful,
+eight-footed steed, Sleipnir, and it was plain that Odin was going on
+a journey. He quickly mounted Sleipnir, and rode swiftly away toward
+Bifrost, the rainbow bridge, which reached from Asgard, the city of the
+gods, down through the air to the lower worlds.
+
+When Sleipnir stepped upon the bridge it trembled, and seemed hardly
+strong enough to bear the horse and his rider; but they had no fear of
+its giving way, and Sleipnir galloped swiftly onward.
+
+Soon Odin saw Heimdall, the watchman of the bridge, riding toward him on
+a fine horse, with a golden mane that reflected light upon the noble
+face of his rider.
+
+"You must be bound on some important errand, Father Odin, to be riding
+forth from Asgard so late at night," said Heimdall.
+
+"It is indeed a most important errand, and I must hasten on," replied
+Odin. "It is well for us that we have such a faithful guardian of the
+'trembling bridge'; if it were not for you, Heimdall, our enemies might
+long ago have taken Asgard by storm. You are so watchful, you can hear
+the grass grow in the fields, and the wool gather on the backs of the
+sheep, and you need less sleep than a bird. I myself stand in great need
+of wisdom, in order to take care of such faithful servants, and to drive
+back such wicked enemies!"
+
+They hurried over the bridge until they came to Heimdall's far-shining
+castle, at the farther end of it. This was a lofty tower which was
+placed so as to guard the bridge, and it sent forth into the land of
+the giant enemies such a wonderful, clear light, that Heimdall could
+see, even in the darkest night, any one who came toward the bridge. Here
+Odin stopped a few moments to drink the mead which the good Heimdall
+offered him.
+
+Then said Odin, "As I am journeying into the land of our enemies, I
+shall leave my good horse with you; there are not many with whom I would
+trust him, but I know that you, my faithful Heimdall, will take good
+care of him. I can best hide myself from the giants by going on as a
+wanderer."
+
+With these words the Allfather quitted Heimdall's castle, and started
+off toward the north, through the land of the fierce giants.
+
+During all the first day there was nothing to be seen but ice and snow;
+several times Odin was nearly crushed as the frost giants hurled huge
+blocks of ice after him.
+
+The second day he came to mountains and broad rivers. Often when he had
+just crossed over a stream, the mountain giants would come after him to
+the other bank, and when they found that Odin had escaped them, they
+would send forth such a fierce yell, that the echoes sounded from hill
+to hill.
+
+At the end of the third day, Odin came to a land where trees were green
+and flowers blooming. Here was one of the three fountains which watered
+the world tree, Yggdrasil, and near by sat the wise giant, Mimir,
+guarding the waters of this wonderful fountain, for whoever drank of it
+would have the gift of great wisdom.
+
+Mimir was a giant in size, but he was not one of the fierce giant
+enemies of the gods, for he was kind, and wiser than the wisest.
+
+Mimir's well of wisdom was in the midst of a wonderful valley, filled
+with rare plants and bright flowers, and among the groves of beautiful
+trees were strange creatures, sleeping dragons, harmless serpents, and
+lizards, while birds with gay plumage flew and sang among the branches.
+Over all this quiet valley shone a lovely soft light, different from
+sunlight, and in the center grew one of the roots of the great world
+tree. Here the wise giant Mimir sat gazing down into his well.
+
+Odin greeted the kind old giant, and said, "Oh, Mimir, I have come from
+far-away Asgard to ask a great boon!"
+
+"Gladly will I help you if it is in my power," said Mimir.
+
+"You know," replied Odin, "that as father of gods and men I need great
+wisdom, and I have come to beg for one drink of your precious water of
+knowledge. Trouble threatens us, even from one of the Aesir, for Loki,
+the fire-god, has lately been visiting the giants, and I fear he has
+been learning evil ways from them. The frost giants and the storm giants
+are always at work, trying to overthrow both gods and men; great is my
+need of wisdom, and even though no one ever before has dared ask so
+great a gift, I hope that since you know how deep is my trouble, you
+will grant my request."
+
+Mimir sat silently, thinking for several moments, and then said, "You
+ask a great thing, indeed, Father Odin; are you ready to pay the price
+which I must demand?"
+
+"Yes," said Odin, cheerfully, "I will give you all the gold and silver
+of Asgard, and all the jeweled shields and swords of the Aesir. More than
+all, I will give up my eight-footed horse Sleipnir, if that is needed to
+win the reward."
+
+"And do you suppose that these things will buy wisdom?" said Mimir.
+"That can be gained only by bearing bravely, and giving up to others.
+Are you willing to give me a part of yourself? Will you give up one of
+your own eyes?"
+
+At this Odin looked very sad; but after a few moments of deep thought,
+he looked up with a bright smile, and answered, "Yes, I will even give
+you one of my eyes, and I will suffer whatever else is asked, in order
+to gain the wisdom that I need!"
+
+We cannot know all that Odin bravely suffered in that strange, bright
+valley, before he was rewarded with a drink from that wonderful
+fountain; but we may be quite sure that never once was the good
+Allfather sorry for anything he had given up, or any suffering he had
+borne, for the sake of others.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+TYR AND THE WOLF.
+
+
+I.
+
+Odin, the Allfather, sat one day on his high air-throne, and looking
+around him, far and wide, saw three fierce monsters. They were the
+children of the mischievous fire-god Loki, and Odin began to feel
+anxious, for they had grown so fast and were getting so strong that he
+feared they might do harm to the sacred city of Asgard. The wise father
+knew Loki had given strength to these dreadful creatures, and he saw
+that all this danger had come upon the Aesir from Loki's wickedness.
+
+One of these monsters was a huge serpent, that Odin sent down into the
+ocean, where he grew so fast that his body was coiled around the whole
+world, and his tail grew into his own mouth. He was called the Midgard
+serpent.
+
+The second monster was sent to Niflheim, the home of darkness, and shut
+up there.
+
+The third, a fierce wolf, named Fenrir, was brought to Asgard, where
+Odin hoped he might be tamed by living among the Aesir, and seeing their
+good deeds, and hearing their kind words; but he grew more and more
+fierce, until only one of all the gods dared to feed him. This was the
+brave god, Tyr. He was a war-god, like Thor, and is sometimes called the
+Sword-god. Tyr was loved by all because he was so true and faithful.
+
+Each day the dreadful wolf grew larger and stronger, till all at once,
+before the Aesir thought about it, he had become a very dangerous beast.
+
+Father Odin always looked troubled when he saw Fenrir, the wolf, come to
+get his evening meal of meat from Tyr's hand, and at last one night,
+after the wolf had gone growling away to his lair, Odin called a meeting
+of the Aesir. He told them of his fears, saying they must find some plan
+for guarding themselves and their home against this monster. They could
+not slay him, for no one must ever be killed, and no blood must be shed,
+within the walls of the sacred city.
+
+Thor was the first to speak: "Do not fear, Father Odin, for by to-morrow
+night we shall have Fenrir so safely bound that he cannot do us any
+harm. I will make a mighty chain, with the help of my hammer, Miolnir,
+and with it we will bind him fast!"
+
+When the Aesir heard these words of Thor, they were glad, and all went
+home rejoicing--all save the Allfather, who was still troubled, for he
+well knew the danger, and feared that even the mighty Thor would find
+this task too much for him. But Thor seized his hammer, and strode off
+to his forge. There he worked the whole night long, and all through
+Asgard were heard the blows of Miolnir and the roaring of the bellows.
+
+The next night, when the Aesir were gathered together, Thor brought forth
+his new-made chain, to test it. In came Fenrir, the wolf, and every one
+was surprised to see how willingly he let himself be bound with the
+chain. When Thor had riveted the last links together, the gods smiled,
+and began to praise him for his wonderful work; but all at once the wolf
+gave one bound forward, broke the great chain, and walked off to his
+lair as if nothing had happened.
+
+Thor was much disappointed, still he did not lose courage. He said to
+the Aesir that he would make another chain, yet stronger. Again he set to
+work, and for three nights and three days the great Thor worked at his
+forge without resting.
+
+While he worked his friends did not forget him. They came and looked on
+while he was busy, and, as they watched the mighty hammer falling with
+quick blows upon the metal, they talked to Thor or sang noble songs to
+cheer him; sometimes they brought him food and drink. One visitor, who
+was no friend, fierce Fenrir, the wolf, sometimes put his nose in at the
+door for a moment, and watched Thor at work; then, as he went away, Thor
+heard a strange sound like a wicked laugh.
+
+At last the chain was finished, and Thor dragged it to the place of
+meeting. It was so heavy that even the mighty Thor could hardly lift it,
+or drag it as far as Odin's palace of Gladsheim. This time Fenrir was
+not so willing to be bound; but the gods coaxed him, and talked of his
+great strength, and told him they were sure he would easily break this
+chain also. After a while he agreed to let them put it around his neck.
+
+This time Thor was sure the chain would hold firm, for never before had
+such a strong one been made. But soon, with a great shake and a fierce
+bound, the wolf broke away, and went off to his lair, snarling and
+showing his wicked teeth, while the broken chain lay on the ground.
+
+Sadly the Aesir came together that night in Odin's palace, and this time
+Thor was not the first to speak; he sat apart and was silent.
+
+[Illustration: THOR CHAINING FENRIR.]
+
+First spoke Frey, the god of summer and king of the fairies. "Hearken
+to me, O lords of Asgard!" he said. "I have not won a brave name in
+battle, like the noble Tyr, neither have I done such mighty deeds as
+the great Thor and others of our heroes. Instead of fighting giants
+and monsters, I have spent most of my life in the woods, among the
+flowers, listening for hours to the birds. Many things have I watched,
+some perhaps that my brothers thought too small to be worthy of
+notice. I have learned many lessons, and the greatest of them all is
+to know how much power there is in little things, and to see how often
+the work, done quietly, and hidden from the eyes of men, is the finest
+and the most wonderful. Since we cannot make a chain strong enough to
+bind Fenrir, let us go to the little dwarfs, who work in silence and
+in darkness, and ask them to make us a chain!"
+
+The Allfather's troubled face grew brighter as he heard Frey speak, and
+he bade him send a messenger quickly to the dwarfs, to order a chain
+made as soon as possible.
+
+
+II.
+
+So Frey went out, leaving the Aesir in their trouble, and came to his own
+lovely home, Alfheim. There everything was bright and peaceful, and the
+little elves were busy and happy. Frey found a trusty messenger, and
+sent him with all speed to the dwarfs underground, to order the new
+chain, and to return as soon as he could bring it. The faithful servant
+found the funny little dwarf workmen all busy in their dark rock
+chambers, far down inside the earth, while at one side, in a lighter
+place, sat their king. The messenger bowed before him, and told him his
+errand.
+
+The dwarfs were a wicked race, but they were afraid of Odin, for they
+had not forgotten the talk he once had with them, when he sent them down
+to work in darkness underground, and since that time they never had
+dared disobey him. The dwarf king said it would take two days and two
+nights to make the chain, but it would be so strong that no one could
+break it.
