CHILDREN of ODIN Di I I Ed Before That Tim E, Vidar and Val , the Sons of Od N , And

PART I Tm : DWELLERS m ASGARD PAGE

‘ F I . ar Away an d Lon g Ago 9 The Buildin g of the Wall 9 Idu na and Her Apples How Loki Put the Gods in Dang er ’ - s Sif s Golden Hair How Loki Wrought Mischi ef in As gard n How Brock the Dwarf Brought Ju dgem ent on Loki u s How Freya Gained Her Necklace and How Her Loved One Was Lost to Her

How e Won Ge the Gi t Maiden How He Los Fr y rda, an , and t His Magic Sword Heirn dall and Little Hn ossa: How All Thi ngs Cam e to Be ’ The All- Father s Forebodi ngs How He Leaves Asgard

PART II ODIN THE WANDERER ’ ' n o Mi m i s Wll : His S c iﬁc for Wisdom I o Odi Goes t r e a r e

. Man a. Odi n Faces an Evil

. i or Men the Ma ic Mead 3 , Odi n Wns f g il n Son the S cr t of Hi s Doin 4 Odin Tells to Vidar,His S e t , e e gs CONTENTS

’ Thor and Loki in the Giants City How Thor and Loki BefooledThrym the Giant ’ E gir s Feast : How Thor Trium phed ’ o t urse hat It Brou ht The Dwarf s H ard, and he C t g

’ WIrcn s HEART Foreboding in Asgard Loki the Betrayer Loki against the [Esir The Valkyrie The Children of Loki ’ Baldur s Doom ’ Loki s Punishm ent

Swonn or rm : VOLSUNGS AND THE TWILIGHT or ru n Gons ’ i u Youth I . S g rds

The Sword Gram the D o afnir 2 . and rag n F ’ The D a on s Blood 3 . r g

The tor of Si m un d Si n 4. S y g and g y

The Stor of Si m un dandSin ﬁotli 5 . y g

The Sto of the en eance of th o 6. ry V g e V lsungs and of Death of Sinﬁotli

Bryn hild in the House of Flam e Sig urd at the House of the Nibelung How BrynhildWas Won for Gunnar

The Dea h of i t o. t S g urd e I I . Th Twilight of the Gods

NCE there was another Sun and Moon ; a diﬁeren t Sun and a different Moon from the

as ones we see now. So] w the nam e of that Sun an d ani was a a M the n me of th t Moon . But s i and i alway beh nd Sol Man wolves went, a wolf

behin d each . The wolves caught on them at last and they devoured 5 01 and Mani . And then the world was in darkness and cold .

In those tim es the Gods lived, Odin and Thor, Hodur and Bal ur a d i d , Tyr and Heim dall, Vid r an Val , as well as Loki , the doer of goodand the doer of evil. And the beautiful Goddesses

vi Sif . i were li ng then , Frigga, Freya , Nanna , Iduna, and But n the days when the Sun and Moon were destroyed the Gods were destroyed too all the Gods except Baldur who had

3 CHILDREN OF ODIN di i i ed before that tim e, Vidar and Val , the sons of Od n , and

di of . Mo and Magni , the sons Thor in At that time , too, there were men and women the world But before the Sun and the Moon were devoured and before the i i in . Gods were destroyed , terr ble th ngs happened the world Snow fell on the four corners of the earth and kept on falling for

i . three seasons . Winds came and blew everyth ng away And the people of the world who had lived on in spite of the snow and il i the cold and the winds fought each other , brother k l ng brother , until all the people were destroyed .

im Also there was another earth at that t e, an earth green i and beautiful . But the terr ble winds that blew levelled down

ﬁr e forests and hills and dwellin gs . Then came and burnt the earth . There was darkness, for the Sun and the Moon were

i i . i devoured . The Gods had met w th the r doom And the t me in i h in wa R wh ch all t ese th gs happened s called agnarok, the

Twilight of the Gods . Then a new Sun and a new Moon appeared and went travelling through the heavens ; they were more lovely than Sol and Mani ,

i in and no wolves followed beh nd them chase . The earth became

i i in green and beaut ful aga n, and a deep forest that the ﬁre had

r an d not bu nt a woman a man wakened up . They had been i i i R h dden there by Od n and left to sleep dur ng agnarok, the i i Tw l ght of the Gods.

’ ’ Lif was s Lifthrasir a the woman name , and w s the man s . T u hey moved thro gh the world, and their children and their THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 5

’ hi r i n c ld en s ch ldren made people for the ew earth . And of the i i di Gods were left V dar and Vali , the sons of Od n , and Mo i and Magn , the sons of Thor ; on the n ew earth Vidar and Vali found tablets that the older Gods had written on and had left there for them , tablets telling of all that had happened before R agnarok , the Twilight of the Gods .

he h i t e i i And t people w o l ved after Ragnarok , h Tw l ght of the

in Gods , were not troubled, as the people the older days were i troubled, by the terrible beings who had brought destruct on upon the world and upon men and women, and who from the beginning had waged war upon the Gods . 6 CHILDREN OF ODIN

LWAYS there had been war between the Giants and the Gods between the Giants who would

have destroyed the world and the race of men, and the Gods who would have protected the race of men and would have made the world more

beautiful . i There are many stor es to be told about the Gods, but the ﬁrst one that shall be told to you is the one about the building of their City . The Gods had made their way up to the top of a high moun tain and there they decided to build a great City for themselves that THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 7

ia the G nts could never overthrow. The City they would call “ ” r i h a Asga d, wh c means the Pl ce of the Gods . They would build it on a beautiful plain that was on the top of that high

i . m ounta n And they wan ted to raise round their City the i s h ghest and stronge t wall that had ever been built . Now one day when they were beginn ing to build their halls i s i and the r palace a strange be ng came to them . Odin, the

Father of the Gods, went and spoke to him . What dost ” thou want on the Moun tain of the Gods ? he asked the

Stranger . “ ha is in i I know w t the m nd of the Gods, the Stranger said . i i . i They would bu ld a C ty here I cannot bu ld palaces, but I i can bu ld great walls that can never be overthrown . Let m e i ” bu ld the wall round your City . “ How long will i t take you to build a wall that will go round i ” our C ty ? said the Father of the Gods . “ i ” i A year , 0 Od n , sa d the Stranger . Now Odin knew that if a great wall could be built around it the Gods would not have to spend all their time defending their i i if C ty , Asgard, from the G ants, and he knew that Asgard were protected ,he hi mself could go amongst men and teach them and

n help them . He thought that o payment the Stranger could ask f would be too much for the buildin g o that wall . t That day the Stranger came o the Council of the Gods, and he swore that in a year he would have the great wall built . Then Odin made oath that the Gods would give hi m what he asked in 8 CHILDREN OF ODIN payment if the wall was ﬁni shed to the last stone in a year from that day .

