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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37488-0.txt b/37488-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..754f987 --- /dev/null +++ b/37488-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2791 @@ +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: UTF-8 + + +***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 Sæmund’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 + + ÆGIR’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 Æsir, 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 Bifröst—“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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 +Bifröst, 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 Æsir, 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 Æsir. 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 Æsir 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 Æsir, 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 Æsir 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 Æsir. 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, Miölnir, +and with it we will bind him fast!” + +When the Æsir 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 Miölnir and the roaring of the bellows. + +The next night, when the Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 +Æsir 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 Æsir +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 Æsir 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 Æsir, 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 Æsir. + +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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir. + +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 Æsir 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 Miölnir. +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 Æsir, 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 Miölnir, 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 Æsir 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 +Æsir, 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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, + Miölnir 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 Hönir, 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 Hönir +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 Æsir 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 Hönir 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 Hönir 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 Hönir 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 Bifröst, 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 Æsir 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 Bifröst 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 Æsir; 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 Æsir, 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 Æsir 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 Æsir. + +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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Niörd, +the god of the seashore. + +The wedding took place at Asgard, and when the feasting was over, Skadi +and Niörd went to dwell in his home by the sea. At first they were very +happy, for Niörd was kind to his giant bride; but how could you expect +one of the Æsir 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, Niörd +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 Niörd 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.] + +Niörd 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 +Niörd’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 Æsir, 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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] + +ÆGIR’S FEAST + + +I. + +Ægir 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 Ægir 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 Ægir went over Bifröst, 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 Æsir. 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 Ægir 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 Æsir 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 Miölnir, 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 Æsir; +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 Miölnir, 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. + +Ægir 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 Æsir 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 Ægir, 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 Æsir, all +except mighty Thor, who had gone far away to the giant-land. + +As they all sat in Ægir’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 Ægir’s servant because they praised him. The Æsir 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 Ægir’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 Æsir, 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 Æsir. “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; Ægir’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 Æsir 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 Æsir 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 Ragnarök, 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 Æsir 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 Æsir +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 Ragnarök. + +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, +Miölnir, 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 Æsir 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 Æsir; 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. + + +=Ægir= (āˊjir). God of the deep sea. + +=Æsir= . The twelve gods of Asgard. + +=Alfheim= (ălfˊhīm). Home of the elves and of Frey. + +=Asgard= (asˊgärd). The home of the Æsir. + +=Baldur= (ba̤lˊder). The sun-god. + +=Bifröst= (bēˊfrẽst). The rainbow bridge. + +=Bragi= (bräˊgē). The god of poetry. Husband of Iduna. + +=Brisingamen= (brĭ singˊä men). Freyja’s necklace. + +=Brock=. One of the dwarfs. + +=Fenrir=. The monster wolf. + +=Fimbulwinter= (fimˊbul). The last stormy winter. + +=Frey= (frī). The god of summer and of the elves. + +=Freyja= (frīˊyă). The goddess of love and beauty. + +=Frigga= (frĭgˊä). The queen of the gods. Wife of Odin. + +=Giallar-horn= (Gyälˊlar). Heimdall’s trumpet. + +=Gladsheim= (glădzˊhīm). Odin’s palace. + +=Heimdall= (hīmˊdäl). Guardian of the rainbow bridge. + +=Hela= (hēˊlä). Queen of the underworld. + +=Hermod= (hẽrˊmod). The messenger-god. + +=Hodur= (hoˊder). God of darkness. Baldur’s brother. + +=Hönir= (hẽˊnir). God of mind or thought. + +=Hymir= (hēˊmir). The frost giant who owned the great kettle called +Mile-deep. + +=Iduna= (ē doonˊä). Goddess of spring. + +=Jötunheim= (yẽˊtoon hīm). Home of the giants. + +=Loki= (lōˊkē). God of fire. + +=Midgard=. The earth. + +=Mimir= (mēˊmir). Guardian of the well of wisdom. + +=Miölnir= (myẽlˊnir). Thor’s magic hammer. + +=Niflheim= (nĭflˊhīm). The underground world. + +=Niörd= (nyẽrd). God of the seashore. + +=Norns=. The three Fates. + +=Odin= (ōˊdin). The father, or chief, of the gods. + +=Odur= (ōˊdûr). Freyja’s husband. + +=Ragnarök= (rågˊnå rûk). The Twilight of the gods. + +=Sif=. Wife of Thor. + +=Sindri=. One of the dwarfs. + +=Skadi= (skäˊdē). Thiassi’s daughter. + +=Sleipnir= (slīpˊnir). Odin’s eight-footed steed. + +=Thiassi= (tē äsˊsē). A frost giant. Skadi’s father. + +=Thor= (thor or tor). God of thunder. + +=Tyr= (tēr) or Tiu (tū). God of war. + +=Utgard= (͝ootˊgärd). City of the giants, in Jötunheim. + +=Yggdrasil= (igˊdrå sil). The world tree. + + +KEY TO PRONUNCIATION. + + ā as in ale. a̤ as in all. ẽ as in fern. + ă as in am. å as in ask. ī as in ice. + ä as in arm. ē as in eve. ĭ as in ill. + + ō as in old. û as in urn. + ͝oo as in foot. ū as in use. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +On page 29 a period was added (feast with the Æsir.). 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + diff --git a/37488-0.zip b/37488-0.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd4cf30 --- /dev/null +++ b/37488-0.zip diff --git a/37488-8.txt b/37488-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6aa230 --- /dev/null +++ b/37488-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2791 @@ +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-8859-1 + + +***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 Smund'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 + + GIR'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 sir, 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 Bifrst--"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 sir 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 sir 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 sir 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 +Bifrst, 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 sir, 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 sir. 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 sir 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 sir, 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 sir 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 sir. 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, Milnir, +and with it we will bind him fast!" + +When the sir 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 Milnir and the roaring of the bellows. + +The next night, when the sir 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 sir 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 sir 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 sir 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 sir 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 +sir 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 sir +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 sir 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 sir, 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 sir. + +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 sir 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 sir 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 sir. + +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 sir 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 Milnir. +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 sir, 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 Milnir, 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 sir 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 +sir, 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 sir 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 sir 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, + Milnir 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 Hnir, 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 Hnir +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 sir 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 Hnir 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 Hnir 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 Hnir 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 Bifrst, 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 sir 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 Bifrst 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 sir; 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 sir, 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 sir 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 sir. + +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 sir 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 sir 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 sir 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 Nird, +the god of the seashore. + +The wedding took place at Asgard, and when the feasting was over, Skadi +and Nird went to dwell in his home by the sea. At first they were very +happy, for Nird was kind to his giant bride; but how could you expect +one of the sir 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, Nird +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 Nird 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.] + +Nird 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 +Nird'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 sir, 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 sir 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 sir 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 sir 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 sir 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] + +GIR'S FEAST + + +I. + +gir 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 gir 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 gir went over Bifrst, 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 sir. 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 gir 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 sir 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 Milnir, 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 sir; +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 Milnir, 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. + +gir 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 sir 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 gir, 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 sir, all +except mighty Thor, who had gone far away to the giant-land. + +As they all sat in gir'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 gir's servant because they praised him. The sir 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 gir'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 sir, 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 sir. "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; gir'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 sir 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 sir 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 Ragnark, 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 sir 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 sir +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 Ragnark. + +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, +Milnir, 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 sir 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 sir; 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. + + +=gir= ([=a]'jir). God of the deep sea. + +=sir= ([=a]'sir). The twelve gods of Asgard. + +=Alfheim= ([)a]lf'h[=i]m). Home of the elves and of Frey. + +=Asgard= (as'grd). The home of the sir. + +=Baldur= (b[a:]l'der). The sun-god. + +=Bifrst= (b[=e]'fr[~e]st). The rainbow bridge. + +=Bragi= (br'g[=e]). The god of poetry. Husband of Iduna. + +=Brisingamen= (br[)i] sing' 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'). The queen of the gods. Wife of Odin. + +=Giallar-horn= (Gyl'lar). Heimdall's trumpet. + +=Gladsheim= (gl[)a]dz'h[=i]m). Odin's palace. + +=Heimdall= (h[=i]m'dl). Guardian of the rainbow bridge. + +=Hela= (h[=e]'l). Queen of the underworld. + +=Hermod= (h[~e]r'mod). The messenger-god. + +=Hodur= (ho'der). God of darkness. Baldur's brother. + +=Hnir= (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'). Goddess of spring. + +=Jtunheim= (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. + +=Milnir= (my[~e]l'nir). Thor's magic hammer. + +=Niflheim= (n[)i]fl'h[=i]m). The underground world. + +=Nird= (ny[~e]rd). God of the seashore. + +=Norns=. The three Fates. + +=Odin= ([=o]'din). The father, or chief, of the gods. + +=Odur= ([=o]'dr). Freyja's husband. + +=Ragnark= (rg'n rk). The Twilight of the gods. + +=Sif=. Wife of Thor. + +=Sindri=. One of the dwarfs. + +=Skadi= (sk'd[=e]). Thiassi's daughter. + +=Sleipnir= (sl[=i]p'nir). Odin's eight-footed steed. + +=Thiassi= (t[=e] s'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'grd). City of the giants, in Jtunheim. + +=Yggdrasil= (ig'dr sil). The world tree. + + +KEY TO PRONUNCIATION. + + [=a] as in ale. [a:] as in all. [~e] as in fern. + [)a] as in am. as in ask. [=i] as in ice. + as in arm. [=e] as in eve. [)i] as in ill. + + [=o] as in old. as in urn. + [)oo] as in foot. [=u] as in use. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note: + +On page 29 a period was added (feast with the sir.). 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+ margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + pre {font-size: 85%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h1 class="pg">The Project Gutenberg eBook, Asgard Stories, by Mary H. Foster and Mabel +H. Cummings</h1> +<pre> +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 <a href = "http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Asgard Stories</p> +<p> Tales from Norse Mythology</p> +<p>Author: Mary H. Foster and Mabel H. Cummings</p> +<p>Release Date: September 20, 2011 [eBook #37488]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASGARD STORIES***</p> +<p> </p> +<h3 class="pg">E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, eagkw,<br /> + and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team<br /> + (http://www.pgdp.net)</h3> +<p> </p> +<div class="tnote"> +<p>Transcriber’s note:<br /> +<br /> +An <a href="#INDEX_OF_NAMES">Index of Names</a> and a <a href="#KEY_TO_PRONUNCIATION">Key to Pronunciation</a> can +be found at the end of the book.<br /> +<br /> +On page 29 a period was added (feast +with the sir.). Otherwise the original text was preserved.</p> +</div> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p> </p> + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="420" height="632" alt="Cover" title="Cover" /> +</div> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_ii" id="Page_ii">[ii]</a></span> +<img src="images/if01.png" width="420" height="651" alt="ODIN, THE ALLFATHER." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">ODIN, THE ALLFATHER.</span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum">[iii]</span></p> + +<h1>ASGARD STORIES<br /> + +<span class="f8">TALES FROM NORSE MYTHOLOGY</span></h1> + +<p class="tp"><span class="f8">BY</span><br /> + +<span class="f14">MARY H. FOSTER</span><br /> + +<span class="f8">AND</span><br /> + +<span class="f14">MABEL H. CUMMINGS, A.B.</span></p> + +<p class="tp"><i>ILLUSTRATED</i></p> + +<div class="figcenter"> +<img src="images/logo.png" width="80" height="77" alt="logo" title="logo" /> +</div> + +<p class="tp"><span class="f14">SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY</span><br /> +NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO</p> +<hr class="l2" /> +<p><span class="pagenum">[iv]</span></p> + +<p class="tp2"><span class="smcap">Copyright</span>, 1901,<br /> +<span class="smcap">By</span> SILVER, BURDETT AND COMPANY.</p> +<hr class="l2" /> +<p><span class="pagenum">[v]</span></p> + +<p class="tp3">To all our Children<br /> +who have loved the hearing of these<br /> +Asgard Stories</p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum">[vi]</span><br /><span class="pagenum">[vii]</span></p> + + +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum">[viii]</span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“While the Greek mythology foreshadowed the petty +states of Greece and southern Europe, the Norse mythology<span class="pagenum">[ix]</span> +foreshadowed the political and social destinies +of <em>United</em> Scandinavia, <em>United</em> Great Britain, and the +<em>United</em> States of North America....</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>While many works have been consulted in the preparation +of this volume, the authors are especially +indebted to the following: Thorpe’s translation of +Smund’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.”</p> + +<p class="r2 f8"> +<span class="smcap lfi2">Brookline, Mass.</span>,<br /> +<span class="lfi4">September, 1901.</span></p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum">[x]</span><br /><span class="pagenum">[xi]</span></p> + + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" summary="Table of Contents"> +<tr><td class="col1"></td><td class="col2 f7">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Story of the Beginning</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Odin’s Reward</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Tyr and the Wolf</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_15">15</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Freyja’s Necklace</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Hammer of Thor</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_33">33</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Thor’s Wonderful Journey</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_38">38</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">How Thor lost his Hammer</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_50">50</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">A Gift from Frigga</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_58">58</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Stealing of Iduna</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Skadi</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_76">76</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Baldur</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_82">82</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">gir’s Feast</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_89">89</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Punishment of Loki</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_97">97</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Twilight of the Gods</td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_103">103</a></td></tr> +</table></div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum">[xii]</span><br /><span class="pagenum">[xiii]</span></p> + + +<h2>FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS.</h2> + + +<div class="center"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="4" summary="List of Full-Page Illustrations"> +<tr><td class="col1"> </td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2 f7">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Odin, the Allfather</td><td class="col3"><a href="#Page_ii">Frontispiece</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Norns</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_5">5</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Thor Chaining Fenrir</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Freyja in the Cave of the Dwarfs</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Thor and Loki in the Chariot</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_41">41</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Thor’s Battle with the Frost Giants</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Iduna giving Loki the Apple</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Skadi hunting in the Mountains</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_79">79</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">The Punishment of Loki</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_99">99</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="col1">Thor fighting the Serpent</td><td class="col3"> </td><td class="col2"><a href="#Page_105">105</a></td></tr> +</table></div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih001"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall3"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">The</span> 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>From these two, the giant and the god, came the +two great races of giants and gods, who were always<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> +would have been happier if the squirrel had kept the +story quite to himself.