+
+While the busy dwarfs were at work, the messenger looked about at the
+many wonderful things: the great central fire which burns always in the
+middle of the earth, watched and fed with coal by the dwarfs; above
+this, the beds of coal, and bright precious diamonds, which the dwarfs
+took from the ashes of the fire. In another place he watched them
+putting gold and silver, tin and copper, into the cracks in the rocks,
+and he drank of the pure, underground water, which gives the Midgard
+people fresh springs.
+
+After two days this messenger returned to the dwarf king. The king,
+holding out in his hand a fine, small chain, said to the messenger:
+"This may seem to you to be small and weak; but it is a most wonderful
+piece of work, for we have used in it all the strongest stuff we could
+find. It is made of six kinds of things: the noise made by the footfall
+of cats, the roots of stones, the beards of women, the voice of fishes,
+the spittle of birds, the sinews of bears. This chain can never be
+broken; and if you can once put it on Fenrir, he will never be able to
+throw it off."
+
+Odin's messenger was glad to hear this, so he thanked the dwarf king,
+and promising him a large reward, he went on his way back to Asgard,
+where the Aesir were longing for his return, and were all rejoiced to
+see him with the magic chain.
+
+Now Father Odin feared that Fenrir would not let them bind him a third
+time, so he proposed they should all take a holiday, and go out to a
+beautiful lake to the north of Asgard, where they would have games and
+trials of strength. The other gods were pleased with this plan, and all
+set out in Frey's wonderful ship, which was large enough to hold all the
+Aesir with their horses, and yet could be folded up small enough to go in
+one's pocket.
+
+They landed on a lovely island in the lake, and after the races and
+games were over, Frey brought out the little chain, and asked them all
+to try to break it. Thor and Tyr tried in vain; then Thor said, "I do
+not believe any one but Fenrir can break it."
+
+Now the wolf did not want to be bound again; but he was very proud of
+his strength, and, for fear of being called a coward, said at last he
+would let them do it, if he might hold the right hand of one of the Aesir
+in his mouth while they bound him, as a sign that the gods did not mean
+to play any tricks.
+
+When the gods heard this, they looked at each other, and all but one of
+them drew back. Only the brave, good Tyr stepping forward, quietly put
+his hand into Fenrir's mouth. The other gods then put the chain around
+the beast, and fastened it to a great rock. The fierce creature gave a
+leap to free himself, but the more he struggled the tighter grew the
+chain. The Aesir gathered about him in joy to see this, but their hearts
+were filled with sorrow when they saw that their noble Tyr had lost his
+right hand; the dreadful wolf had shut his teeth together in his rage,
+when he found he could not get free.
+
+Thus the brave Tyr dared to risk danger for the sake of saving others,
+and gave up even his right hand to gain peace and happiness for Asgard.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+FREYJA'S NECKLACE.
+
+
+"Yes, I really must have some flowers to wear to the feast to-night,"
+said Freyja to her husband, Odur.
+
+Freyja was the goddess of love and beauty; she was the most beautiful of
+all the Aesir, and every one loved to look at her charming face, and to
+hear her sweet voice.
+
+"I think you look quite beautiful enough as you are, without flowers,"
+Odur replied, but Freyja was not satisfied; she thought she would go and
+find her brother Frey, the god of summer, for he would give her a
+garland of flowers. So she wandered forth from Asgard on her way to
+Frey's bright home in Alfheim, where he lived among his happy, busy
+little elves. As Freyja walked along she was thinking of the feast to
+be given that night in Asgard, and knowing that all the gods and
+goddesses would be there, she wished to look her very best.
+
+On and on she wandered, not thinking how far she was getting away from
+home. Finally the light began to grow fainter and fainter, and Freyja
+found herself in a strange place. The sunlight had faded away, but there
+was still a little light that came from lanterns carried by funny little
+dwarfs, who were busily working. Some were digging gold and gems, others
+were cleaning off the dirt from the precious stones, and polishing them
+to make them bright, while four little fellows were seated in one
+corner, putting the sparkling stones together into a wonderful necklace.
+
+"What can that beautiful thing be?" thought Freyja. "If only I had that,
+it would surely make me look more beautiful than any one else at the
+feast to-night!" And the more she thought about it, the more she longed
+to get it. "Oh, I really must have it!" she said to herself, and with
+these words she stepped nearer to the four little men. "For what price
+will you sell me your necklace?" she asked.
+
+The dwarfs looked up from their work, and when they saw Freyja's lovely
+face and heard her sweet voice, said, "Oh, if you will only look kindly
+upon us, and be our friend, you may have the necklace!"
+
+[Illustration: FREYJA IN THE CAVE OF THE DWARFS.]
+
+Then a mocking laugh echoed again and again through the dark cavern,
+seeming to say, "How foolish you are to wish for these bright diamonds;
+they will not make you happy!" But Freyja snatched the necklace and ran
+out of the cavern. It did not please her to hear the teasing laugh of
+the dwarfs, and she wanted to get away from them as soon as possible.
+
+At last she was once more out in the open air; she tried to be free
+and happy again, but a strange feeling of dread came over her, as if
+something were going to happen. Soon she came to a still pool of water,
+and, putting on the necklace, she bent over to look at her picture in
+the clear water. How beautiful the diamonds were! and how they sparkled
+in the sunshine! She must hasten home to show them to Odur.
+
+The fair goddess soon reached Asgard, and hurried to the palace to find
+her husband. But Odur was not there. Over and over again she searched
+through all the rooms in vain; he had gone, and although Freyja had her
+beautiful necklace, she cared little for it without her dear husband.
+
+Soon it was time to go to the feast, but Freyja would not go without
+Odur. She sat down and wept bitter tears; she felt no joy now for having
+the necklace, and no sorrow because she could not feast with the Aesir.
+
+If only Odur would come back, all would be well again. "I will go to the
+end of the world to find him!" said Freyja, and she began to make ready
+for her journey. Her chariot, drawn by two cats, was soon ready; but
+before she could start, she must first ask Father Odin to allow her to
+go.
+
+"Allfather, I beg you give me leave to go to look for my Odur in every
+corner of the world!"
+
+The wise father replied, "Go, fair Freyja, and may you find whom you
+seek."
+
+Then she started forth. First to the Midgard world the goddess of beauty
+went, but no one in all the world had seen or heard of Odur. Down under
+the earth, to Niflheim, and even to Utgard, the land of giants, she
+wandered, but still no one had seen or even heard of her husband. Poor
+Freyja wept many tears, and wherever the teardrops fell, and sank into
+the ground, they turned into glistening gold.
+
+At last the sad goddess returned to her own palace alone. She still wore
+the wonderful necklace, which was called Brisingamen.
+
+One night, when the hour was late, all the Aesir were asleep, except the
+ever watchful Heimdall, who heard soft footsteps, like those of a cat,
+near Freyja's palace. He listened, and thought, "That is surely some one
+bent on mischief; I must follow him."
+
+When Heimdall reached the palace, he found it was Loki, changed into
+another form, creeping softly about. Heimdall quietly watched him, and
+saw him glide in to Freyja's bedside, where the fair goddess lay asleep,
+wearing her beautiful necklace. Loki had come to steal the necklace, but
+when he saw that she was lying on the clasp of the chain, so that he
+could not undo it without waking her, he changed himself into a gnat,
+and, crawling along on the pillow, stung her just enough to make her
+turn over, but not enough to wake her. Then he unclasped the chain and
+ran off with it as fast as he could.
+
+But Heimdall was not going to let the thief get away. As soon as Loki
+found that he was followed, he took his other form, a little flame of
+fire; Heimdall then took _his_ other shape, and became a shower of rain,
+to put out the fire; but Loki, quick and watchful, changed himself into
+a bear, to catch the rain. Then Heimdall too became a bear, and a fierce
+fight began. At last the rain-god conquered, and forced wicked Loki to
+give back the necklace to Freyja.
+
+The whole land seemed to feel sorry for poor, lonely Freyja; the leaves
+fell from the trees, the bright flowers faded, and the singing birds
+flew away.
+
+Once more the fair goddess went forth from Asgard to seek Odur. Away,
+away to the far-off sunny south she wandered, and there, where the
+myrtle trees and the oranges grow, at last she found her long-lost
+husband.
+
+Then hand in hand the two turned northward again, to their home, and so
+happy were they together, that they spread joy and happiness around them
+as they passed along. Everywhere the ice and snow thawed before them,
+green grass and sweet flowers sprang up behind their footsteps, the
+birds sang their sweetest songs, the warm summer came back to the north
+lands, and every one was glad and joyful, for lovely, smiling Freyja was
+at home again.
+
+      "White were the moorlands
+      And frozen, before her;
+      Green were the moorlands
+      And blooming, behind her.
+      Out of her gold locks
+      Shaking the spring flowers,
+      Out of her garments
+      Shaking the south wind,
+      Around in the birches
+      Awaking the throstles,
+      Beautiful Freyja came."
+                              --KINGSLEY.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE HAMMER OF THOR.
+
+
+Sif was the wife of mighty Thor, the thunder-god, and she was very proud
+of her beautiful golden hair, which she combed and braided with great
+care. One morning when she awoke she was filled with grief and dismay
+to find that her lovely hair had been cut off in the night, while she
+slept. Her husband happened to be away that day, but when he came home
+late at night, Sif was careful to keep out of his sight, she felt so
+ashamed of her shorn head.
+
+Thor, however, soon called for Sif, and when he saw what had been done
+to her, he was very angry. Now Thor had a quick temper; every one feared
+his fierce anger. "Who could have done this wicked deed?" thought he.
+"There is only one among all the Aesir who would think of doing such a
+thing!"
+
+Thor lost no time in finding Loki, and that mischief-god had to admit
+that he was the guilty one, but he begged Thor to give him just a few
+days, and he promised to get something for Sif that would make her look
+more beautiful than ever. So Thor decided to give him a chance to try,
+and commanded him to give back to Sif her golden hair.
+
+Now Loki knew a place where some wonderful workmen lived, so he went
+off, as fast as he could go, to Niflheim, the home of the dwarfs, under
+the earth, and asked one of them to make quickly some golden hair for
+Sif. Besides this, he asked for two gifts to carry to the gods Odin and
+Frey, so that they might be on his side if Thor should bring his
+complaint before the Aesir.
+
+Loki did not have to wait long before the dwarf brought him a quantity
+of beautiful hair, spun from the finest golden thread. It had the
+wonderful power of growing just like real hair, as soon as it touched
+any one's head. Besides this, there was a spear for Odin, which never
+missed its aim, no matter how far it was thrown, and for Frey, a ship
+that could sail through the air as well as the sea. Although it was
+large enough to hold all the gods and their horses, yet it could be
+folded so that it was small enough to put in one's pocket.
+
+Loki was greatly pleased with these wonderful presents, and declared
+that this dwarf must be the most skillful workman of them all. Now it
+happened that another dwarf, named Brock, heard him say this, and he
+told Loki that he was sure he and his brother could make more wonderful
+things than these.
+
+Loki did not believe that could be done, but he told Brock to try his
+skill; the Aesir should judge between them and the one who should fail
+in the trial must lose his head.