The Stranger went away and came back on the morrow . It was the ﬁrst day of Summer when he started work . He brought no one to help him ex cept a great horse . Now the Gods thought that thi s horse would do no more than drag blocks of stone for the building of the wall . But the horse

in i did more than this . He set the stones the r places and mor i i tared them together . And day and n ght and by l ght and

d l isi dark the horse worked, an soon a great wal was r ng round the palaces that the Gods themselves were building . “ What reward will the Stranger ask for the work he is doing ” n e for us ? the Gods asked o another . “ Odin went to the Stranger . We marvel at the work you and ” i in r . your horse are do g fo us, he sa d No one can doubt that the

i i ﬁr great wall of Asgard w ll be bu lt up by the st day of Summer . ” do ou i ? l a it a What reward y cla m We wou d h ve re dy for you . wa i The Stranger turned from the work he s do ng, leaving the to i k great horse p le up the bloc s of stone . 0 Father of the i “ di Gods, he sa d, O O n, the reward I shall ask for my work is wh the Sun and the Moon , and Freya, o watches over the ﬂowers f ” and grasses , or my wife . e i i ri Now wh n Od n heard th s he was te r bly angered,for the price for his the Stranger asked work was beyond all prices . He went amongst the other Gods who were then building their shining palaces wi thin the great wall and he told them what reward

1 0 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i take the Sun and the Moon , Sol and Man , and Freya away with hi m .

. li But Loki was n ot disturbed . He kept tel ng the Gods that his he would fin d a way to prevent hi m from fin ishing work, and thus he would make the Giant forfeit the terrible price he had led Odin to promi se hi m . All fi i It was three days to Summer time . the wall was n shed i except the gateway . Over the gateway a stone was st ll to be

i hi s placed . And the G ant , before he went to sleep , bade horse haul up a great block of stone so that they m ight put it above

i ﬁn i the gateway in the morn ng , and so sh the work two full days before Summer .

i . vadilfare It happened to be a beautiful moonlit n ght S , the

’ i in G ant s great horse, was haul g the largest stone he ever hauled

i i hi m when he saw a l ttle mare come gallop ng towards . The great horse had never seen so pretty a li ttle mare and he looked at her with surpri se “ Svadilfare i , slave, sa d the li ttle mare to him and went i i fr sk ng past . Svadi lfare put down the stone he was haulin g and called to li “ the ttle mare . She came back to him . Why do you call ‘ Svadi lfare i me , sa d the great horse . “ Because you have to work night and day for your master i “ i . r i i in sa d the l ttle mare 3 He keeps you wo k ng , work ng, work g, and never lets you enjoy yourself You dare not leave that stone i down and come and play w th me . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 1 1

t it ? i Svadilf Who old you I dare not do sa d are . I ’ t ” know you daren t do i , said the little mare and she _ , i ran th k cked up her heels and across e moonli t meadow . Now the truth is that Svadi lfar e was tired of workin g day an d night . When he saw the little m are go galloping off he becam e suddenly di scontented . He left the stone he was hauling on the ground . He looked round and he saw the little mare looking

hi m back at . He galloped after her .

He did not catch up on the little mare . She went on swiftly

h m i before i . On she went over the moonl t meadow, turning

an i and looking back now daga n at the great Svadilfare,who came

D u i - i heavily after her . own the mo nta n s de the mare went, and

lf o i in hi s i in Svadi are , who n w rejo ced l berty and the freshness of i the wind and in the smell of the ﬂowers, st ll followed her . With ’ the m orm ng s light they came near a cave and the li ttle mare went

. Svadilfare a into it . They went through the cave Then c ught

an i up on the li ttle mare d the two went wander ng together, the i of little mare telling Svadilfare stor es the Dwarfs and the Elves .

in it i They came to a grove and they stayed together , the l ttle mare playing so nicely wi th hi m that the great horse forgot all hi in i about time passing . And w le they were the grove the G ant

in for hi s . was going up and down , search g great horse i i He had come to the wall in the morn ng, expect ng to put the stone over the gateway and so ﬁnish hi s work . But the stone Svadil that was to be lifted up was n ot near him . He called for

i did n ot . f or fare, but h s great horse come He went to search 1 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

n i - i him , and he searched all down the mou ta n s de and he searched did as far across the earth as the realm of the Giants . But he not

fin dSvadilfare . The Gods saw the first day of Sum mer come and the gateway i if it of the wall stand unfinished . They sa d to each other that were not fini shed by the evening they need n ot give Sol and Mani

i his i . The s to the Giant, nor the ma den Freya to be w fe hour of the summer day went past and the Giant did not raise the

i . stone over the gateway . In the even ng he came before them “ “ di i . to Your work is not ﬁnished, O n sa d You forced us a l hard bargain and n ow we need not keep it with you . You shal ” n r i not be given Sol and Mani o the ma den Freya . “ it Only the wall I have built is so strong I would tear down ,

He i said the Giant . tr ed to throw down one of the palaces, but the Gods laid hands on him and thrust hi m outside the wall “ ” he had built . Go, and trouble Asgard no more, Odin com

m an ded.

Then Loki returned to Asgard . He told the Gods how he had transformed hi mself into a little mare and had led away l ’ adilfare i Sv , the G ant s great horse . And the Gods sat in their golden palaces behin d the great wall 1 and rejoiced that their

i was C ty now secure, and that no enemy could ever enter it

it. i or overthrow But Od n, the Father of the Gods, as he sat

his was in his upon throne sad heart, sad that the Gods had got i w i i the r all bu lt by a tr ck ; that oaths had been broken , and that a had in i i in blow been struck njust ce Asgard. THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 1 3

N Asgard there was a garden, and in that garden

n there grew a tree, and o that tree there grew shining

kn owst - apples . Thou , O well loved one , that every day that passes makes us older and brings us to that

i l - day when we w l be bent and feeble, grey headed

- ini andweak eyed . But those sh ng apples that grew I4 CHILDREN OF ODIN in“ Asgard they who ate of them every day grew never a day older, for the eating of the apples kept old age away . i inin Iduna, the Goddess, tended the tree on wh ch the sh g a n u pples grew . None would grow o the tree nless she was there

i i . to tend it . No on e but Iduna m ight pluck the sh n ng apples Each morning she plucked them an dleft them in her basket and every day the Gods and Goddesses came to her garden that they might eat the shin in g apples and so stay for ever young . All da Iduna never went from her garden . day and every y i she stayed in the garden or in her golden house beside t, and all d r i ay and eve y day she listened to Brag , her husband, tell a i story that never had an end . Ah, but a t me came when Iduna and her apples were lost to Asgard , and the Gods and Goddesses old H w felt age approach them . o all that happened shall be

- ll . told thee, O we beloved

di of in O n , the Father the Gods, often went to the land of men

i in i to watch over the r do gs . Once he took Lok with him , Loki ,

f F r the doer o good and the doer of evil . o a long time they went tr lin f avel g through the world o men . At last they came near

lm Jotunheim , the rea of the Giants .

as It w a bleak and empty region . There were no growing

i n ot wi i . i th ngs there, even trees th berr es There were no b rds,

n o ni . i there were a mals As Od n, the Father of the Gods, and i of of i Lok , the doer good and the doer ev l, went through this i reg on hunger came upon them . But in all the land arou nd they saw i noth ng that they could eat . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 1 5

i n i in Lok , ru n ng here and runn g there ,came at last upon a herd r i . c in on of w ld cattle eep g up them, he caught hold of a young

il him . bull and k led Then he cut up the ﬂesh into strips of meat .

i t ﬁre i i He l g h ed a and put the meat on sp ts to roast . Wh le the i di f meat was be ng cooked, O n , the Father o the Gods, a little a ﬂ i i w y o , sat th nk ng on the thin gs he had seen in the world of men . Loki made himself busy putting more and more logs on the

r in ﬁ e. At last he called to Od , and the Father of the Gods came

ﬁre and sat down near the to eat the meal .