</p> + +<p>The gods and goddesses, all together, were called +the sir, 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.</p> + +<p>From Asgard, arching over and down to the lower +world, was a rainbow bridge, called Bifrst—“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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 sir sitting, with Father +Odin at their head.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> +<img src="images/if02.png" width="420" height="651" alt="After the painting by Ehrenberg, +THE NORNS." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption"><span class="lft f8">After the painting by Ehrenberg,</span> +<br />THE NORNS.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> +</div> + +<p>The little people waited in a crowd near the door,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“And now,” said Odin, turning to the idle ones, +“what have you been doing?”</p> + +<p>“We were doing nothing at all, so we could not +have harmed any one, and we pray you to spare us!” +cried they.</p> + +<p>“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 sir to teach +you, so that you may be doing some good in the world.”</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih009"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall2"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block150"> </div> +<div class="block150"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> night when +all was quiet in Asgard +and the sir 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.</p> + +<p>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 Bifrst, the rainbow bridge, which reached from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> +Asgard, the city of the gods, down through the air +to the lower worlds.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“You must be bound on some important errand, +Father Odin, to be riding forth from Asgard so late +at night,” said Heimdall.</p> + +<p>“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!”</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>With these words the Allfather quitted Heimdall’s +castle, and started off toward the north, through the +land of the fierce giants.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>At the end of the third day, Odin came to a +land where trees were green and flowers blooming.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Odin greeted the kind old giant, and said, “Oh, +Mimir, I have come from far-away Asgard to ask a +great boon!”</p> + +<p>“Gladly will I help you if it is in my power,” +said Mimir.</p> + +<p>“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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> +sir, 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.”</p> + +<p>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?”</p> + +<p>“Yes,” said Odin, cheerfully, “I will give you all +the gold and silver of Asgard, and all the jeweled +shields and swords of the sir. More than all, I +will give up my eight-footed horse Sleipnir, if that +is needed to win the reward.”</p> + +<p>“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?”</p> + +<p>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!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span></p> + + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih015"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Odin</span>, 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 +sir from Loki’s wickedness.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>The second monster was sent to Niflheim, the home +of darkness, and shut up there.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p> + +<p>The third, a fierce wolf, named Fenrir, was brought +to Asgard, where Odin hoped he might be tamed by +living among the sir, 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.</p> + +<p>Each day the dreadful wolf grew larger and +stronger, till all at once, before the sir thought +about it, he had become a very dangerous beast.</p> + +<p>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 sir. 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.</p> + +<p>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, +Milnir, and with it we will bind him fast!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p> + +<p>When the sir 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 Milnir and the roaring +of the bellows.</p> + +<p>The next night, when the sir 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.</p> + +<p>Thor was much disappointed, still he did not lose +courage. He said to the sir 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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Sadly the sir came together that night in Odin’s +palace, and this time Thor was not the first to speak; +he sat apart and was silent.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> +<img src="images/if03.png" width="420" height="649" alt="THOR CHAINING FENRIR." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">THOR CHAINING FENRIR.</span> +</div> + +<p>First spoke Frey, the god of summer and king of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +the fairies. “Hearken to me, O lords of Asgard!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> +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!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>So Frey went out, leaving the sir 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> +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.”</p> + +<p>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 sir were longing for his return, and were all +rejoiced to see him with the magic chain.</p> + +<p>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 +sir with their horses, and yet could be folded up +small enough to go in one’s pocket.</p> + +<p>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.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> + +<p>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 +sir in his mouth while they bound him, as a sign +that the gods did not mean to play any tricks.</p> + +<p>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 sir 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> + + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih025"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall2"> </div> +<div class="blockall3"> </div> +<div class="block325"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">Yes</span>, I really +must have some +flowers to wear +to the feast to-night,” +said Freyja +to her husband, Odur.</p> + +<p>Freyja was the goddess of love and beauty; she was +the most beautiful of all the sir, and every one loved +to look at her charming face, and to hear her sweet +voice.</p> + +<p>“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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> +<img src="images/if04.png" width="420" height="652" alt="FREYJA IN THE CAVE OF THE DWARFS." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">FREYJA IN THE CAVE OF THE DWARFS.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +</div> + +<p>Then a mocking laugh echoed again and again<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 sir.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“Allfather, I beg you give me leave to go to look +for my Odur in every corner of the world!”