+
+Then Brock called his brother, Sindri, and they set to work at once.
+They first built a great fire, and Sindri threw into it a lump of gold;
+then he told Brock to blow the bellows while he went out, and be sure
+not to stop blowing until he should come back.
+
+Brock thought this an easy task, but his brother had not long been gone
+when a huge fly came in and buzzed about his face, and bothered him so
+that he could hardly keep on blowing; still he was able to finish his
+work, so that when Sindri came back, they took out of the fire an
+enormous wild boar, which gave out light, and could travel through the
+air with wonderful speed.
+
+On the second day Sindri threw another lump of gold into the fire, and
+left his brother to blow the bellows. Again the buzzing, stinging fly
+came, and was even more troublesome than before; but Brock tried very
+hard to be patient, and was able to bear it without stopping his work
+until Sindri returned. Then they took from the fire a magic ring of
+gold, from which eight new rings fell off every week.
+
+The third day a lump of iron was put into the fire, and Brock was again
+left alone. In came the cruel fly,--have you guessed that it was really
+that mischief-maker Loki? He bit the poor little dwarf so hard on the
+forehead that the blood ran down into his eyes, and blinded him so that
+he could no longer see to do his work.
+
+Poor Brock had to stop just before Sindri came home, but not before the
+hammer which they were making in the fire was nearly finished, only the
+handle came out rather too short. This magic hammer was named Miolnir.
+It had the power of never missing its mark, and would always return to
+the hand which threw it.
+
+When Loki appeared at last before the Aesir, with the two dwarf brothers
+and their gifts, it was declared that they had made the finest things,
+for the hammer, which was given to Thor, would surely be most useful in
+keeping the giants out of Asgard.
+
+When Loki found that the judgment was against him, he started to run
+away; but Thor soon made him turn back by threatening to throw his
+hammer after him.
+
+Then Loki had to collect his wits, and think of some way to escape
+losing his head, instead of making the dwarfs pay the forfeit, as he had
+expected. At last he told Brock and Sindri that they could have his
+head, according to the agreement, but as nothing had been said about his
+neck, they could not, of course, touch that.
+
+Thus the wily Loki, by his wit, saved his life.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THOR'S WONDERFUL JOURNEY.
+
+
+I.
+
+One morning Thor asked Loki, the fire-god, if he would like to go forth
+with him to Utgard, the stronghold of the giants, where he was going to
+try, with his mighty hammer, to conquer those fierce enemies of Asgard.
+Loki was glad to go with him, and the two gods started forth in Thor's
+chariot, drawn by two goats.
+
+Thor often went on a journey, so the dwellers in Asgard did not wonder
+to see him getting ready for a long drive. As Thor and Loki drove along,
+the heavy chariot rattled, and made the thunder echo among the hills.
+People in our world, down below in Midgard, heard the rumbling, and
+said: "What a heavy thunderstorm! How the thunder crashes and rumbles!"
+
+Toward evening the travelers stopped at a peasant's hut, and Thor,
+alighting from his chariot, went to the door of the house, to ask
+shelter for the night.
+
+"I will gladly give you a room, but I have no food in the house," said
+the man who opened the door.
+
+"Oh, never mind that," said Thor; "I will provide the food." So Thor and
+Loki stopped for the night at the peasant's hut. They found the family
+within, the man, his wife, and two children, a boy and a girl. All
+looked on in great surprise to see Thor kill his two goats and cook them
+for the evening meal. "Eat all you wish of the meat," said Thor, "but be
+careful not to break any of the bones; throw them all into the two skins
+which I have spread upon the floor."
+
+Now the boy, whose name was Thialfe, wondered why Thor should say this,
+and as he happened to have a piece of the leg-bone, he thought there
+could be no harm in breaking it open, to get out the soft marrow to eat.
+Thor was just then talking to Loki, and did not notice what had been
+done; but next morning the boy learned a lesson that he never forgot.
+
+When Thor was ready to start off again, next day, he held his magic
+hammer over the skins in which lay the bones. All at once the goats
+became whole again, and stood there just the same as before, except that
+one of them limped with his hind leg.
+
+Then the young Thialfe knew why Thor had told them not to break the
+bones. At first, when he saw Thor's angry face, and how he grasped his
+hammer, the boy was frightened, and wanted to run away; but soon he
+remembered it would be cowardly to do that, so he went to Thor, and
+asked his forgiveness. Now the mighty thunder-god, though often angry,
+was always just and kind. After scolding the boy as he deserved, he
+freely forgave him, and said that he and his sister might go along with
+Loki and himself on their journey.
+
+
+II.
+
+The four started off, after saying good-by to the peasant and his wife,
+leaving in their charge the chariot and goats, for it seemed best to
+finish the journey on foot.
+
+At nightfall they entered a thick forest, through which they wandered
+on for miles, when all at once they came upon a house, and a
+strange-looking house it was. The wide front door opened into a big
+room; at the left was a small room, and just opposite the front door
+were four long, narrow rooms.
+
+[Illustration: THOR AND LOKI IN THE CHARIOT.]
+
+The travelers wondered to find a house in the depths of a forest, but
+they were glad to have shelter for the night, and all lay down for a
+good rest. Soon after midnight they were awakened by groans and strange
+sounds, and the earth began to tremble. Thor sent his companions into
+the farthest room, grasped his hammer, and stood on guard by the door.
+At daybreak he started forth to find out what had caused the noise. He
+had not gone far when he came upon a huge giant, lying on the ground
+asleep, and Thor found that he was making the earth tremble with his
+snoring, which must have been the sound they had heard in the night.
+
+While Thor was looking at the giant, he awoke, and spoke to the god.
+"Ho, ho! I think you little fellow must be Thor, of whom I have often
+heard, but really, I did not think you were quite so small! Now the sun
+is up, and I must be off; but where is my other glove? Oh, here it is,
+on the ground!" And the giant stooped and picked up his glove, which was
+the very house in which our four travelers had spent the night, with the
+big front door where the hand went in, the thumb for the one side-room,
+and the four narrow finger-rooms opposite the door.
+
+"If you are going my way, you may come along with me," said the giant.
+So they journeyed together for one day, but even mighty Thor could
+hardly keep up with the giant's long strides.
+
+When night came, the giant stopped under a large oak tree, and said, "I
+am going to sleep; you may eat your supper, if you wish; here is a bag
+full of things." Saying this, he fell asleep, and was soon snoring. But
+when Thor tried to open the bag of food, he could not untie the cord.
+This made him angry, for the giant had tied up their food with his own.
+He looked at the huge figure lying before him asleep, and when he
+thought what a mean trick the giant had played upon them, Thor seized
+the magic hammer, and threw it at him.
+
+"Did a leaf fall on me?" said the giant, sleepily. "Haven't you eaten
+your supper yet? Well, I am going to sleep again." And soon he was
+snoring louder than before. Thor grasped his hammer tighter than ever,
+and threw it with such strength that it seemed as though it must surely
+have killed the giant; but again he rubbed his eyes, and said, "I
+thought an acorn fell on my head!" He had hardly spoken when he was
+asleep again.
+
+Then a third time Thor hurled his hammer with all his strength, and it
+seemed to hit his enemy in the forehead, and was buried out of sight,
+but the giant only said: "I think there must be birds overhead in this
+tree; I thought a feather dropped down on me. Are you awake, Thor? I
+think we'd better be going on with our journey, and if you are bound to
+go to Utgard, I will show you the way, but I advise you to go home
+instead; you will find bigger fellows than I in Utgard!"
+
+But Thor had made up his mind to go on, and nothing could make him
+change. At noontime the four friends left their giant guide, whose path
+led another way. They had not traveled far when Thor spied a large city
+looming up before them, and soon they came to Utgard, the home of the
+fierce giants.
+
+Although it was surrounded by high walls, Thor and his friends were able
+to creep through the bars of the great gate. When they came to the
+palace and found its door open, they went in, and there sat all the
+giants with their king, Utgard-Loki, at their head. A quite different
+Loki was this giant king from the mischievous fire-god, the Loki from
+Asgard, who now stood before him.
+
+
+III.
+
+Upon seeing the four strangers, the king of the giants said: "Why, this
+must be the god Thor. I really did not suppose that you were such a
+little fellow, Thor! but probably you are stronger than you look. Now,
+before you sit down at our table, you must each show some proof of your
+strength!"
+
+Then Loki, who was very hungry, said he was sure he could eat more than
+any one else; so the king called one of the giants to come forth, saying
+to Loki, "If you can indeed eat more than one of my men, you will
+perform a great feat."
+
+A huge trough, full of meat, was brought in, and Loki began eating at
+one end, while the giant began at the other. They reached the center
+together; but Loki had eaten only the meat, while the giant had devoured
+meat, bones, trough, and all.
+
+Thialfe, the peasant boy, took his turn next, and boasted that he was
+the fastest runner of them all. "Oh," said the king, "it will be a most
+wonderful feat if you can win a race against one of my men!" The first
+time Thialfe ran the course he kept ahead until near the end, and was
+beaten by only a few yards. The second time he came off worse, and the
+third time he was only halfway around when the giant had reached the
+goal.
+
+Thor, however, was not at all cast down by the failure of the others,
+and he proposed to try a drinking match. So the king brought forth a
+long drinking horn, saying, "My men usually empty this in one draught,
+if they are very thirsty, though sometimes they have to take it in two
+swallows, or even three."
+
+Then Thor put his lips to the drinking horn, and took one long, deep
+pull, thinking he had surely emptied it, but to his surprise, the water
+had lowered only a few inches. Again he lifted the horn, feeling sure he
+should empty it this time, yet he did no better than before. The king
+said, "You have left a great deal for your last drink!"
+
+This made Thor try his very best; but it was of no use, he could not
+empty the horn.
+
+"So you are not as strong as you seemed, after all! Do you care to try
+anything else?" said the king of the giants, in a mocking tone.
+
+"Oh, certainly, anything you like!" replied Thor.
+
+"Well," said the king, "I will give you something easy this time, since
+I see you are not as strong as I expected. You may try to lift this cat
+from the floor; it would be mere child's play for one of my men."
+
+Thor put out his hand to lift the cat, but he could raise only one paw,
+though he used all his strength.
+
+"Well, it is no more than I expected!" said the king; "you boast of your
+strength, but you do not show it to us."
+
+By this time Thor was getting very angry, and he spoke fiercely, "I will
+challenge any one of you to fight with me!"
+
+The king looked about the hall to find some one small enough to wrestle
+with Thor. Then he said, "All my men are too large, I shall have to send
+for one of the women!" Soon a bent old woman came hobbling in, and Thor
+thought it would be nothing to overcome her; but the longer they
+wrestled, the stronger the old woman became, and at last, when it was
+plain that she was going to win, and Thor had been thrown down upon the
+floor, the king called to them to stop.
+
+Thor and his friends were then invited to sit down at the feast, and the
+next morning, after a good breakfast, they started on their journey
+homeward. Utgard-Loki, the giant king, went with them to the city gate,
+and when he was about to leave them, said, "Do you find it as easy as
+you expected to overthrow the giants?"