But when the meat was taken oﬁ the cooking - spits and when

it w a m i Odin went to cu t it, he foun d that as still r w. He s led at

f r i Loki o thinking the meat was cooked, and Lok , troubled that he had made a mi stake, put the meat back , and put more logs

ﬁr i i oﬁ i - i upon the e . Aga n Lok took the meat the cook ng sp ts and called Odin to the meal .

ki him Odin , when he took the meat that Lo brought ,found that “ i it was as raw as if it had never been put upon the ﬁr e . Is th s

i ? e ai . a tri ck of yours, Lok h s d Loki was so angry at the meat being un cooked that Odin saw hi s un he was playing no tricks . In h ger he raged at the meat and

i i - i he raged at the ﬁr e . Aga n he put the meat on the cook ng sp ts

E r and put more logs on the ﬁre . ve y hour he would take up the

i n ow i it off meat, sure that t was cooked , and every t me he took Odin would fin d that the meat was as raw as the first th e they took it off the fire . x 6 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Now Odin knew that the meat must be un der some enchant

hi s ment by the Giants . He stood up and went on way, hungry h but strong . Loki , however, would not leave the meat t at he had put back on the ﬁre . He would make it be cooked, he de

r u . cla ed, and he would not leave that place h ngry

as The dawn came and he took up the meat again . As he w lifting it off the ﬁr e he heard a whirr of wings above his head .

Looking up , he saw a mighty eagle, the largest eagle that ever

n i appeared i the sky . The eagle c rcled round and round and ’ “ ? came above Loki s head . Canst thou not cook thy food

t him the eagle screamed o . “ ” i i I cannot cook it, sa d Lok . i it if I w ll cook for thee, thou wilt give me a share, screamed the eagle . “ it i i Come, then, and cook for me, sa d Lok . i i The eagle c rcled round unt l he was above the ﬁre . Then

i hi s in it ﬁre ﬂapp ng great w gs over , he made the blaze and blaze . A heat that Loki had never felt before came from the burning logs . In a minute he drew the meat from the spits and found it was well cooked . “ i My share, my share, g ve me my share, the eagle screamed

him . at He ﬂew down , and seizing on a large piece of meat

iz i it . on nstantly devoured He se ed another piece . Piece after piece he devoured until it looked as if Loki would be left wi th no

f r hi meat o s meal .

As iz the i i r in the eagle se ed on last p ece Lok became ang y deed . r8 CHILDREN OF ODIN

The c was Miserable indeed was Loki upon that iceberg . old of l deadly . He could not die there , for he was one the Dwel ers in Asgard and death might not come to him that way . He i i i might not die, but he felt bound to that ceberg w th cha ns of cold .

him is i After a day hi s captor came to , not as an eagle th t me ,

in Thi i i . but his own form, ass the G ant “ i i i i Wouldst thou leave th ne ceberg, Lok , he sa d, and return to thy pleasant place in Asgard ? Thou dost delight in

on e - f to . Asgard, although only by hal dost thou belong the Gods i i Thy father , Loki , was the W nd G ant “ i i i 0 that I might leave this iceberg , Lok sa d, w th the tears i freezing on h s face . “ Thou mayst leave it when thou showest thyself ready to ” “

i Thias i . i pay thy ransom to me , sa d s Thou w lt have to get ” me the shining apples that Iduna keeps in her basket . “ ’ ” f r hia si i ki . I can n ot get Iduna s apples o thee , T s , sa d Lo ”

i i Thiassi i . Then stay upon the ceberg, sa d the G ant He went away and left Loki there with the terrible win ds bu ﬁ etin g him as with blows of a ham mer .

i i him hi When Thi ass came aga n and spoke to about s ransom ,

is i hin i Loki said, There no way of gett ng the s ng apples from ’ Idun aﬁ “ a 0 n i i i i There must be some w y, cun ng Lok , sa d the G ant .

el i i is i Iduna, although she guards w l the sh n ng apples , s mple ” “ i i . minded, sa d Lok It may be that I shall be able to get her THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 1 9

i to go outs de the wall of Asgard . If she goes she will bring her

i i i for sh n ng apples w th her , she never lets them go out of her hand except when she gives them to the Gods and Goddesses ” to eat . “ it i i Make so that she w ll g o beyond the wall of Asgard , sa d i “ the G ant . If she goes ou tside of the wall I shall get the apples

- from her . Swear by the World Tree that thou wilt lure Iduna it i beyond the wall of Asgard . Swear , Lok , and I shall let thee 7 ) g o

it Y drassil - I swear by g , the World Tree , that I will lure Iduna f if ” beyond the wall o Asgard thou wilt take me off this iceberg , i sa d Loki .

Thi assi i i i i Then changed h mself nto a m ghty eagle, and tak ng

i in hi s hi m i Lok talons,he ﬂew With over the stream that d vides i i Jotunheim , the Realm of the G ants , from M dgard, the World

n f i i of Men . He left Loki o the ground o M dgard , and Lok then went on hi s way to Asgard . Now Odin had already returned and he had told the Dwellers

' ’ in Asgard of Loki s attempt to cook the enchanted meat . All laughed to thin k that Loki had been left hungry for all hi s cun

i ki so i ni ng . Then when he came nto Asgard loo ng fam shed, they thought it was because Loki had had nothing to eat . They

him i laughed at him more and more . But they brought nto the Feast Hall and they gave hi m the best of food with wine out

’ was in of Odin s wine cup . When the feast over the Dwellers ’ Asgard went to Iduna s garden as was their wont . 20 CHILDREN OF ODIN

There sat Idun a in the golden house that opened on her garden .

Had she been in the world of men, every one who saw her would

ei who have remembered their own innocence ,se ng one was so i i . a fa r and good She had eyes blue sthe blue sky , and she sm led

' as if she were remembering lovely things she had seen or heard .

The basket of shining apples was beside her . ‘

T0 each Godand Goddess Iduna gave a shining apple . Each i one ate the apple given, rejoicing to th nk that they would never i of i become a day older . Then Od n , the Father the Gods, sa d

i in i f the runes that were always sa d pra se o Iduna, and the

’ l n i Dwe lers in Asgard went ou t of Idu na s garden, each o e go ng

his to or her own shining house . i All went except Lok , the doer of good and the doer of evil .

i in i i Lok sat the garden , watching fa r and s mple Iduna . After a i i “ i l wh le she spoke to him and sa d, Why dost thou st l stay here, Wise Loki ? “ “ To look well on thine apples, Loki said . I am wondering if the apples I saw yesterday are really as shining as the apples ” in that are thy basket . “ in as i i i There are no apples the world sh n ng as m ne,

Iduna . “ a The apples I s w were more shinin g , said Loki . ” an d they smelled better , Iduna .

' ki Iduna was troubled at what Lo , whom she deemed so wise,

told her . Her eyes ﬁlled with tears that there might be more “ ” s i i in “ an . i h n ng apples the world th hers O Lok , she said , it THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD zr

. cannot be No apples are more shining, and none sm ell so s oﬁ sweet , as the apple I pluck the tree in my garden . “ i “ Go , then, and see, sa d Loki . Just outside Asgard is the tree that has the apples I saw . Thou, Idun a, dost never leave so h thy garden, and t ou dost not know what grows in the world . i ” Go outs de of Asgard and see . “ i i ” ai d I w ll go, Lok , s Iduna, the fair and simple . i DUNA went outs de the wall of Asgard . She went to the place Loki had told her that the apples grew

in . she i But as looked th s way and that way, Iduna ar i i i he d a wh rr of w ngs above her . Look ng up ,

saw i she a m ghty eagle, the larges t eagle that had

in ever appeared the sky .