</p> + +<p>The wise father replied, “Go, fair Freyja, and may +you find whom you seek.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>At last the sad goddess returned to her own palace +alone. She still wore the wonderful necklace, which +was called Brisingamen.</p> + +<p>One night, when the hour was late, all the sir +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.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 <em>his</em> 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Once more the fair goddess went forth from Asgard +to seek Odur. Away, away to the far-off sunny<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> +south she wandered, and there, where the myrtle trees +and the oranges grow, at last she found her long-lost +husband.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“White were the moorlands<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And frozen, before her;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Green were the moorlands<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And blooming, behind her.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Out of her gold locks<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Shaking the spring flowers,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Out of her garments<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shaking the south wind,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Around in the birches<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Awaking the throstles,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Beautiful Freyja came.”<br /></span> +<span class="sign2">—Kingsley.<br /></span></div></div></div> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih033"> +<div class="blockall2"> </div> +<div class="blockall3"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Sif</span> 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.</p> + +<p>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 sir +who would think of doing such a thing!”</p> + +<p>Thor lost no time in finding Loki, and that mischief-god +had to admit that he was the guilty one, but he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 sir.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>Loki did not believe that could be done, but he +told Brock to try his skill; the sir should judge +between them and the one who should fail in the +trial must lose his head.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> +Then they took from the fire a magic ring of gold, +from which eight new rings fell off every week.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 Milnir. It had the power of never +missing its mark, and would always return to the +hand which threw it.</p> + +<p>When Loki appeared at last before the sir, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Then Loki had to collect his wits, and think of +some way to escape losing his head, instead of making<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>Thus the wily Loki, by his wit, saved his life.</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih038"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall3"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">One</span> 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.</p> + +<p>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!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“I will gladly give you a room, but I have no food +in the house,” said the man who opened the door.</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> +<img src="images/if05.png" width="420" height="652" alt="THOR AND LOKI IN THE CHARIOT." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">THOR AND LOKI IN THE CHARIOT.</span> +</div> + +<p>The travelers wondered to find a house in the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> +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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>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!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>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.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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!”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> + +<p>This made Thor try his very best; but it was of no +use, he could not empty the horn.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>“Oh, certainly, anything you like!” replied Thor.</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>Thor put out his hand to lift the cat, but he could +raise only one paw, though he used all his strength.</p> + +<p>“Well, it is no more than I expected!” said the +king; “you boast of your strength, but you do not +show it to us.”</p> + +<p>By this time Thor was getting very angry, and +he spoke fiercely, “I will challenge any one of you +to fight with me!”</p> + +<p>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,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> +and Thor had been thrown down upon the floor, the +king called to them to stop.</p> + +<p>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?”</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>“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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> +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?”</p> + +<p>With these words the giant king vanished, and +Thor, upon looking around, saw the city of Utgard +was also gone.</p> + +<p>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.</p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih050"> +<div class="blockall2"> </div> +<div class="blockall3"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block150"> </div> +<div class="block150"> </div> + +<p>“<span class="smcap">Come</span>, 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.</p> + +<p>When Baldur, the bright sun-god, awoke them in +the morning, the first thing Thor did was to reach +out for Milnir, his magic hammer, which he had +carefully laid by his side the night before.</p> + +<p>“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!”</p> + +<p>“We must go quickly and find it!” replied Loki. +“Let us ask Freyja to lend us her falcon garment.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>“Surely,” answered Freyja, “I would lend you my +falcon cloak, even if it were made of gold and +silver!”</p> + +<p>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?”</p> + +<p>“The sir are in great trouble,” replied Loki, +“and I am sent to fetch the hammer of Thor.”</p> + +<p>“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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> +again. You must bring me the goddess Freyja to be +my wife!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Thor was anxiously looking out for him. “What +news do you bring, Loki?” cried he. “Have you +brought me my hammer again?”</p> + +<p>“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!”</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>Thor then went to tell Father Odin, who called a +meeting of all the sir, 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.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> +<img src="images/if06.png" width="420" height="652" alt="THOR’S BATTLE WITH THE FROST GIANTS." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">THOR’S BATTLE WITH THE FROST GIANTS.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> +</div> + +<p>So the sir met together in their great judgment<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>“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!”