+
+"No," said Thor, who was too honest to hide his shame, "I am vexed that
+I have done so little, and I know that after this failure, you will all
+laugh at my weakness."
+
+"No, indeed," replied the king; "since you are now well outside our
+stronghold I will tell you the truth about what you saw there, and I
+will take good care not to let you get in again. You have greatly
+surprised us all, for we did not dream that you were so strong, and I
+have had to use magic to hold out against you.
+
+"When you met the first giant in the forest you would have killed him
+with your hammer, if he had not put a mountain between himself and you.
+Loki was a wonderful eater, but we matched him against fire, and who can
+devour more than fire? The boy was a swift runner, and I had to make him
+race against thought, in order to beat him; what can be swifter than
+thought? The horn, from which you drank, was the ocean, and you took
+such a mighty draught, that the people in Midgard saw the tide ebb. It
+was really not a cat you tried to lift, but the Midgard Serpent, and you
+pulled him so far that we feared he would let go his hold. Then you
+wrestled with Old Age, and who is there that can overcome Old Age?"
+
+With these words the giant king vanished, and Thor, upon looking around,
+saw the city of Utgard was also gone.
+
+Then silently, but with many thoughts of these strange things, Thor and
+Loki, with the boy and the girl, made their way back to Asgard.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+HOW THOR LOST HIS HAMMER.
+
+
+"Come, Loki, are you ready? My goats are eager to be off!" cried Thor,
+as he sprang into his chariot, and away they went, thundering over the
+hills. All day long they journeyed, and at night they lay down to rest
+by the side of a brook.
+
+When Baldur, the bright sun-god, awoke them in the morning, the first
+thing Thor did was to reach out for Miolnir, his magic hammer, which he
+had carefully laid by his side the night before.
+
+"Why, Loki!" cried he. "Alas, my hammer is gone! Those evil frost giants
+must have stolen it from me while I slept. How shall we hold Asgard
+against them without my hammer? They will surely take our stronghold!"
+
+"We must go quickly and find it!" replied Loki. "Let us ask Freyja to
+lend us her falcon garment."
+
+Now the goddess, Freyja, had a wonderful garment made of falcon
+feathers, and whoever wore it looked just like a bird. As you may
+suppose, this was sometimes a very useful thing. So Thor and Loki went
+quickly back to Asgard, and drove with all speed to Freyja's palace,
+where they found her sitting among her maidens. "Asgard is in great
+danger!" said Thor, "and we have come to you, fair goddess, to ask if
+you will lend us your falcon garment, for my hammer has been carried
+off, and we must go in search of it."
+
+"Surely," answered Freyja, "I would lend you my falcon cloak, even if it
+were made of gold and silver!"
+
+Then Loki quickly dressed himself in Freyja's garment and flew away to
+the land of the frost giants, where he found their king making collars
+of gold for his dogs, and combing his horses. As Loki came near, he
+looked up and said, "Ah, Loki, how fare the mighty gods in Asgard?"
+
+"The Aesir are in great trouble," replied Loki, "and I am sent to fetch
+the hammer of Thor."
+
+"And do you think I am going to be foolish enough to give it back to
+you, after I have had all the trouble of getting it into my power?" said
+the king. "I have buried it deep, deep, down in the earth, and there is
+only one way by which you can get it again. You must bring me the
+goddess Freyja to be my wife!"
+
+Loki did not know what to say to this, for he felt sure that Freyja
+would never be willing to go away from Asgard to live among the fierce
+giants; but as he saw no chance of getting the hammer, he flew back to
+Asgard, to see what could be done.
+
+Thor was anxiously looking out for him. "What news do you bring, Loki?"
+cried he. "Have you brought me my hammer again?"
+
+"Alas, no!" said Loki. "I bring only a message from the giant king. He
+will not give up your hammer until you persuade Freyja to marry him!"
+
+Then Thor and Loki went together to Freyja's palace, and the fair
+goddess greeted them kindly, but when she heard their errand, and found
+they wished her to marry the cruel giant, she was very angry, and said
+to Thor, "You should not have been so careless as to lose your hammer;
+it is all your own fault that it is gone, and I will never marry the
+giant to help you get it again."
+
+Thor then went to tell Father Odin, who called a meeting of all the
+Aesir, for it was a very serious matter they were to consider. If the
+king of the giants only knew the power of the mighty hammer, he might
+storm Asgard, and carry off the fair Freyja to be his bride.
+
+[Illustration: THOR'S BATTLE WITH THE FROST GIANTS.]
+
+So the Aesir met together in their great judgment hall, in the palace of
+Gladsheim; long and anxiously they talked over their peril, trying to
+find some plan for saving Asgard from these enemies. At last Heimdall,
+the faithful watchman of the rainbow bridge, proposed a plan.
+
+"Let us dress Thor," said he, "in Freyja's robes, braid his hair, and
+let him wear Freyja's wonderful necklace, and a bridal veil!"
+
+"No, indeed!" cried Thor, angrily, "you would all laugh at me in a
+woman's dress; I will do no such thing! We must find some other way."
+But when no other way could be found, at last Thor was persuaded to try
+Heimdall's plan, and the Aesir went to work to dress the mighty
+thunder-god like a bride. He was the tallest of them all, and, of
+course, he looked very queer to them in his woman's clothes, but he
+would be small enough beside a giant. Then they dressed Loki to look
+like the bride's waiting-maid, and the two set off for Utgard, the
+stronghold of the giants.
+
+When the giant king saw them coming he bade his servants make ready the
+wedding feast, and invited all his giant subjects to come and celebrate
+his marriage with the lovely goddess Freyja.
+
+So the wedding party sat down to the feast, and Thor, who was always a
+good eater, ate one ox and eight salmon, and drank three casks of mead.
+The king watched him, greatly surprised to see a woman eat so much, and
+said:--
+
+      "Where hast thou seen
+      Such a hungry bride!"
+
+But the watchful Loki, who stood near by, as the bride's waiting-maid,
+whispered in the king's ear, "Eight nights has Freyja fasted and would
+take no food, so anxious was she to be your bride!"
+
+This pleased the giant, and he went toward Thor, saying he must kiss his
+fair bride. But when he lifted the bridal veil, such a gleam of light
+shot from Thor's eyes that the king started back, and asked why Freyja's
+eyes were so sharp.
+
+Again Loki replied, "For eight nights the fair Freyja has not slept, so
+greatly did she long to reach here!" This again pleased the king, and he
+said, "Now let the hammer be brought and given to the bride, for the
+hour has come for our marriage!"
+
+All this time Thor was so eager to get his treasure back that he could
+hardly keep still, and if it had not been for what the wily Loki said,
+he might have been found out too soon. But at last the precious hammer
+was brought and handed to the bride, as was always the custom at
+weddings; as soon as Thor grasped it in his hand, he threw off his
+woman's robes and stood out before the astonished giants.
+
+Then did the mighty Thunderer sweep down his foes, and many of the cruel
+frost giants were slain. Once more the sacred city of Asgard was saved
+from danger, for Thor was its defender, and he was careful never again
+to let his magic hammer be taken from him.
+
+Besides the hammer, Thor had two other precious things, his belt of
+strength, which doubled his power when he tightened it, and his iron
+glove, which he put on when he was going to throw the hammer.
+
+      "I am the God Thor,
+      I am the War God,
+      I am the Thunderer!
+      Here in my Northland,
+      My fastness and fortress,
+      Reign I forever!
+
+      "Here amid icebergs
+      Rule I the nations;
+      This is my hammer,
+      Miolnir the mighty;
+      Giants and sorcerers
+      Cannot withstand it!
+
+      "These are the gauntlets
+      Wherewith I wield it,
+      And hurl it afar off;
+      This is my girdle,
+      Whenever I brace it
+      Strength is redoubled!"
+                              --LONGFELLOW
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+A GIFT FROM FRIGGA.
+
+
+Long years ago there lived a peasant and his wife, who led a quiet, busy
+life on their little farm at the foot of a mountain. While the wife was
+busy indoors with her housework, her husband watched his flocks in the
+fields, or sometimes wandered up the mountain-side to hunt for game,
+which he would carry home for dinner.
+
+One day he had strayed farther than usual, and found himself on the top
+of the mountain, where the ground was covered with ice and snow. All at
+once he came upon a high arched doorway opening into a great glacier,
+and he passed through to see whither it might lead.
+
+The passageway widened out into a wonderful cavern, like a broad hall,
+sparkling with precious stones, and long, shining stalactites, that
+looked like icicles of marble. In the midst stood a beautiful goddess,
+surrounded by fair maidens, all dressed in silvery robes, and crowned
+with flowers.
+
+The shepherd was so overcome by the wonder of this sight that he sank
+upon his knees. Then the goddess stretched forth her hands and gave him
+her blessing, telling him to choose whatever he wished, to carry home
+from the cavern. The man was no longer afraid when he heard her kind
+voice speaking to him, so he looked about, and at last humbly asked to
+have the pretty blue flowers which the fair one held in her hand.
+
+The lovely goddess Frigga, or Holda, as the German people called her,
+smiled kindly, and told the poor shepherd he had made a wise choice. She
+gave him her bunch of blue flowers, with a measure of seed, saying to
+him, "You will live and be prosperous so long as the flowers do not
+fade."
+
+The peasant bowed thankfully before the goddess, and when he rose she
+had vanished, and he was alone on the mountain-side, just as usual, with
+no cavern, no sparkling stones, and no fair maidens to be seen. If it
+had not been for the pretty blue flowers and the measure of seed in his
+hand, he would have thought it all a dream.
+
+He hurried homeward to tell his wife, who was angry when she heard the
+story, for she thought he had made such a foolish choice. "How much
+better it would have been," said she, "if you had brought home some of
+those precious stones you tell about, which are worth money, instead of
+these good-for-nothing flowers!"
+
+The poor man bore her angry words quietly, and made the best of what he
+had. He went to work at once to sow his seeds, which he found, to his
+surprise, were enough to plant several fields.
+
+Every morning before he led his flock to pasture, and on his way home at
+night, he watched the little green shoots growing in his fields. Even
+his wife was pleased when she saw the lovely blue blossoms of the flax
+opening; then, after they had withered and fallen, the seeds formed.
+Sometimes it seemed to the good man, as he stood in the twilight looking
+over his field, that he saw a misty form, like the beautiful goddess,
+stretching out her hands over the field of flax, to give it her
+blessing.
+
+When at length the seeds had ripened, Frigga came again to show the
+peasant how to gather his harvest of flax, and to teach his wife to spin
+and weave it into fine linen, which she bleached in the sun. The people
+came from far and near to buy the linen, and the peasant and his wife
+found themselves busy and happy, with money enough and to spare.
+
+When they had lived many years, and were growing old among their
+children and grandchildren, the peasant noticed one day that the bunch
+of blue flowers, given to him so many years before, and which had always
+kept bright, were beginning to fade; then he knew he had not much longer
+to stay.