She drew back towards the gate of Asgard . Then the great

u r i eagle swooped down ; Id na felt he self l fted up , and then she was i ied be ng carr away from Asgard, away, away ; away over ' i li an d M dgard where men ved, away towards the rocks snows of i Jotunheim . Across the r ver that ﬂows between the World of Men and the Realm of the Giants Iduna was borne . Then the eagle ﬂew into a cleft in a mountain and Iduna was left in a cavernous

ﬁr hall lighted up by column s of e that burst up from the earth . Theeagle loosened his grip on Idun a and she sank down on the i ground of the cavern . The w ngs and the feathers fell from i ia him and she saw her captor as a terr ble G nt . “ i off Oh , why have you carr ed me from Asgard and brought ” me to this place ? Iduna cried . 2 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

ai Thiassi That I m ight eat your shining apples, Iduna, s d

ian the G t . “ i m That will never be , for I will not g ve the to you ,

Iduna . “ r Give m e the apples to eat, and I shall car y you back to ” Asgard . i no, that cannot be . I have been trusted w th the ” shining apples that I might give them to the Gods only . “ ” i iassi Then I shall take the apples from you, sa d Th the

He took the basket out of her hands and opened it . But when he touched the apples they shrivelled under his hands .

‘ n He left them in the basket and he set the basket dow , for he knew n ow that the apples would be no good to him unless Iduna gave them to him with her own hands . “ You must stay with me here until you give me the shining ” i . apples, he sa d to her Then was poor Iduna frightened : she was frightened of the str ange cave and frightened of the ﬁre that kept bursting up out

ri of the earth and she was f ghtened of the terrible Gian t . But above all she was frightened to think of the evil that would fall upon the Dwellers in Asgard if she were not there to give them the shini ng apples to eat . i The Giant came to her aga n . But still Iduna would not

i him in i . in g ve the sh ng apples And there the cave she stayed, i the G ant troublin g her every day . And she grew more and THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 23 more fearful as she saw in her dreams the Dwellers in Asgard go i to her garden go there, and not being g ven the shining apples, feel and see a change coming over themselves and over each other .

was n It as Iduna saw it i her dreams . Every day the Dwellers

' in Asgard went to her garden Odin and Thor, Hodur and

T r an d l i Baldur , y Heim da l , V dar and Vali , with Frigga, Freya,

n if . Na na, and S There was no on e to pluck the apples of their tree . And a change began to come over the Gods and Goddesses. They no longer walked lightly ; their shoulders became bent ;

i n - the r eyes o longer were as bright as dew drops . And when they looked upon one another they saw the change . Age was

in com ing upon the Dwellers Asgard . They knew that the tim e would come when Frigga would be ’ grey and old ; when Sif s golden hair would fade ; when Odin i would no longer have hi s clear w sdom , and when Thor would not have strength enough to raise and ﬂin g hi s thunderbolts .

And the Dwellers in Asgard were saddened by thi s knowledge, and it seemed to them that all brightness had gone from their i i sh n ng City . Where was Iduna whose apples would give back youth and strength and beauty to the Dwellers in Asgard ? The Gods had searched for her thr ough the World of Men . No trace of

di i his wi her did they ﬁn d. But now O n , search ng through sdom, saw a means to get knowledge of where Iduna was hi dden .

n Hu in i hi s He summoned hi s two rave s , g and Mun n , two ravens that ﬂew through the earth and through the Realm of the Giants 24 CHILDREN OF ODIN and that knew all things that were past and all things that were i to come . He summoned Hugin and Mun n and they came , and one sat on his right shoulder and on e sat on his left shoulder and they told him deep secrets : they toldhim of Thi assi and of hi s desire for the shi ning apples that the Dwellers in Asgard ate, and ’

i i f i . of Lok s decept on o Iduna, the fair and s mple What Odin learnt from his ravens was told in the Council i i of the Gods . Then Thor the Strong went to Lok and la d

i in i hands upon hi m . When Lok found himself the gr p of the i “ i ? strong God, he sa d, What wouldst thou w th me, O Thor “ I would hurl thee in to a chasm in the g round and strike i d ” i “ thee w th my thun er, sa d the strong God . It was thou who i i it ” d dst br ng about that Iduna went from Asgard . “ ” i i do n ot O Thor , sa d Lok , crush me with thy thunder . ” t in . i i to Let me s ay Asgard I w ll str ve win Iduna back . “ ” “ of i i The judgement the Gods, sa d Thor, s that thou, the

i on e o to cunn ng , shouldst g Jotunheim, and by thy craft win

r Iduna back from the Giants . Go o else I shall hurl thee into a ” chasm and crush thee with my thun der . “ ”

i . I will g o, sa d Loki i i of di ROM Fr gga, the w fe O n , Loki borrowed of t the dress falcon feathers hat she own ed . He

i f in it clad h msel , and ﬂew to Jotunheim in the

form of a falcon . He searched through Jotunheim until he found ’ Thiassi s k S adi . daughter , He ﬂew before Skadi

26 CHILDREN OF ODIN

falcon and the sparrow with the great eagle pursuing them . They knew who they were Loki and Idun a with Thi assi in pursuit .

As they watched the eagle wingin g nearer and nearer , the Dwellers in Asgard were fearful that the falcon and the sparrow would be caught upon and that Iduna would be taken again by i ﬁ wi Thiassi . They l ghted great res upon the wall, kno ng that

ri i i Loki would ﬁn d a way through the ﬁres, b ng ng Iduna w th

im hi assi fin d . h , but that T would not a way i The falcon and the sparrow flew towards the fires . Lok d went between the flames and brought Iduna with him . An

hi a si to fi fin i n o T s , com ing up the res and d ng way through , l beat his wings against the flames . He fel down from the wall and the death that came to him afterwards was laid to Loki .

in Thus Iduna was brought back to Asgard . Once aga she in to sat the golden house that opened her garden , once again

hin i off she plucked the s ng apples the tree she tended, and once

in again she gave them to the Dwellers Asgard . An d the

in k i i i Dwellers Asgard wal ed l ghtly aga n , and br ghtness came into their eyes and into their cheeks ; age no more approached li them ; youthcame back ; ght and joy were again in Asgard . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 27

in ir n r LL who dwelt Asgard, the [Es and the Asy iu , h w o were the Gods and the Goddesses, and the i i Van r , who were the fr ends of the Gods and the

i i . Goddesses , were wroth w th Lok It was no

i him f r wonder they were wroth w th , o he had let the Giant Thi assi carry ofI Iduna and her golden i it i apples . St ll, must be told that the show they made of the r

i hi in wrath made Loki ready to do more m sc ef Asgard . One day he saw a chance to do mischief that made his heart

in i . Sif i i rejo ce , , the w fe of Thor , was ly g asleep outs de her 2 8 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i i . i house . Her beaut ful golden ha r ﬂowed all round her Lok knew how much Thor loved that shini ng hair , and how greatly

’ hi s Sif prized it because of Thor s love . Here was chance to do a

i in hi s cut great m i schief . Sm l gly, he took out shears and he ff did o the shinin g hair , every strand and every tress . She not i waken whi le her treasure was being taken from her . But Lok i ’ left S f s head cropped and bare . i i Thor was away from Asgard . Com ng back to the C ty of the

in hi . Sif hi i n ot Gods , he went to s house , s w fe, was there to

l t if n welcome him . He cal ed o S , but o glad answer came from of her . To the palaces all the Gods and Goddesses Thor went,