</p> + +<p>“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 sir 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>So the wedding party sat down to the feast, and +Thor, who was always a good eater, ate one ox and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> +eight salmon, and drank three casks of mead. The +king watched him, greatly surprised to see a woman +eat so much, and said:—</p> + +<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“Where hast thou seen<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Such a hungry bride!”<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“I am the God Thor,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I am the War God,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I am the Thunderer!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Here in my Northland,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My fastness and fortress,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Reign I forever!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“Here amid icebergs<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Rule I the nations;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This is my hammer,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Milnir the mighty;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Giants and sorcerers<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Cannot withstand it!<br /></span> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“These are the gauntlets<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Wherewith I wield it,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And hurl it afar off;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">This is my girdle,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whenever I brace it<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Strength is redoubled!”<br /></span> +<span class="sign3">—Longfellow<br /></span> +</div></div></div> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih058"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block150"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Long</span> 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +which are worth money, instead of these good-for-nothing +flowers!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +had always kept bright, were beginning to fade; +then he knew he had not much longer to stay.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih062"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall3"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block175"> </div> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Odin</span>, 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 Hnir, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>At noontime Loki was so hungry that he begged +Odin to stop for dinner; so when they came to a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> +shady spot by the bank of a river, the three gods +chose it for their resting-place.</p> + +<p>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 +Hnir to cook the meat which they had brought.</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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 sir to be a +thief! Go back to the farmhouse, and put these +three black stones on the kitchen table.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> +her food ready cooked, and all her jars and boxes filled +with good things to eat, and never again was in need.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>And now we must go back to Loki. He was very +hungry by this time, and hoped that Hnir 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 Hnir and Loki watched the fire, and at +the end of an hour they looked again at the meat.</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> +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!”</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>When Odin and Hnir 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 Bifrst, +the rainbow bridge, Loki joined them; but he took +care not to tell them how the eagle came to let +him go.</p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>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 +sir 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.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span></p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>“Come on, then!” said Loki; “and you’d better +take along your own apples, so that we can try them +with the others.”</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> +<img src="images/if07.png" width="420" height="648" alt="IDUNA GIVING LOKI THE APPLE." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">IDUNA GIVING LOKI THE APPLE.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> +</div> + +<p>Now Bragi had often told Iduna that she must<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>They had no sooner crossed over Bifrst 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.</p> + +<p>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 sir; 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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 sir, even +in prison, than to be a giant, or an Ellewoman, no +matter how free or smiling they might be.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>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 sir +felt themselves growing tired and feeble.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 sir.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> +not to bring home again our sister, or else come not +yourself within our gates!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> +the watchers in the city were filled with fear lest he +should overtake their friends.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 sir became young and strong, and +the two dark strangers went away, for happiness and +peace had come back to Asgard.</p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih076"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">While</span> 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.</p> + +<p>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 sir why they had been so cruel +to him.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>When the sir 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.”</p> + +<p>The gods then stood in a row behind a curtain, +so that Skadi could see nothing but their bare feet.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> +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 Nird, the +god of the seashore.</p> + +<p>The wedding took place at Asgard, and when the +feasting was over, Skadi and Nird went to dwell +in his home by the sea. At first they were very +happy, for Nird was kind to his giant bride; but +how could you expect one of the sir to live happily +very long with a frost giantess for his wife?</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>And so they finally agreed that, for nine months of +the year, Nird 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 Nird 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.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> +<img src="images/if08.png" width="420" height="648" alt="SKADI HUNTING IN THE MOUNTAINS." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">SKADI HUNTING IN THE MOUNTAINS.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> +</div> + +<p>Nird loved to wander along the shore, his jacket<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>There is a kind of sponge, which the people in the +north still call Nird’s glove, in memory of this old +Norse god.