+
+He climbed slowly up the mountain-side, and found the door of the cavern
+open. A second time he went in, and the kind goddess Frigga took the
+peasant by the hand, and led him away to stay with her, where she always
+took care of him.
+
+Frigga was the queen of the gods, and she helped her husband, Odin,
+govern the world. It was her part to look after the children, and help
+the mothers take care of their families.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE STEALING OF IDUNA
+
+
+I.
+
+Odin, the wise father of the gods, started off one day on a journey
+through Midgard, the world of men, to see how his people were getting
+on, and to give them help. He took with him his brother Honir, the
+light-giver, and Loki, the fire-god. Loki, you know, was always ready to
+go wherever he could have any fun or do any mischief.
+
+All the morning they went about among the homes of Midgard, and whenever
+Odin found busy, faithful workers, he was sure to leave behind some
+little thing which would hardly be noticed, a straw in the farmer's
+barn, or a kernel of grain in the furrow by the plow, or a bit of iron
+at the blacksmith's forge; but always happiness and plenty followed his
+little gift.
+
+At noontime Loki was so hungry that he begged Odin to stop for dinner;
+so when they came to a shady spot by the bank of a river, the three gods
+chose it for their resting-place.
+
+Odin threw himself down under a tree and began to read his little book
+of runes, or wise sayings, but Loki began to make a fire and get ready
+for the feast. Then he started off to a farmhouse near by, leaving Honir
+to cook the meat which they had brought.
+
+As Loki came near the farmhouse, he thought to himself, "I will change
+myself into a cat, and then I can have a better chance to spy about." So
+he changed himself into a black cat, and jumping upon the kitchen
+window-sill, he saw the farmer's wife taking some cakes out of the oven.
+They smelled so good and looked so tempting that Loki said to himself,
+"What a prize those cakes would be for our dinner!"
+
+Just then the woman turned back to the oven to get more cakes, and Loki
+snatched those which she had laid on the table. The good housewife soon
+missed her cakes; she looked all about, and could not think what had
+become of them, but just as she was taking the last lot from the oven,
+she turned quickly around, and saw the tail of a cat whisking out of the
+window.
+
+"There!" cried she, "that wicked black cat has stolen my nice cakes. I
+will go after him with my broom!" But by the time she reached the door
+all she could see was a cow walking in her garden, and when she came
+there to drive her away, nothing was to be seen except a big raven and
+six little ones flying overhead.
+
+Then the mischievous Loki went back to the river bank, where he had left
+his two friends, and showed them the six cakes, boasting of the good
+joke he had played upon the poor woman. But Odin did not think it was a
+joke. He scolded Loki for stealing, and said, "It is a shame for one of
+the Aesir to be a thief! Go back to the farmhouse, and put these three
+black stones on the kitchen table."
+
+Loki knew that the stones meant something good for the poor woman, and
+he did not wish to go back to the house; but he had to do as the
+Allfather told him. As he went along he heard his friends the foxes, who
+put their heads out of their holes and laughed at his tricks, for the
+foxes thought Loki was the biggest thief of them all.
+
+Changing himself into an owl, Loki flew in at the kitchen window, and
+dropped from his beak the three stones, which, when they fell upon the
+white table, seemed to be three black stains.
+
+The next time the good woman came into her kitchen, she was surprised
+to find that the dinner was all cooked. And so the wonderful stones that
+Odin had sent brought good luck; the housewife always found her food
+ready cooked, and all her jars and boxes filled with good things to eat,
+and never again was in need.
+
+The other women all said she was the best housekeeper in the village,
+but one thing always troubled her, and that was the table with the three
+black stains. She scrubbed, and scrubbed, but could never make it white
+again.
+
+And now we must go back to Loki. He was very hungry by this time, and
+hoped that Honir would have the meat nicely cooked when he came back to
+the river bank, but when they took it out of the kettle, they found it
+was not cooked at all. So Odin went on reading his book of runes, not
+thinking about food, while Honir and Loki watched the fire, and at the
+end of an hour they looked again at the meat.
+
+"Now, it will surely be done this time!" said Loki, but again they were
+disappointed, for the meat in the kettle was still raw. Then they began
+to look about to see what magic might be at work, and at last spied a
+big eagle sitting on a tree near the fire. All at once the bird spoke,
+and said, "If you will promise to give me all the meat I can eat, it
+shall be cooked in a few minutes."
+
+The three friends agreed to this, and in a short time, as the bird had
+promised, the meat was well done, Loki was so hungry he could hardly
+wait to get it out of the kettle, but suddenly the eagle pounced down
+upon it, and seized more than half, which made Loki so angry that he
+took up a stick to beat the bird, and what do you think happened? Why,
+the stick, as soon as it touched the bird's back, stuck fast there, and
+Loki found he could not let go his end of it. Then away flew the eagle,
+carrying Loki with him, over the fields and over the tree-tops, until it
+seemed as though his arms would be torn from his body. He begged for
+mercy, but the bird flew on and on. At last Loki said, "I will give you
+anything you ask, if you will only let me go!"
+
+Now the eagle was really the cruel storm giant Thiassi, and he said, "I
+will never let you go until you promise to get for me, from Asgard, the
+lovely goddess Iduna, and her precious apples!"
+
+When Odin and Honir saw Loki whisked off through the air, they knew that
+the eagle must be one of their giant enemies, so they hurried home to
+Asgard to defend their sacred city. Just as they came to Bifrost, the
+rainbow bridge, Loki joined them; but he took care not to tell them how
+the eagle came to let him go.
+
+Odin felt sure that Loki had been doing something wrong, but knowing
+very well that Loki would not tell him the truth, he made up his mind
+not to ask any questions.
+
+
+II.
+
+The goddess Iduna, whom Loki was to tempt away out of Asgard, was the
+dearest of them all. She was the fair goddess of spring and of youth,
+and all the Aesir loved her. Her garden was the loveliest spot, with all
+sorts of bright, sweet flowers, birds singing by day and night, little
+chattering brooks under the great trees, and everything happy and fresh.
+The gods loved to go and sit with Iduna, and rest in her beautiful
+garden, within the walls of Asgard.
+
+There was another delightful thing in the garden, and that was Iduna's
+casket. This was a magic box filled with big, golden-red apples, which
+she always gave her friends to taste. These wonderful apples were not
+only delicious to eat, but whoever tasted them, no matter how tired or
+feeble he might be, would feel young and strong again. So the dwellers
+in Asgard ate often of this wonderful fruit, which kept them fresh and
+young, fit to help the people in the world of Midgard. The casket in
+which Iduna kept her apples was always filled, for whenever she took out
+one, another came in its place; but no one knew where it came from, and
+only the goddess of youth, herself, could take the apples from the box,
+for if any one else tried, the fruit grew smaller and smaller, as the
+hand came nearer, until at last it vanished away.
+
+A few days after Loki's bargain with the giant Thiassi, Iduna was in her
+bright garden one morning, watering the flowers, when her husband,
+Bragi, came to say good-by to her, because he must go on a journey.
+
+Loki watched him start off, and thought, "Now, here is my chance to
+tempt Iduna away from Asgard." After a while he went to the garden, and
+found the lovely goddess sitting among her flowers and birds. She looked
+up at Loki with such a sweet smile, as he came near, that he felt almost
+ashamed of his cruel plan; but he sat down on a grassy bank, and asked
+Iduna for one of her magic apples.
+
+After tasting it, he smacked his lips, saying, "Do you know, fair Iduna,
+as I was coming home toward Asgard one day, I saw a tree full of apples
+which were really larger and more beautiful than yours; I do wish you
+would go with me and see them."
+
+"Why, how can that be?" said Iduna, "for Father Odin has often told me
+that my apples were the largest and finest he ever saw. I should so like
+to see those others, and I think I will go with you now, to compare them
+with mine."
+
+"Come on, then!" said Loki; "and you'd better take along your own
+apples, so that we can try them with the others."
+
+[Illustration: IDUNA GIVING LOKI THE APPLE.]
+
+Now Bragi had often told Iduna that she must never wander away from
+home, but, thinking it would do no harm to go such a little way, just
+this once, she took the casket of apples in her hand and went with Loki.
+They had hardly passed through the garden gate, when she began to wish
+herself back again, but Loki, taking her by the hand, hurried along to
+the rainbow bridge.
+
+They had no sooner crossed over Bifrost than Iduna saw a big eagle
+flying toward them. Nearer and nearer he came, until at last he swooped
+down and seized poor Iduna with his sharp talons, and flew away with her
+to his cold, barren home. There she stayed shut up for many long dreary
+months, always longing to get back to Asgard, to see Bragi and her
+lovely garden.
+
+The giant Thiassi had long been planning that if he could only once get
+the fair goddess of youth in his power, he would eat her magic apples,
+and so get strength enough to conquer the Aesir; but now, after all, she
+would not give him even one of them, and when he put his hand into the
+casket, the apples grew smaller and smaller, until at last they
+vanished, so that he could not get even a taste.
+
+This cruel storm giant kept poor Iduna closely shut up in a little rock
+chamber, hoping that some day he could force her to give him what he
+wanted. All day long she heard the sea beating on the rocks below her
+gloomy cell, but she could not look out, for the only window was a
+narrow opening in the rock, high up above her head. She saw no one but
+the giant, and his serving-women, who waited upon her.
+
+When these women first came to her, Iduna was surprised to see that they
+were not ugly or stern-looking, and, when she looked at their fair,
+smiling faces, she hoped they would be friendly and pitiful to her in
+her trouble. She begged them to help her, and, with many tears, told
+them her sad story; but still they kept on smiling, and when they turned
+their backs, Iduna saw that they were hollow. These were the Ellewomen,
+who had no hearts, and so could never be sorry for any one. When one is
+in trouble, it is very hard to be with Ellewomen.
+
+Every day the giant came to ask Iduna, in his terrible voice, if she
+had made up her mind to give him the apples. Iduna was frightened, but
+she always had courage enough to say "No," for she knew it would be
+false and cowardly to give to a wicked giant these precious gifts which
+were meant for the high gods. Although it was hard to be a prisoner, and
+to see no one but the cold, fair Ellewomen who kept on smiling at her
+tears, she knew it was far better to belong to the bright Aesir, even in
+prison, than to be a giant, or an Ellewoman, no matter how free or
+smiling they might be.
+
+
+III.
+
+All this while the dwellers in Asgard were sad and lonely without their
+dear Iduna. At first they went to her garden, as before, but they missed
+the bright goddess, and soon the garden itself grew dreary. The fresh
+green leaves turned brown and fell, the flowers faded, no new buds
+opened. No bird-songs were heard, and the saddest thing of all was that
+now the gods had no more of the wonderful apples to keep them fresh and
+strong, while two strangers, named Age and Pain, walked about the city
+of Asgard, and the Aesir felt themselves growing tired and feeble.
+
+Every day they watched for Iduna's return; at last, when day after day
+had passed, and still she did not come, a meeting of all the gods and
+goddesses was called to talk over what they should do, and where they
+should search for their lost sister.