- d ﬁn d i . but in none of them di he Sif, hi s golden haired w fe When he was coming back to his house he heard hi s name

ﬁ ou t i whispered . He stopped, and then a gure stole from beh nd i a stone . A ve l covered her head, and Thor scarce knew that

if hi s i . . this was S , w fe As he went to her she sobbed and sobbed “ ” i “ O Thor, my husband , she sa d, do not look upon me . I am ashamed that you should see me . I shall go from Asgard and f from the company o the Gods and Goddesses , and I shall go

artheirn i n down to Sv and l ve amongst the Dwarfs . I can ot bear ” of in n that any the Dwellers Asgard should look upon me ow . if ” “ O S , cried Thor, what has happened to change you ? ” “ i of i I have lost the ha r my head, sa d Sif, I have lost the Y beautiful golden hair that you, Thor , loved . ou wi ll not love me any more, and so I must go away, down to Svartheirn and to

n . u the compa y of the Dwarfs They are as gly as I am now. THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 29

Then she took the veil off her head and Thor saw that all her i i was . hi beaut ful ha r gone She stood before m , shamed and “ it did sorrowful, and he grew into a m ighty rage . Who was ” “ Sif ? . this to you , he said I am Thor , the strongest of all the

in all Dwellers Asgard, and I shall see to it that the powers the i Gods possess will be used to get your fairness back . Come w th

” ’

if . i hi in hi off me , S And tak ng s wife s hand s, Thor went to the

Council House where the Gods and the Goddesses were .

i n ot Sif covered her head with her ve l, for she would have the

Gods and Goddesses look upon her shorn head . But from the ’ anger in Thor s eyes all saw that the wrong done to Sif was i of i great indeed . Then Thor told of the cutt ng her beaut ful “ i i . was hair . A whisper went round the Counc l House It Lok di d this n o on e else in Asgard would have done a deed so

i to . shameful , one sa d the other ” “ hi him i . Loki it was who didit, sa d Thor He has dden self, but I shall ﬁnd him and I will slay hi m . “ ” T i i o . Nay, not so, hor , sa d Od n, the Father of the G ds

l in . l Nay, no Dwel er Asgard may slay another I shal summon

i s for to hi m Loki to come before us here . It you make !and remember that Loki is cunning and able to do many thi ngs)bring ” back to Sif the beauty of her golden hai r . in a Then the call of Odin, the call that all Asgard h ve to

i . i it harken to ,went through the C ty of the Gods Lok heard , and he had to come from hi s hi di ng - place and enter the house where e the Gods held their Council . And wh n he looked on Thor and 30 CHILDREN OF ODIN

s i saw the rage that was in hi eyes, and when he looked on Od n s and saw the sternn ess in the face of the Father of the God , he kn ew that he would have to make amends for the shameful wrong he had done to Sif . “ s i i Said Odin, There i a th ng that you, Lok , have to do ” Restore to Sif the beauty of her hair . i saw Loki looked at Odi n, Lok looked at Thor, and he that

His ui i what was said would have to be done . q ck m nd searched to ﬁnd a way of restoring to Sif the beauty of her golden hair . “ ” - do ou m di All i . I shall as y com and, O n Father, he sa d UT before we tell you of what Loki did to restore

’ the beauty of Sif s golden hair, we must tell you of the other beings besides the Gods and the God i desses who were in the world at the time . F rst, who there was the Vanir . When the Gods were called the [E sir came to the mountain on whi ch

i . they built Asgard, they found other be ngs there These were not wicked and ugly like the Giants ; they were beautiful and friendly ; the Vani r they were named . Although they were beautiful and friendly the Vani r had no

of i i or thought mak ng the world more beaut ful more happy .

diﬂered ZEsir In that way they from the who had such a thought .

[Esir The made peace with them, and they lived together in i i i to do hi fr endsh p , and the Van r came t ngs that helped the [Esir

i ul to make the world more beaut f and more happy . Freya, whom the Giant wanted. to take away with the Sun and the Moon as a THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 3 1

ildi of reward for the bu ng the wall round Asgard , was of the

ni . i Va r The other be ngs of the Vani r were Frey, who was the

i . brother of Freya, and N ord, who was their father

— i On the earth below there were other beings the da nty Elves, ho w danced and ﬂuttered about,attending to the trees and ﬂowers i E and grasses . The Van r were permitted to rule over the lves .

th in Then below e earth , caves and hollows,there was another race,

or i the Dwarfs Gnomes, l ttle, twisted creatures, who were both wicked and ugly, but who were the best craftsmen in the world . In the days when neither the ZEsir nor the Vani r were friendly ’ arth i to him Loki used to go down to Sv eim , the Dwarfs dwell ng

n o to below the earth . And w that he was commanded restore

of m i to Sif the beauty of her hair, Loki thought help he ght get from the Dwarfs .

in di in Down, down , through the w ng passages the earth he a to went, and he came at l st where the Dwarfs who were most friendly to hi m were working in their forges . All the Dwarfs ’ - hi s friéhds were master sm i ths, and when he came upon he found i i them working hammer and tongs, beat ng metals nto many hil of i shapes . He watched them for a w e and took note the th ngs they were making . One was a spear, so well balanced and made that it would hi t whatever mark it was thrown at no matter how ul bad the aim the thrower had . The other was a boat that co d

ul so it sail on any sea, but that co d be folded up that would go ’ Th was Gun ni r into one s pocket . e spear called g and the boat was called Skidbladni r . 32 CHILDREN or ODIN

i i i i i Lok made h mself very agreeable to the Dwarfs, pra s ng the r work and prom i sing them things that only the Dwellers in Asgard

i hi . could g ve, t ngs that the Dwarfs longed to possess He a il li t l t lked to them t l the ttle, ugly folk thought that hey wou d come to own Asgard and all that was in it . “ ﬁn e At last Loki said to them, Have you got a bar of gold that you can hammer into threads into threads so ﬁn e that i of if ’ ? they will be like the ha r S , Thor s wife Only the Dwarfs

so . is . could make a thin g wonderful Ah , there the bar of gold

m e n e ill Ha mer it into those fin threads, a d the Gods th mselves w be jealous of your wor ’ in Flattered by Loki s speeches, the Dwarfs who were the forge took up the bar of fin e gold and flung it into the fire . Then taking it out and putting it upon their anvil they worked on the bar with their tiny hamm ers until they beat it into threads that

’

i . s were as ﬁn e as the ha rs of one s head But that wa not enough . ’ ﬁn e ai on i h They had to be as as the h rs S f s head , and t ese were

n on ﬁner than a ythi ng else . They worked the threads , over and ’ ﬁn i on i over again, until they were as e as the ha rs S f s head . The

i un i i threads were as br ght as s l ght, and when Lok took up the mass of worked gold it ﬂowed from hi s raised hand down on

so ﬁn e it i hi the ground . It was that could be put nto s palm ,

it so i i i n ot its i and was l ght that a b rd m ght feel we ght . i i Then Lok pra sed the Dwarfs more and more, and he made

i . a more and more prom ses to them He charmed them all, l

t a i dl n d i i n d though hey were n unfr en y a a susp c ous folk . A

34 CHILDREN OF ODIN

‘ i T was then that Loki ,with the wish of making the zEs r

him and the Vanir friendly to once more,brought out the wonderful thi ngs he had gain ed from the Dwarfs