</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih082"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">Baldur</span> 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 +sir, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>At last, after the bright summer was over, for many +days Baldur had looked sad and troubled. Some of the +sir saw it, but most of all, his loving, watchful +mother, Frigga. Baldur could not bear to worry his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>But Odin, the wise Allfather, still felt uneasy, even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>“Tell me,” said he, “for whom are you making +ready this costly room?”</p> + +<p>“We make ready for Baldur, the god of light,” +replied Hela.</p> + +<p>“Who, then, will slay Baldur, and bring such darkness +and sorrow to Asgard?”</p> + +<p>Again said the wise woman, “It is Hodur, Baldur’s +twin brother, who will slay the sun-god.” And with +these words she vanished.</p> + +<p>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.</p> +</div> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>One beautiful sunny day at the end of summer +the gods had all gone out to an open field beyond<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>Loki happened to be away when they began to play, +and when he came was angry in his heart that nothing +could hurt Baldur.</p> + +<p>“Why should he be so favored? I hate him!” +said Loki to himself, and began at once to plan some +evil.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>“Oh, yes,” said Frigga; “neither metal nor wood +can hurt him, for all things in the world have given +me their promise.”</p> + +<p>“What!” said the old woman; “do you mean that +all things have really vowed to spare Baldur?”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span></p> + +<p>“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.”</p> + +<p>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 sir were still at their game, all but one, Hodur, +the god of darkness, Baldur’s blind twin brother.</p> + +<p>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?”</p> + +<p>“I cannot see to take aim, you know, and besides, +I have no weapon,” said Hodur.</p> + +<p>“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.</p> + +<p>Then poor blind Hodur heard a dreadful cry from +all the gods: Baldur the Beautiful had fallen, struck<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> +by the arrow; he would now be taken away from +them, to live with Hela in the underworld.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>So Hermod hastened back to Asgard, and when +the sir 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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> +teardrops come to all things when they are changed +from heat to cold.</p> + +<p>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 sir 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.</p> + +<p>And so Baldur the beautiful, Baldur the bright, +did not come back, and all the dwellers in Asgard +were sad and sorrowful without him.</p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih089"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block325"> </div> +<div class="block325"> </div> +<div class="block325"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> + +<h3>I.</h3> + +<p><span class="smcap">gir</span> 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.</p> + +<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“Deep in the wave is a coral grove,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where the purple mullet and goldfish rove;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where the sea-flower spreads its leaves of blue,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">That never are wet with falling dew,<br /></span><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> +<span class="i0">But in bright and changeful beauty shine<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Far down in the green and glassy brine.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The floor is of sand, like the mountain drift,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the pearl-shells spangle the flinty snow;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">From coral rocks the sea-plants lift<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Their boughs where the tides and billows flow.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The water is calm and still below,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For the winds and waves are absent there,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the sands are bright as the stars that glow<br /></span> +<span class="i0">In the motionless fields of upper air.”<br /></span> +<span class="sign1">—Percival.<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>One day the gods in Asgard gave a feast, and +gir 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.</p> + +<p>Then gir went over Bifrst, 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 sir. He thanked them all for +the pleasure they had given him, saying, “If only I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> +had a kettle that held enough mead for us all to +drink, I would invite you to visit me.”</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>Then gir was pleased, and set a day for them all +to come to his great feast.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> +call them out as soon as she had told her husband +about them.</p> + +<p>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 sir 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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>“Very well,” said Thor; “I will go fishing with you +in the morning!”</p> +</div> + + +<h3>II.</h3> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 Milnir, the magic hammer, which Thor hurled<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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.”</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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,—</p> + +<div class="centered"><div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">“Hard the pillar, hard the stone,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Harder yet the giant’s bone!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Stones shall break and pillars fall,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Hymir’s forehead breaks them all!”<br /></span> +</div></div></div> + +<p>Yet again Thor threw the goblet, this time against +the giant’s head, and it fell, broken in pieces.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span></p> + +<p>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 sir; but when +Thor heard them coming he turned and saw their +fierce, grinning faces glaring down at him from +every rocky peak and iceberg.</p> + +<p>Then the mighty Thunderer raised Milnir, 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.</p> + + +<h3>III.</h3> + +<p>gir 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 sir were coming from Asgard to visit him.</p> + +<p>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 gir, to find cheer for their sadness.</p> + +<p>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 +sir, all except mighty Thor, who had gone far away +to the giant-land.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span></p> + +<p>As they all sat in gir’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 gir’s servant +because they praised him. The sir 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!”</p> + +<p>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.