+
+Loki, you may be sure, took care not to show himself at the meeting; but
+when it was found out that Iduna had last been seen walking with him,
+Bragi went after him, and brought him in before all the Aesir.
+
+Then Father Odin, who sat on his high throne, looking very tired and
+sad, said: "Oh, Loki, what is this that you have done? You have broken
+your promise of brotherhood, and brought sorrow upon Asgard! Fail not to
+bring home again our sister, or else come not yourself within our
+gates!"
+
+Loki knew well that this command must be obeyed, and besides, even he
+was beginning to wish for Iduna again; so, borrowing the cloak of falcon
+feathers which belonged to the goddess Freyja, he put it on and set out
+for Utgard and the castle of the giant Thiassi, which was a gloomy cave
+in a high rock by the sea, and there he found poor Iduna shut up in
+prison.
+
+By good luck, the giant was away fishing when Loki arrived, so he was
+able to fly in, without being seen, through the narrow opening in
+Iduna's rock cell. You would have taken him to be just a falcon bird,
+but Iduna knew it was really Loki, and was filled with joy to see him.
+Without stopping to talk, Loki quickly changed her into a nut, which he
+held fast in his falcon claws, and flew swiftly northward, over the sea,
+toward Asgard. He had not gone far when he heard a rushing noise behind
+them, and he knew it must be the eagle. Faster and faster flew the
+falcon with his precious nut; but the fierce eagle flew still faster
+after them.
+
+Meanwhile, for five days, the dwellers in Asgard gathered together on
+the city walls, gazing southward, to watch for the coming of the birds,
+while Loki and Iduna, chased by Thiassi, the eagle, flew over the wide
+sea separating Utgard, the land of the giants, from Asgard. Each night
+the eagle was nearer his prey, and the watchers in the city were filled
+with fear lest he should overtake their friends.
+
+At last they thought of a plan to help Iduna: gathering a great pile of
+wood by the city walls, they set fire to it. When Loki reached the place
+he flew safely through the thick smoke and flame, for you know he was
+the god of fire, and dropped down into the city with his little nut held
+fast in his falcon claws. But when the heavy eagle came rushing on after
+them, he could not rise above the heat of the fire, and, smothered by
+the smoke, fell down and was burned to death.
+
+There was great joy in Asgard at having the dear Iduna back again; her
+friends gathered around her, and she invited them all into her garden,
+where the withered trees and flowers began to sprout and blossom; the
+gay birds came back, singing and building their nests, and the happy
+little brooks went dancing under the trees.
+
+Iduna sat with Bragi among her friends, and they all feasted upon her
+golden apples; she was so thankful to be free, and at home in her garden
+again. Once more the Aesir became young and strong, and the two dark
+strangers went away, for happiness and peace had come back to Asgard.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+SKADI.
+
+
+While Iduna's friends were still crowding about her, all joyful and glad
+at getting her home again, they spied some one afar off, coming toward
+Asgard.
+
+As the figure drew nearer, they saw it was Skadi, the tall daughter of
+the frost giant Thiassi, who had chased Iduna; she was dressed all in
+white fur, and carried a shining hunting-spear and arrows. Slung over
+her shoulder were snowshoes and skates, for Skadi had come from her
+mountain home in the icy north. Very angry about the loss of her father,
+she had come to ask the Aesir why they had been so cruel to him.
+
+Father Odin spoke kindly to her, saying, "We will do honor to your
+father by putting his eyes in the sky, where they will always shine as
+two bright stars, and the people in Midgard will remember Thiassi
+whenever they look up at night and see the two twinkling lights. Besides
+this, we will also give you gold and silver." But Skadi, thinking money
+could never repay her for the loss of her father, was still angry.
+
+Loki looked at her stern face, and he said to himself, "If we can only
+make Skadi laugh, she will be more ready to agree to the plan," and he
+began to think of some way to amuse her. Taking a long cord he tied it
+to a goat; it was an invisible cord, which no one could see, and Loki
+himself held the other end of it. Then he began to dance and caper
+about, and the goat had to do just what Loki did. It really was such a
+funny sight, that all the gods shouted with laughter, and even poor,
+sorrowful Skadi had to smile.
+
+When the Aesir saw this, they proposed another plan: Skadi might choose
+one of the gods for her husband, but she must choose, from seeing only
+his bare feet. The giantess looked at them all, as they stood before
+her, and when she saw the bright face of Baldur, more beautiful than all
+the rest, she agreed to their plan, saying to herself, "It might be that
+I should choose him, and then I should surely be happy."
+
+The gods then stood in a row behind a curtain, so that Skadi could see
+nothing but their bare feet. She looked carefully at them all, and at
+last chose the pair of feet which seemed to her the whitest, and of the
+finest shape, thinking those must be Baldur's; but when the curtain was
+taken away, she was surprised and sorry to find she had chosen Niord,
+the god of the seashore.
+
+The wedding took place at Asgard, and when the feasting was over, Skadi
+and Niord went to dwell in his home by the sea. At first they were very
+happy, for Niord was kind to his giant bride; but how could you expect
+one of the Aesir to live happily very long with a frost giantess for his
+wife?
+
+Skadi did not like the roar of the waves, and hated the cries of the
+sea-gulls and the murmur of gentle summer winds. She longed for her
+frozen home, far away in the north, amid ice and snow.
+
+And so they finally agreed that, for nine months of the year, Niord
+should live with Skadi among her snowy mountains, where she found
+happiness in hunting over the white hills and valleys on her snowshoes,
+with her hunting dogs at her side, or skating on the ice-bound rivers
+and lakes. Then for the three short months of summer Skadi must live
+with Niord in his palace by the sea, while he calmed the stormy ocean
+waves, and helped the busy fishermen to have good sailing for their
+boats.
+
+[Illustration: SKADI HUNTING IN THE MOUNTAINS.]
+
+Niord loved to wander along the shore, his jacket trimmed with a
+fringe of lovely seaweeds and his belt made of the prettiest shells on
+the beach, with the friendly little sandpipers running before him, and
+beautiful gulls and other sea birds sailing in the air above his head.
+Sometimes he loved to sit on the rocks by the shore, watching the seals
+play in the sunshine, or feeding the beautiful swans, his favorite
+birds.
+
+There is a kind of sponge, which the people in the north still call
+Niord's glove, in memory of this old Norse god.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+BALDUR.
+
+
+I.
+
+Baldur was the best beloved of all the gods. Odin was their father and
+king; to him they turned for help and wise advice, but it was to Baldur
+they went for loving words and bright smiles. The sight of his kind face
+was a joy to the Aesir, and to all the people of Midgard. They sometimes
+called him the god of light, a good name for him, because he truly gave
+to the world light and strength.
+
+Baldur was the son of Odin and Frigga; he was the most gentle and lovely
+of all the gods. His beautiful palace in Asgard was bright and spotless;
+no evil creature could enter there; no one who had wrong thoughts could
+stay in that palace of love and truth.
+
+At last, after the bright summer was over, for many days Baldur had
+looked sad and troubled. Some of the Aesir saw it, but most of all, his
+loving, watchful mother, Frigga. Baldur could not bear to worry his
+mother, so he kept his sorrow to himself, saying nothing about it; but
+at last Frigga drew his secret from him, and then his friends knew that
+Baldur had had dreams which told of coming trouble, dreams of his
+leaving all his friends and going away from Asgard, to dwell in another
+land.
+
+Odin and Frigga, fearing the dreams might come true and they must lose
+their beloved son, began to think what they could do to prevent it.
+
+Then the loving mother said, "I will make all things in the world
+promise not to hurt our son." And so Queen Frigga sent out for
+everything in the whole world, and everything came trooping to Asgard,
+to her palace. All living creatures came from the land, from the water,
+and from the air. All plants and trees came; all rocks, stones, and even
+the metals under the earth, where the busy dwarfs worked. Fire came, and
+water, as well as all poisons, and sickness. Everything promised not to
+harm the good Baldur, except one little plant called mistletoe, which
+was so small that Frigga did not send for it, feeling sure it could not
+do any harm.
+
+"Now I am happy once more," said the queen, "for our Baldur is safe!"
+And she sat at peace in her beautiful palace, rejoicing that her dear
+son was free from all danger.
+
+But Odin, the wise Allfather, still felt uneasy, even after all these
+promises, fearing what might happen. So he took his eight-footed steed,
+Sleipnir, and rode forth from Asgard to the underworld to find Hela, the
+wise woman who ruled over that far-off land. She could tell everything
+that was going to happen, and she knew the names of all those who were
+coming to dwell with her. Odin was the only one wise enough to speak
+with Hela, for no one else knew the words that would call her forth from
+her dwelling; but when Odin called, she came to answer.
+
+"Tell me," said he, "for whom are you making ready this costly room?"
+
+"We make ready for Baldur, the god of light," replied Hela.
+
+"Who, then, will slay Baldur, and bring such darkness and sorrow to
+Asgard?"
+
+Again said the wise woman, "It is Hodur, Baldur's twin brother, who will
+slay the sun-god." And with these words she vanished.
+
+Sadly Father Odin returned to Asgard, and told his wife the words of
+Hela; but Frigga was not troubled in her heart, for she felt sure that
+nothing would hurt her dear son.
+
+
+II.
+
+One beautiful sunny day at the end of summer the gods had all gone out
+to an open field beyond Asgard to have some sports. As they all knew
+that nothing could hurt Baldur, they placed him at the end of the field
+for a target, and then took turns throwing their darts at him, just for
+the fun of seeing them fall off without hurting him. They thought this
+was showing great honor to Baldur, and he was pleased to join in the
+sport.
+
+Loki happened to be away when they began to play, and when he came was
+angry in his heart that nothing could hurt Baldur.
+
+"Why should he be so favored? I hate him!" said Loki to himself, and
+began at once to plan some evil.
+
+All this while Queen Frigga sat in her palace, thinking of all her dear
+sons, and of how much good they did to men. As she sat thus, thinking,
+and spinning with her hands, there came a knock at the door. The queen
+called, "Come in!" and an old woman stood before her.
+
+Frigga spoke kindly to her, and soon the old woman said she had passed
+by the field where the gods were playing, and throwing sharp weapons at
+Baldur.
+
+"Oh, yes," said Frigga; "neither metal nor wood can hurt him, for all
+things in the world have given me their promise."
+
+"What!" said the old woman; "do you mean that all things have really
+vowed to spare Baldur?"
+
+"All," replied the queen, "except one little plant that grows on the
+eastern side of Asgard; it is called mistletoe, and I thought it too
+small and soft to do any harm."
+
+Before long the old woman went away, and when she was quite out of sight
+of Frigga's palace, threw off her woman's clothes, and who do you
+suppose it was? Why, no woman at all, but that wicked Loki, of course,
+who hurried away out of Asgard, to find the poor little plant that did
+not know about Baldur's danger. When he came to the place where the
+plant grew, Loki cutting off a branch, quickly made a sharp arrow, which
+he carried back to the playground, where the Aesir were still at their
+game, all but one, Hodur, the god of darkness, Baldur's blind twin
+brother.