— u n nir - the spear G g and the boat Skid bladnir . The

sir ni r hi ul ZE and the Va r ma velled at t ngs so wonderf .

i a din t Lok g ve the spear as a gift to O , and o Frey, h i of ni w o was ch ef the Va r, he gave the boat Skidbladn ir . All Asgard rejoiced that things so wonderful and so helpful

to . i had been brought them And Lok , who had made a great i show in giving these gifts, said boast ngly THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD . 35

None but the Dwarfs who work for me could make such

hi . nh t ngs There are other Dwarfs , but they are as u andy as i they are m sshapen . The Dwarfs who are my servants are the ” l who on y ones can make such wonders .

i in his Now Lok boastfulness had said a foolish thing . There

D r m were other warfs besides those who had worked fo hi , and on e of nk i these was there in Asgard . All u nown to Lok he

’ in f to stood the shadow o Odi n s seat, listening what was

i i . s i be ng sa d Now he went over to Loki , hi l ttle, unshapely

in i h — i of form trembl g w t rage Brock, the most sp teful all the

Dwarfs . “ i li in . Ha, Lok , you boaster, he roaired, you e your words

i ul to ou is Sindr , my brother, who wo d scorn serve y , the best ” smi th in Svartheim . The [Esir and the Vani r laughed to see Loki outfaced by Brock the Dwarf in the m i ddle of hi s boastfulness . As they laughed

Loki grew ang ry . “ ” i i n Be silent, Dwarf , he sa d, your brother w ll k ow about ’ h smith s work when he goes to the Dwarfs w o are my friends , ” and learns somethin g from them . “ He learn from the Dwarfs who are your friends ! My brother ” Sindri learn from the Dwarfs who are your friends ! Brock “ i ou roared, in a greater rage than before . The th ngs y have brought out of Svartheim would not be noticed by the E sir and the Vani r if they were put beside the thi ngs that m y brother ” Sindri can make . 36 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Sometime we will try your brother Sindri and see what he ” i can do , sa d Loki . “ “ ’ Try n ow , try n ow , Brock shouted . I ll wager my head

hi s ill l rs in against yours, Loki , that work w make the Dwel e ” Asgard laugh at your boastin g . ” i . a i i . I will take your w ger, sa d Lok My head aga nst yours And glad will I be to see that ugly head of yours off you r m i s ” shapen shoulders . “ ’ The [Esir will judge whether my brother s work is n ot the

rth i l it best that ever came ou t of Sva eim . And they w l see to

ou i ki off . that y w ll pay your wager, Lo , the head your shoulders ” i in in ? Will ye n ot s t judgement, O Dwellers Asgard “ ” sit in i in We will judgement, sa d the [Es Then , still full

r w to Svartheim of rage, Brock the Dwa f went do n , and to the place where hi s brother Sin dri worked .

RE i i in hi s i HE was S ndr glow ng forge, workin g

wi i m m i th bellows and anv l and ha ers bes de hi m , him of a — il and around masses met l gold and s ver,

i . hi s a copper and ron Brock told t le, how he had ’ wagered hi s head against Loki s that Sindri could make things more wonderful than the spear i and the boat that Loki had brought nto Asgard . “ i in a ou i i i i You were r ght wh t y sa d, my brother, sa d S ndr ,

and you shall not lose your head to Loki . But the two of us to must work at what I am goin g forge . It will be your work to keep the ﬁre so that it will nei ther blaze up n or di e down for a THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 37 i s i . ou ngle nstant If y can keep the ﬁr e as I tell you, we will

. Now o forge a wonder , br ther, keep your hands upon the

ﬁre bellows, and keep the under your control .

i ﬁr e i i Then nto the S ndr threw, n ot a piece of metal , but a ’ i i . hi s ki t p g s sk n Brock kept hands on the bellows, wor ng i so

ﬁr e i i f r i in that the ne ther d ed down nor blazed up o a s ngle stant .

And in the glowing ﬁre the pig - skin swelled itself into a strange shape .

was in But Brock not left to work the bellows peace . Into ’ ﬂew - ﬂ i on the forge a gad y. It l ghted Brock s hands and

s . hi s i tung them The Dwarf screamed with pain , but hands st ll

l f r held the be lows , workin g it to keep the fire steady o he knew . , t a - fl i i to il hat the g d y was Loki , and that Loki was str v ng spo ’ i - S n dri s . fl his work Again the gad y stung hands , but Brock, hot i although hi s hands felt as if they were pierced with rons , still worked the bellows so that the fire did not blaze up or die down for a single instant . O Sindri came and looked into the fire . ver the shape that

- ﬂ was rising there he said words of magic . The gad y had ﬂown

hi s i . away, and Sindri bade brother cease work ng He took ﬁr out the thing that had been shaped in the e, and he worked i over it with his hamm er . It was a wonder ndeed a boar,

ul air i all golden, that co d ﬂy through the , and that shed l ght from its bristles as it ﬂew Brock forgot the pain in hi s hands ” i is of and screamed with joy. Th s the greatest wonders, he “ in will i sai d . The Dwellers Asgard have to g ve the judgement 3s CHILDREN or ODIN

i i ’ ! l i ’ aga nst Loki . I shall have Lok s head I shal have Lok s head !” “ in istl But S dri said, The boar Golden Br e may not be judged as great a wonder as the spear Gun gnir or the boat Skidbladnir .

We must make something more wonderful still . Work the

ﬁre di e bellows as before, brother, and do not let the down or blaze up for a single instan Then Sindri took up a piece of gold that was so bright it lightened up the dark cavern that the Dwarfs worked in . He

f i the ﬁr threw the piece o gold nto e . Then he went to make ready something else and left Brock to work the bellows .

- ﬂ did n ot n it The gad y ﬂew in again . Brock k ow was there

n i it i on of hi s hi m u t l l ghted the back neck . It stung till Brock

i hi hi m ti l felt the pa n was wrenc ng apart . But s l he kept hi s

on ki it so ﬁre i hands the bellows, wor ng that the ne ther blazed

r i i up nor died down fo a sin gle instant . When S ndr came to

in ﬁre n ot for i look to the , Brock was able to speak pa n . Agai n Sindri said magic words over the gold that was being

it u smelted in the ﬁre . He took o t of the glow and worked it on in - i h in i h over the ma anv l . T en a wh le e showed Brock “ hin i i of somet g that looked l ke the c rcle the sun . A splendi d

” “ ’ - - in i . arm r g, my brother, he sa d An arm ring for a God s

An d i i i . hi r ght arm th s r ng has dden wonders . Every ni nth

i i i i i i i - n ght e ght r ngs l ke tself w ll drop from th s arm ring, for this ” s Drau nir in f i p , the R g o Increase . “ i of o i l To Od n, the Father the G ds , the r ng shal be given, THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 39

An d sai d Brock . Odin will have to declare that nothing so wonderful or so proﬁtable to the Gods was ever brought into

i nni Asgard . O Lok , cu ng Loki , I shall have thy head in spite of thy tri cks . i Be not too hasty, brother, sai d S ndri . What we have

is done so far good . But better still must be the thi ng that will make the Dwellers in Asgard gi ve the judgement that delivers ’

i . Lok s head to thee Work as before , brother, and do not let ” ﬁr the e blaze up or di e down for a sin gle instant .

This time Sindri threw into the ﬁre a bar of iron . Then he went away to fetch the hamm er that would shape it. Brock

l hi s worked the bel ows as before, but only hands were steady, for every other part of him was trembling with ex pectation of the ’ - gad ﬂy s sting .