</p> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih097"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="block325"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block225"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> +<div class="block200"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">When</span> Loki was +driven out by the +mighty Thor from +gir’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 sir, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>He spent most of the days and nights thinking how<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> +he could get away from the sir. “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; +gir’s wife has a wonderful thing like a net, for +catching fish, and that would be far worse than a +hook!”</p> + +<p>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 sir 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.</p> + +<p>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!”</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> +<img src="images/if09.png" width="420" height="651" alt="THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI.</span> +</div> + +<p>So they snatched the last bit of the net from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> +fire, and by looking at it found out how to make<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> +another, which they took with them to the bank of +the stream.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Thus was Loki caught in his own trap, and +dreadful was his punishment. The sir chained +him to a high rock, and placed a great, poisonous +serpent, hanging over the cliff above his head.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>There, chained to the cliff, the cruel, mischievous +Loki was to lie until the Twilight of the gods, the +dark day of Ragnark, when all the mighty evil +monsters and beasts would get free, and the terrible +battle be fought between them and the gods of +Asgard.</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span></p> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="ih108"> +<div class="blockall1"> </div> +<div class="blockall4"> </div> +<div class="block325"> </div> +<div class="block300"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block275"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> +<div class="block250"> </div> + +<p><span class="smcap">Loki</span> 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 sir +felt that the Twilight of the gods, which Odin knew +was to come, must be near.</p> + +<p>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.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> +They killed the trees and flowers, and bound the +lakes and rivers with icy bands.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> +<img src="images/if10.png" width="420" height="657" alt="THOR FIGHTING THE SERPENT." title="" /> +<br /><span class="caption">THOR FIGHTING THE SERPENT.</span> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> +</div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> +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 sir 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 Ragnark.</p> + +<p>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<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> +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.</p> + +<p>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, Milnir, +no longer for use against giants, but for helping +men build homes.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>Baldur and Hodur talked often of the old days +when the sir 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 sir; 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.”</p> +</div> +<hr class="l1" /> +<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span></p> + +<h2><a name="INDEX_OF_NAMES" id="INDEX_OF_NAMES"></a>INDEX OF NAMES.</h2> + +<div class="names"> +<ul class="lsoff"><li><b>gir</b> (ā´jir). God of the deep sea.</li> +<li><b>sir</b> (ā´sir). The twelve gods of Asgard.</li> +<li><b>Alfheim</b> (ălf´hīm). Home of the elves and of Frey.</li> +<li><b>Asgard</b> (as´grd). The home of the sir.</li> +<li><b>Baldur</b> (ba̤l´der). The sun-god.</li> +<li><b>Bifrst</b> (bē´frẽst). The rainbow bridge.</li> +<li><b>Bragi</b> (br´gē). The god of poetry. Husband of Iduna.</li> +<li><b>Brisingamen</b> (brĭ sing´ men). Freyja’s necklace.</li> +<li><b>Brock.</b> One of the dwarfs.</li> +<li><b>Fenrir.</b> The monster wolf.</li> +<li><b>Fimbulwinter</b> (fim´bul). The last stormy winter.</li> +<li><b>Frey</b> (frī). The god of summer and of the elves.</li> +<li><b>Freyja</b> (frī´yă). The goddess of love and beauty.</li> +<li><b>Frigga</b> (frĭg´). The queen of the gods. Wife of Odin.</li> +<li><b>Giallar-Horn</b> (Gyl´lar). Heimdall’s trumpet.</li> +<li><b>Gladsheim</b> (glădz´hīm). Odin’s palace.</li> +<li><b>Heimdall</b> (hīm´dl). Guardian of the rainbow bridge.</li> +<li><b>Hela</b> (hē´l). Queen of the underworld.</li> +<li><b>Hermod</b> (hẽr´mod). The messenger-god.</li> +<li><b>Hodur</b> (ho´der). God of darkness. Baldur’s brother.</li> +<li><b>Hnir</b> (hẽ´nir). God of mind or thought.</li> +<li><b>Hymir</b> (hē´mir). The frost giant who owned the great kettle called Mile-deep.</li> +<li><b>Iduna</b> (ē doon´). Goddess of spring.</li> +<li><b>Jtunheim</b> (yẽ´toon hīm). Home of the giants.</li> +<li><b>Loki</b> (lō´kē). God of fire.</li> +<li><b>Midgard.</b> The earth.</li> +<li><b>Mimir</b> (mē´mir). Guardian of the well of wisdom.</li> +<li><b>Milnir</b> (myẽl´nir). Thor’s magic hammer.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span></li> +<li><b>Niflheim</b> (nĭfl´hīm). The underground world.</li> +<li><b>Nird</b> (nyẽrd). God of the seashore.</li> +<li><b>Norns.</b> The three Fates.</li> +<li><b>Odin</b> (ō´din). The father, or chief, of the gods.</li> +<li><b>Odur</b> (ō´dr). Freyja’s husband.</li> +<li><b>Ragnark</b> (rg´n rk). The Twilight of the gods.</li> +<li><b>Sif.</b> Wife of Thor.</li> +<li><b>Sindri.</b> One of the dwarfs.</li> +<li><b>Skadi</b> (sk´dē). Thiassi’s daughter.</li> +<li><b>Sleipnir</b> (slīp´nir). Odin’s eight-footed steed.</li> +<li><b>Thiassi</b> (tē s´sē). A frost giant. Skadi’s father.</li> +<li><b>Thor</b> (thor or tor). God of thunder.</li> +<li><b>Tyr</b> (tēr) or Tiu (tū). God of war.</li> +<li><b>Utgard</b> (o͝ot´grd). City of the giants, in Jtunheim.</li> +<li><b>Yggdrasil</b> (ig´dr sil). The world tree.</li></ul> +</div> + +<hr class="l3"/> + +<h2><a name="KEY_TO_PRONUNCIATION" id="KEY_TO_PRONUNCIATION"></a>KEY TO PRONUNCIATION.</h2> + +<div class="center names"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Pronunciation"> +<tr><td class="col4">ā as in ale.</td><td class="col4">a̤ as in all.</td><td class="col4">ẽ as in fern.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="col4">ă as in am.</td><td class="col4"> as in ask.</td><td class="col4">ī as in ice.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="col4"> as in arm.</td><td class="col4">ē as in eve.</td><td class="col4">ĭ as in ill.</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<div class="center names"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="Pronunciation"> +<tr><td class="col4">ō as in old.</td><td class="col4"> as in urn.</td></tr> +<tr><td class="col4">o͝o as in foot.</td><td class="col4">ū as in use.</td></tr> +</table></div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="full" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ASGARD STORIES***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 37488-h.txt or 37488-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/7/4/8/37488">http://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/4/8/37488</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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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.). 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