+
+Then Loki went up to Hodur, and said to him in a low voice, "Why do you
+not join with the others in doing honor to Baldur?"
+
+"I cannot see to take aim, you know, and besides, I have no weapon,"
+said Hodur.
+
+"Come, then, here is a fine new dart for you, and I will guide your
+hand," whispered wicked Loki; then he slipped the arrow of mistletoe
+wood into Hodur's hand and aimed it himself at Baldur, who stood there
+so bright and smiling.
+
+Then poor blind Hodur heard a dreadful cry from all the gods: Baldur
+the Beautiful had fallen, struck by the arrow; he would now be taken
+away from them, to live with Hela in the underworld.
+
+Every heart was filled with sorrow for this dreadful loss; but no one
+tried to punish him who had done the wicked deed, for they stood upon
+sacred ground, and the field was named the Peace-stead, or Place of
+Peace, where no one might hurt another. Besides, the gods did not know
+it was the false Loki who hated Baldur, that had struck him down.
+
+When Frigga heard the sad news, she asked who would win her love by
+going to the underworld and begging Hela to let Baldur come back to
+them.
+
+Hermod, the swift messenger-god, ready to do his mother's bidding, set
+forth at once on the long journey. Nine days and nights he traveled
+without resting, until he came to Hela's underworld. There he found
+Baldur, who was glad to see him, and sent messages to his friends in
+Asgard. Hela said Baldur might return to them on one condition: that
+every living creature, and everything in the world must weep for him.
+
+So Hermod hastened back to Asgard, and when the Aesir heard Hela's
+answer, they sent out messengers over the world to bid all things weep
+for Baldur, their bright sun-god. Then did the beasts, the birds, the
+fishes, the flowers and trees, even stones and metals weep; as indeed we
+can see the teardrops come to all things when they are changed from heat
+to cold.
+
+As the messengers were coming back to Asgard they met an old woman, whom
+they bade weep, but she replied, "Let Hela keep Baldur down below; why
+should I care?" When the Aesir heard of this, they thought it must have
+been the same old woman who went before to Frigga's palace, and we know
+who that was.
+
+And so Baldur the beautiful, Baldur the bright, did not come back, and
+all the dwellers in Asgard were sad and sorrowful without him.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+AEGIR'S FEAST
+
+
+I.
+
+Aegir was the ruler of the ocean, and his home was deep down below the
+tossing waves, where the water is calm and still. There was his
+beautiful palace, in the wonderful coral caves; its walls all hung with
+bright-colored seaweeds, and the floor of white, sparkling coral sand.
+Such wonderful sea-plants grew all about, and still more wonderful
+creatures, some, which you could not tell from flowers, waving their
+pretty fringes in the water; some sitting fastened to the rocks and
+catching their food without moving, like the sponges; others darting
+about and chasing each other.
+
+      "Deep in the wave is a coral grove,
+      Where the purple mullet and goldfish rove;
+      Where the sea-flower spreads its leaves of blue,
+      That never are wet with falling dew,
+      But in bright and changeful beauty shine
+      Far down in the green and glassy brine.
+      The floor is of sand, like the mountain drift,
+      And the pearl-shells spangle the flinty snow;
+      From coral rocks the sea-plants lift
+      Their boughs where the tides and billows flow.
+      The water is calm and still below,
+      For the winds and waves are absent there,
+      And the sands are bright as the stars that glow
+      In the motionless fields of upper air."
+                                                --PERCIVAL.
+
+In that ocean home lived the lovely mermaids, who sometimes came up
+above the waves to sit on the rocks and comb their long golden hair in
+the sunshine. They had heads and bodies like beautiful maidens, with
+fish-tails instead of feet.
+
+One day the gods in Asgard gave a feast, and Aegir was invited. He could
+not often leave home to visit Asgard, for he was always very busy with
+the ocean winds and tides and storms; but calling his daughters, the
+waves, he bade them keep the ocean quiet while he was away, and look
+after the ships at sea.
+
+Then Aegir went over Bifrost, the rainbow bridge, to Asgard, where they
+had such a gay party and such feasting that he was sorry when the time
+came to go home; but at last he said good-by to Father Odin and the rest
+of the Aesir. He thanked them all for the pleasure they had given him,
+saying, "If only I had a kettle that held enough mead for us all to
+drink, I would invite you to visit me."
+
+Thor, who was always glad to hear about eating and drinking, said, "I
+know of a kettle a mile wide and a mile deep; I will fetch it for you!"
+
+Then Aegir was pleased, and set a day for them all to come to his great
+feast.
+
+So Thor took with him his brother, the brave Tyr, who knew best how to
+find the kettle; and together they started off in Thor's thunder
+chariot, drawn by goats, on their way to Utgard, the home of the giants.
+
+When they reached that land of ice and snow, they soon found the house
+of Hymir, the giant who owned "Mile-deep," as the big kettle was called.
+The gods were glad to find that the giant was not at home, and his wife,
+who was more gentle than most of her people, asked them to come in and
+rest, advising them to be ready to run when they should hear the giant
+coming, and to hide behind a row of kettles which hung from a beam at
+the back end of the hall. "For," said she, "my husband may be very angry
+when he finds strangers here, and often the glance of his eye is so
+fierce that it kills!"
+
+At first the mighty Thor and brave Tyr were not willing to hide like
+cowards; but at last they agreed to the plan, upon the good wife
+promising to call them out as soon as she had told her husband about
+them.
+
+It was not long before they heard the heavy steps of Hymir, as he came
+striding into his icy home; and very lucky it was for Thor and Tyr that
+the giantess had told them to hide, for when the giant heard that two of
+the Aesir from Asgard were in his home, so fierce a flash shot from his
+eyes that it broke the beam from which the kettles hung, and they all
+fell broken on the floor except Mile-deep.
+
+After a while the giant grew quiet, and at last even began to be polite
+to his guests. He had been unlucky at his fishing that day, so he had
+to kill three of his oxen for supper. Thor being hungry, as usual, made
+Hymir quite angry by eating two whole oxen, so that, when they rose from
+the table the giant said, "If you keep on eating as much at every meal,
+as you have to-night, Thor, you will have to find your own food."
+
+"Very well," said Thor; "I will go fishing with you in the morning!"
+
+
+II.
+
+Next morning Thor set forth with the giant, and as they walked over the
+fields toward the sea, Thor cut off the head of one of the finest oxen,
+for bait. Of course you may know that Hymir was not pleased at this, but
+Thor said he should need the very best kind of bait, for he was hoping
+to catch the Midgard serpent, that dangerous monster who lived at the
+bottom of the ocean, coiled around the world, with his tail in his
+mouth.
+
+When they came to the shore where the boat was ready, each one took an
+oar, and they rowed out to deep water. Hymir was tired first, and called
+to Thor to stop. "We are far enough out!" he cried "This is my usual
+fishing-place, where I find the best whales. If we go farther the sea
+will be rougher, and we may run into the Midgard serpent."
+
+As this was just what Thor wanted, he rowed all the harder, and did not
+stop until they were far out on the ocean; then he baited his hook with
+the ox's head, and threw it overboard. Soon there came a fierce jerk on
+the line; it grew heavier and heavier, but Thor pulled with all his
+might. He tugged so hard that he broke through the bottom of the boat,
+and had to stand on the slippery rocks beneath.
+
+All this time the giant was looking on, wondering what was the matter,
+but when he saw the horrid head of the Midgard serpent rising above the
+waves, he was so frightened that he cut the line; and Thor, after trying
+so hard to rid the world of that dangerous monster, saw him fall back
+again under the water; even Miolnir, the magic hammer, which Thor hurled
+at the creature, was too late to hit him. And so the two fishermen had
+to turn back, and wade to the shore, carrying the broken boat and oars
+with them.
+
+The giant was proud to think he had been too quick for Thor, and after
+they reached the house he said to the thunder-god, "Since you think you
+are so strong, let us see you break this goblet; if you succeed, I will
+give you the big kettle."
+
+This was just what Thor wanted; so he tightened his belt of strength,
+and threw the goblet with all his might against the wall; but instead of
+breaking the goblet he broke the wall.
+
+A second time he tried, but did no better. Then the giant's wife
+whispered to Thor, "Throw it at his head!" And she sang in a low voice,
+as she turned her spinning-wheel,--
+
+      "Hard the pillar, hard the stone,
+      Harder yet the giant's bone!
+      Stones shall break and pillars fall,
+      Hymir's forehead breaks them all!"
+
+Yet again Thor threw the goblet, this time against the giant's head, and
+it fell, broken in pieces.
+
+Then Tyr tried to lift the Mile-deep kettle, for he was in a hurry to
+leave this land of ice and snow; but he could not stir it from its
+place, and Thor had to help him, before they could get it out of the
+giant's house.
+
+When Hymir saw the gods, whom he hated, carrying off his kettle, he
+called all his giant friends, and they started out in chase of the Aesir;
+but when Thor heard them coming he turned and saw their fierce, grinning
+faces glaring down at him from every rocky peak and iceberg.
+
+Then the mighty Thunderer raised Miolnir, the hammer, above his head,
+and hurled it among the giants, who became stiff and cold, all turned
+into giant rocks, that still stand by the shore.
+
+
+III.
+
+Aegir was very glad to get Mile-deep; so he set to work to make the
+mead in it, to get ready for the great feast, at the time of the flax
+harvest, when all the Aesir were coming from Asgard to visit him.
+
+Before the day came, all light and joy had gone from the sacred city,
+because the bright Baldur had been slain, and the homes of the gods were
+dark and lonely without him. So they were all glad to visit Aegir, to
+find cheer for their sadness.
+
+There was Father Odin, with his golden helmet, and Queen Frigga,
+wearing her crown of stars, golden-haired Sif, Freyja, with Brisingamen,
+the wonderful necklace, and all the noble company of the Aesir, all
+except mighty Thor, who had gone far away to the giant-land.
+
+As they all sat in Aegir's beautiful ocean hall, drinking the sweet mead,
+and talking together, Loki came in and stood before them; but, finding
+he was not welcome, and no seat saved for him, he began saying ugly
+things to make them all angry, and at last he grew angry himself, and
+slew Aegir's servant because they praised him. The Aesir drove him out
+from the hall, but once more he came in, and said such dreadful things
+that at last Frigga said, "Oh, if my son Baldur were only here, he would
+silence thy wicked tongue!"
+
+Then Loki turned to Frigga, and told her that he himself was the very
+one who had slain Baldur. He had no sooner spoken than a heavy peal of
+thunder shook the hall, and angry Thor strode in, waving his magic
+hammer. Seeing this, the coward Loki turned and fled, and Asgard was rid
+of him forever.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI.
+
+
+When Loki was driven out by the mighty Thor from Aegir's palace-hall he
+knew that he could never again be allowed to come among the gods in
+Asgard. Many times had this mischievous fire-god brought trouble and
+sorrow to the Aesir, but now he had done the most cruel deed of all, he
+had slain Baldur the Good, and had driven all light and joy from Asgard.