- the it He saw the gad ﬂy dart into forge . He screamed as

n hi m i out it i ﬂew round and rou d , search ng a place where m ght i on hi s sting him most fearfully . It l ghted down forehead,

ﬁr i it i just between his eyes . The st st ng gave took the s ght

i an d wi from hi s eyes . It stung aga n Brock felt the blood ﬂo ng

ﬁll . i his down . Darkness ed the cave Brock tr ed to keep hands

did k ﬁre was steady on the bellows, but he not now whether the

i i ri . blazing up or dying down . He shouted and S ndr hur ed up Sindri said the magic words over the thin g that was in the “ ” “ in i it ou t . ﬁr e . Then he drew An stant more, he sa d, and

ﬁre the work would have been perfect . But because you let the di e down for an in stant the work is not as good as it might have 40 CHILDREN OF ODIN

H ed in ﬁre i been made . e took what was shap the to the ma n i i ’ i anv l and worked over t . Then when Brock s eyes ght came

all i . back to hi m he saw a great hammer, a hamm er of ron The handle did not seem to be long enough to balance the head . This was because the ﬁr e had died down for an instant while it w s i a be ng formed . “ The m s M r i i it is ham er i Iolni , said S ndr , and the greatest

All in of the things that I am able to make . Asgard must

i i i it. rejo ce to see this hammer . Thor only w ll be able to w eld Now I am not afraid of the judgement that the Dwellers in wi i ” Asgard ll g ve . “ The Dwellers in Asgard will have to give judgement for us, i “ ou t . Brock cr ed They will have to give judgement for us , and f ” o i m . the head Lok , my tor entor , will be given me “ No more wonderful or more proﬁtable gi fts than these have ” “

i i ri i . is ever been brought nto Asgard, S nd sa d Thy head saved, and thou wilt be able to take the head of Loki who was i nsolent to us . Bri n g it here , and we will throw it into the ﬁr e ” in the forge . HE [Esir and the Vanir were seated in the Council House of Asgard when a train of Dwarfs appeared f . o i before them Brock came at the head the tra n , and he was followed by a band of Dwarfs carrying

thin gs of great weight . Brock and hi s attendants

stood round the throne of Odi n, and harkened to

words of the Father of the Gods .

42 CHIL DREN OF ODIN triumphantly at Loki who was standin g there with hi s lips drawn closely together .

- To i of a i . Od n ,the Father the Gods, Brock g ve the noble arm r ng Then he com m anded the attendi ng Dwarfs to lay before Thor

m u it the hamm er Mi olni r . Thor took the ham er up and sw ng

r An d di d so c . around hi s head . As he he uttered a great y the eyes of the Dwellers in Asgard lightened up when they saw Thor with the hammer Miolni r in hi s hands ; their eyes li ghtened i i up and from the r l ps came the cry, Thi s is a wonder, a wonder indeed ! With thi s hamm er in hi s hand none can withstand

a i . o Thor, our Ch mp on N greater thing has ever come into ” m i ni Asgard than the ham er M ol r . i Then Od n, the Father of the Gods, spoke from his throne, “ m i ni giving judgement . The ham er M ol r that the Dwarf Brock has brought into Asgard is a thin g wonderful in deed and ’ ﬁ a to . it i pro t ble the Gods In Thor s hands can crush mounta ns, i s and hurl the G ant race from the rampart of Asgard . Sindri the Dwarf has forged a greater thin g than the spear Gu ngni r

Skidbladnir . and the boat There can be no other judgement .

hi s i in . ow Brock looked at Lok , show g gnarled teeth N , Loki, ” yield your head, yield your head, he cried . ”

hin i di . Do not ask such a t g, sa d O n Put any other penalty

i for i ou t ti on Lok mock ng y and ormen ng you . Make hi m

i to hi it is in hi s y eld you the greatest t ng that power to give . “ ” “ c Not so, not so , s reamed Brock . You Dwellers in Asgard would shi eld one another . But what of me ? Loki would have THE. DWELLERS IN ASGARD 43

a e m t k n y head had I lost the wager . Loki has lost his head to ” . him n ow me Let kneel down till I cut it oﬁ . i r ili h Lok came fo ward, sm ng wit closed lips . I kn eel before ” “ i . ff you, Dwarf, he sa d Take o my head. But be careful .

D o not touch my neck . I did n ot bargai n that you should touch

. d my neck If you o, I shall call upon the Dwellers in Asgard ” ni to pu sh you .

i n i ud Brock drew back w th a s arl . Is th s the j gem en t of the ” s ? God he asked. “ “ i m a ai n vi The bargan you de, Brock, s d O was a e l ” all its vi one, and e l consequences you must bear .

in i li Brock, a rage, looked upon Lok , and he saw that hi s ps

w ili . his ere sm ng He stamped feet and raged . Then he went “ i ai n t up to Lok and s d, I may o take your head, but I can do hi ” somet ng with your lips that mock me . “ ” do ? What would you , Dwarf asked Thor . ’ ” i “ Sew Loki s lips together, sa d Brock, so that he can do no

t s al You in more m is chief wi h hi t k. Dwellers Asgard cannot ” i n i w o . forb d me to do this . Do n, Lok , your knees before me Loki looked round on the Dwellers in Asgard and he saw that

their judgement was that he must kneel before the Dwarf . He “ hi s i knelt down with a frown upon brow . Draw your l ps ” i his i hi together, Loki , said Brock . Lok drew l ps together w le

his his eyes ﬂashed ﬁr e . With an awl that he took from belt

’ ou t i Brock pierced Loki s lips . He took a thong and t ghtened

in i ki . them together . Then tr umph the Dwarf looked on Lo 44 CHILDREN OF ODIN

” “ o i i ou who O L k , he sa d, y boasted that the Dwarfs worked

ou i i . for y were better craftsmen than S ndr , my brother Your

n w n words have been shown to be lies . And o you ca not boast for a while .

Then Brock the Dwarf, with great majesty, walked out of the i di a Counc l House of Asgard, and the atten ng Dw rfs marched i hi m in a beh nd in procession . Down the passages the e rth the

’ i . Dwarfs went, singin g the song of Brock s triumph over Lok An d in Svartheim it was told for ever after how Sindri and

Brock had prevailed . ’ li was In Asgard, n ow that Loki s ps were closed, there peace i and a respite from mischi ef . No one amongst the [Bs r or the Vanir were sorry when Loki had to walk about in silence wi th hi s head bent low. THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 45

was Lose

i i i ES, Lok went through Asgard s lent and w th head in i bent, and the Dwellers Asgard sa d one unto “ i wil ki the other , Th s l teach Lo to work no more ” di d n ot i m i schi ef . They know that what Lok had done had sown the seeds of m ischief and that these seeds were to sprout up and bring sorrow m the Gia a beautiful Vana Freya, to Freya who nt w nted 46 CHILDREN OF ODIN to carry off with the Sun and the Moon as payment for hi s buildi ng the wall around Asgard . Freya had looked upon the wonders that Loki had brought if ’ i into Asgard the golden thr eads that were S s ha r, and

’ Frey s boar that shed light from its bristles as it ﬂew . The gleam of these golden things dazzled her, and made her dream in the day tim e and the ni ght time of the wonders that she herself might possess . And often she thought, What wonderful thin gs the Three Giant Women would give me if I could bring myself to go to them on their

- mountain top. o hi i L ng ere t s, when the wall around their C ty was not yet

ui l i i b lt, and when the Gods had set up on y the court w th the r twelve seats and the Hall that was for Odin and the Hall that

or i was f the Goddesses, there had come into Asgard Three G ant

Women . They came after the Gods had set up a forge and had begun to work metal for their buildin gs . The metal they worked was i i i f pure gold . W th gold they bu lt Gladshe m, the Hall o Odi n,

i all i is and w th gold they made the r d hes and household ware . of Then was the Age Gold, and the Gods di d n ot grudge gold to

on e . n any Happy were the Gods then, and o shadow n or fore

din bo g lay on Asgard . But after the Thr ee Giant Women came the Gods began to

it . i value gold and to hoard They played w th it n o more . And a in t i ﬁr the h ppy nocence of he r st days departed from them . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 47

h At last the T ree were banished from Asgard . The Gods i turned the r thoughts from the hoarding of gold, and they built i i up the r C ty , and they made themselves strong .