+
+Far away he fled, among the mountains, hoping that no one would find him
+there; and near a lovely mountain stream he built for himself a hut with
+four doors looking north, east, south, and west, so that if the wise
+Allfather, on his high air throne in Asgard, should see him, and send
+messengers to punish him, the watchful Loki could see them coming and
+escape by the opposite door.
+
+He spent most of the days and nights thinking how he could get away
+from the Aesir. "If I ran to the stream and turned myself into a fish,"
+he thought, "I wonder if they could catch me. I could keep out of the
+way of a hook; but then there are nets; Aegir's wife has a wonderful
+thing like a net, for catching fish, and that would be far worse than a
+hook!"
+
+When Loki thought of the net, he began to wonder how it was made, and
+the more he thought, the more he wished he could make one so as to see
+how a fish could keep from getting caught in it. He sat down by the fire
+in his little hut, took a piece of cord and began to make a fish-net. He
+had nearly finished it when, looking up through the open door, he saw
+three of the Aesir in the distance, coming toward his hut. Loki well knew
+that they were coming to catch him, and, quickly throwing his net into
+the fire, he ran to the stream, changed himself into a beautiful spotted
+salmon, and leaped into the water.
+
+A moment later the three gods entered the hut, and one of them spied the
+fish-net burning in the fire. "See!" cried he, "Loki must have been
+making this net to catch fish; he always was a good fisherman, and now
+this is just what we want for catching him!"
+
+[Illustration: THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI.]
+
+So they snatched the last bit of the net from the fire, and by
+looking at it found out how to make another, which they took with them
+to the bank of the stream.
+
+The first time the net was put into the water, Loki hid between two
+rocks, and the net was so light that it floated past him; but the next
+time it had a heavy stone weight, which made it sink down, till Loki saw
+he could not get away unless he could leap over the net. He did this,
+but Thor, seeing him, waded out into the stream, where he threw the net
+again, so that Loki must jump a second time, or else go on out into the
+deep sea.
+
+As he leaped, Thor stooped and caught him in his hand, but the fish was
+so slippery that Thor could hardly hold it. In the struggle the salmon's
+tail was pinched so tightly by the thunder-god's strong fingers that it
+was drawn out to a point, and the old stories say that is why salmon
+tails are so pointed ever since.
+
+Thus was Loki caught in his own trap, and dreadful was his punishment.
+The Aesir chained him to a high rock, and placed a great, poisonous
+serpent, hanging over the cliff above his head.
+
+If it had not been for Loki's good, faithful wife, he would have died
+of the poison that dropped from the snake's mouth. She watched by her
+husband, holding a cup above him to catch the poison. Only when she had
+to turn aside to empty the cup did the drops fall upon Loki; then they
+gave him such terrible pain that he shook the earth with his struggles,
+and the people in Midgard fled from the dreadful earthquake, in Iceland
+the great geysers, springs of hot water, burst through the earth, and in
+the south-lands burning ashes and lava poured down the mountain-sides.
+
+There, chained to the cliff, the cruel, mischievous Loki was to lie
+until the Twilight of the gods, the dark day of Ragnarok, when all the
+mighty evil monsters and beasts would get free, and the terrible battle
+be fought between them and the gods of Asgard.
+
+
+
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS.
+
+
+Loki and Fenrir, the wolf, were safely bound, each to his separate
+cliff, but still happiness and peace did not return to Asgard, for
+Baldur was no longer there, and light and joy had gone from the home of
+the gods. The Aesir felt that the Twilight of the gods, which Odin knew
+was to come, must be near.
+
+Soon began a long cold winter; surely it must be the beginning of the
+Fimbulwinter, which was to come before the last great battle. From the
+north came cold blasts of freezing wind; snow and ice covered the earth;
+men could not see the face of the sun or the moon. Everywhere there was
+darkness; the people grew fierce and unhappy and wicked, for they seemed
+no longer to love each other. So the evil deeds of men kept on, and the
+fierce frost giants grew stronger and stronger. They killed the trees
+and flowers, and bound the lakes and rivers with icy bands.
+
+Even when summer time came, the cold still held on, and no one could see
+the green grass or the beautiful golden sunlight. The frost giants were
+pleased to see the trouble they had brought upon men, and hoped they
+soon could destroy Asgard and the gods.
+
+Three long winters passed, with no light to warm and brighten the world;
+after that still three other dreary winters, and then the eagle who sat
+on the top of the great world tree, Yggdrasil, gave a loud, shrill cry;
+at that the earth shook, the rocks crumbled and fell, so that Loki and
+the wolf were freed from their chains.
+
+The waters of the deep ocean rose and rolled high over the land, and up
+above the waves writhing out of the deep, came the monster Midgard
+serpent to join in the last battle. Now the enemies of the gods were
+gathering from all sides,--the frost giants, the mountain giants, with
+Loki, Fenrir, and the Midgard serpent.
+
+Heimdall, the faithful watchman, looked from his watch-tower by the
+rainbow bridge, and when he saw the host of monsters appearing and
+raging toward Asgard, he blew his magic horn, Giallar, which was the
+signal of warning to the gods.
+
+[Illustration: THOR FIGHTING THE SERPENT.]
+
+When Father Odin heard the blast of Heimdall's horn, he hastened to arm
+himself for the battle; once again it is said the Allfather sought
+wisdom at Mimir's fountain, asking to know how best to lead the Aesir
+against their enemies. But what Mimir said to him no one ever knew, for
+a second call sounded from the Giallar horn, and the gods, with Odin at
+their head, rode forth from Asgard to meet their foes.
+
+Thor took his place beside Odin, but they were soon parted in the
+struggle. The thunder-god fell upon his old enemy, the serpent, whom
+twice before he had tried to slay, and after a fierce fight, he at last
+conquered and slew the monster; but the poisonous breath from the
+serpent's mouth overcame the mighty Thor, and he also fell.
+
+Heimdall and Loki came face to face, and each slew the other. Thus every
+one of the gods battled each with his foe, till at last the darkness
+grew deeper, and all, both gods and giants lay dead. Then fire burst
+forth, raging from Utgard to Asgard--and all the worlds were destroyed
+in that dreadful day of Ragnarok.
+
+But this was not the end of all: after many months, and years, and even
+centuries had passed, a new world began to appear, with the fair ocean,
+and the beautiful land, with a bright, shining sun by day, and the moon
+and stars by night. Then once more the light and heat from the sun made
+the grass and trees grow, and the flowers bloom.
+
+Baldur and Hodur came to this beautiful new world, and walked and talked
+together. Thor's sons were there, too, and with them, the hammer,
+Miolnir, no longer for use against giants, but for helping men build
+homes.
+
+Two people, a man and a woman, who were kept safe through the raging
+fire, now came to dwell on the earth, and all their children and
+grandchildren lived at peace with each other in this beautiful new
+world.
+
+Baldur and Hodur talked often of the old days when the Aesir dwelt in
+Asgard, before Loki, the wicked one, brought darkness and trouble to
+them. With loving words they spoke of Odin and Frigga; and the brave
+Tyr, who gave his right hand to save the Aesir; of mighty Thor; and
+faithful Heimdall; of lovely Freyja, with her beautiful necklace; and of
+fair Iduna's garden, where they used to sit and eat her magic apples.
+"But still," they said, "we know now that this new world is fairer than
+the old, and here, also, the loving Allfather watches over his
+children."
+
+
+
+
+INDEX OF NAMES.
+
+
+=Aegir= ([=a]'jir). God of the deep sea.
+
+=Aesir= ([=a]'sir). The twelve gods of Asgard.
+
+=Alfheim= ([)a]lf'h[=i]m). Home of the elves and of Frey.
+
+=Asgard= (as'gaerd). The home of the Aesir.
+
+=Baldur= (b[a:]l'der). The sun-god.
+
+=Bifrost= (b[=e]'fr[~e]st). The rainbow bridge.
+
+=Bragi= (brae'g[=e]). The god of poetry. Husband of Iduna.
+
+=Brisingamen= (br[)i] sing'ae men). Freyja's necklace.
+
+=Brock=. One of the dwarfs.
+
+=Fenrir=. The monster wolf.
+
+=Fimbulwinter= (fim'bul). The last stormy winter.
+
+=Frey= (fr[=i]). The god of summer and of the elves.
+
+=Freyja= (fr[=i]'y[)a]). The goddess of love and beauty.
+
+=Frigga= (fr[)i]g'ae). The queen of the gods. Wife of Odin.
+
+=Giallar-horn= (Gyael'lar). Heimdall's trumpet.
+
+=Gladsheim= (gl[)a]dz'h[=i]m). Odin's palace.
+
+=Heimdall= (h[=i]m'dael). Guardian of the rainbow bridge.
+
+=Hela= (h[=e]'lae). Queen of the underworld.
+
+=Hermod= (h[~e]r'mod). The messenger-god.
+
+=Hodur= (ho'der). God of darkness. Baldur's brother.
+
+=Honir= (h[~e]'nir). God of mind or thought.
+
+=Hymir= (h[=e]'mir). The frost giant who owned the great kettle called
+Mile-deep.
+
+=Iduna= ([=e] doon'ae). Goddess of spring.
+
+=Jotunheim= (y[~e]'toon h[=i]m). Home of the giants.
+
+=Loki= (l[=o]'k[=e]). God of fire.
+
+=Midgard=. The earth.
+
+=Mimir= (m[=e]'mir). Guardian of the well of wisdom.
+
+=Miolnir= (my[~e]l'nir). Thor's magic hammer.
+
+=Niflheim= (n[)i]fl'h[=i]m). The underground world.
+
+=Niord= (ny[~e]rd). God of the seashore.
+
+=Norns=. The three Fates.
+
+=Odin= ([=o]'din). The father, or chief, of the gods.
+
+=Odur= ([=o]'dur). Freyja's husband.
+
+=Ragnarok= (rag'na ruk). The Twilight of the gods.
+
+=Sif=. Wife of Thor.
+
+=Sindri=. One of the dwarfs.
+
+=Skadi= (skae'd[=e]). Thiassi's daughter.
+
+=Sleipnir= (sl[=i]p'nir). Odin's eight-footed steed.
+
+=Thiassi= (t[=e] aes's[=e]). A frost giant. Skadi's father.
+
+=Thor= (thor or tor). God of thunder.
+
+=Tyr= (t[=e]r) or Tiu (t[=u]). God of war.
+
+=Utgard= ([)oo]t'gaerd). City of the giants, in Jotunheim.
+
+=Yggdrasil= (ig'dra sil). The world tree.
+
+
+KEY TO PRONUNCIATION.
+
+  [=a] as in ale.           [a:] as in all.            [~e] as in fern.
+  [)a] as in am.            a as in ask.               [=i] as in ice.
+  ae as in arm.              [=e] as in eve.            [)i] as in ill.
+
+              [=o] as in old.             u as in urn.
+              [)oo] as in foot.           [=u] as in use.
+
+
+
+
+      *      *      *      *      *
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's note:
+
+On page 29 a period was added (feast with the Aesir.). Otherwise
+the original text was preserved.
+
+
+
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