An d now Freya, the lovely Vanir bride, thought upon the Giant Women and on the wonderful things of gold they had d i ﬂashe through the r hands . But not to Odur, her husband, did a she spe k her thoughts ; for Odur, more than any of the

in i other dwellers Asgard, was wont to th nk on the days of

d . happy innocence, before gold came to be hoarded an valued

Odur would not have Freya go near the mountain- top where the Three had their high seat . But Freya did n ot cease to think upon them and upon the “ u things of gold they had . Why sho ld Odur know I went to ” No on e il him . them P she said to herself . w l tell And what diﬂerence will it make if I go to them and gain some lovely thing for myself ? I shall not love Odur the less because I go ” my own way for once . i Then on e day she left their palace, leav ng Odur, her husband, a playing with their little child Hn ossa. She left the pal ce and h a hi in went down to the Earth . T ere she st yed for a w le, tend g il d the ﬂowers that were her char ge . After a wh e she aske the

Elves to tell her where the mountain was on which the Three

Giant Women stayed .

The Elves were frightened and would not tell her, although i she was queen over them . She left them and stole down nto wa the caves of the Dwarfs It was they who showed her the y 48 CHILDREN OF ODIN

her to the seat of the Giant Women, but before they showed the way they made her feel shame and misery . “ We will show you the way if you stay with us here, said one of the Dwarfs .

For how long would you have me stay P said Freya . ” rthe i r C in Until the cocks in Sva im crow, sa d the Dwa fs, los g “ round her . We want to know what the company of one of the “ ” i . Vanir is like . I will stay, Freya sa d Then on e of the Dwarfs reached up and put his arms roun d her i neck and kissed her with his ugly mouth . Freya tr ed to break “ n away from them, but the Dwarfs held her . You can ot go ” away from us n ow until the cocks of Svartheim crow, they said . Then one and then another of the Dwarfs pressed up to her i and kissed her . They made her s t down beside them on the heaps of ski ns they had . When she wept they screamed at her

. n ot i hi m and beat her One, when she would k ss on the mouth, o i bit her hands . S Freya stayed w th the Dwarfs un til the cocks of Svartheim crew . They showed her the mountain on the top of whi ch the Three banished from Asgard had their abode . The Giant Women sat “ overlooking the world of men . What would you have from ” i of ? on e who Gu lvei i us w fe Odur was called g sa d to her . Alas ! Now that I have found you I know that I should ask ” ou for y nought, Freya said . so CHILDREN or ODIN

a that she wore . And into the eyes of the Goddesses there came look of longing when they saw Brisingamen .

But Freya hardly stopped to speak to anyone . As swiftly as she could she made her way to her own palace . She would show herself to Odur and win hi s forgiveness . She entered her i shining palace and called to hi m . No answer came . Her ch ld ,

Hn i . the little ossa, was on the ﬂoor ,play ng Her mother took her in r i he on i i her a ms , but the ch ld, when s looked Br s ngamen, turned away cryin g .

n i f r Freya left H ossa down and searched aga n o Odur . He i was not in any part of their palace . She went nto the houses

in kin f r i i of all who dwelt Asgard , as g o t d ngs of him . None t knew where he had gone o. At last Freya went back to their

i i for palace and wa ted and wa ted Odur to return . But Odur

n did ot come . a i ’ One came to her . It w s a Goddess, Od n s wife, the queenly “ ” i f r i . i o Fr gga You are wa t ng Odur , your husband, Frigga “ i . i n ot to ou sa d Ah , let me tell you Odur w ll come y here . He

f hini i u i went, when for the sake o a s ng th ng yo dd what would

hi m n make u happy . Odur has gone from Asgard an d no one ” f r m knows where to search o hi . “ i l him si of i I w l seek out de Asgard, Freya sa d . She wept

i i Hn no more , but she took the l ttle ch ld ossa and put her in i ’ Fr gga s arms . Then she mounted her car that was drawn by two i cats , and journeyed down from Asgard to M dgard, the an Earth, to search for Odur her hu sb d . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD SI

EAR in ou and year t, and over all the Earth, Freya

in went search g and calling for the lost Odur . n She went as far as the bou ds of the Earth, where t she could look over o Jotunheim , where dwelt the Giant who would have carried her off with the Sun and the Moon as paym ent for the building l . in of the wal around Asgard But no place , from the end of the i i Ra nbow B frost, that stretched from Asgard to the Earth ,

of nh i did ﬁn to the boundary Jotu e m, she d a trace of her hus band Odur .

At last she turned her car towards Bifrost ,the Rainbow Bridge i that stretched from M dgard , the Earth , to Asgard , the Dwelling i . f r of the Gods He mdall, the Watcher o the Gods, guarded the

Rainbow Bridge . To hi m Freya went with a half hope ﬂu tter ing in her heart . l ” i i 0 Heimdal , she cr ed, O He mdall, Watcher for the Gods, ” speak and tell me if you kn ow where Odur is . Odur is in every place where the searcher has not come Odur is in every place that the searcher has left ; those who seek him

i i . will never ﬁn d Odur , sa d He mdall, the Watcher for the Gods i Then Freya stood on Bifrost and wept . Fr gga , the queenly

n of i of Goddess, heard the sou d her weep ng , and came out

Asgard to com f ort her . “ i i P i . Ah, what comfort can you g ve me , Fr gga cr ed Freya What com f ort can you give me when Odur will never be found ” by one who searches for him ? 5 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

” n Behold how your daughter, the chi ld Hn ossa, has grow , i i i sad Frigga . Freya looked up and saw a beaut ful ma den

n i i ri n sta d ng on Bifrost , the Ra nbow B dg er She was you g, more

i i r an d youthful than any of the Van r or the Asyn u , and her face her form were so lovely that all hearts became melted when they looked upon her .

S e i And Freya was comforted in her loss . h followed Fr gg a across Bifrost, the Rainbow Bridge, and came once again into the City of the Gods . In her own palace in Asgard Freya

ossa dwelt with Hn , her child . i St ll she wore round her neck Brisingamen, the necklace

n o that lost her Odur . But w she wore it, not for its splendor,

i the r but as a s gn of w ong she had done . She weeps, and her l on And tears become golden drops as they fa l the earth . by poets who know her story she is called The Beautiful Lady in a Te rs . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD { 53

ni i REY, chief of the Va r, longed to have s ght of his sister who had been from Asgard for so long . !You must know that this happened during the time when Freya was wandering through the

i . Now world,seek ng her husband, the lost Odur ) there was in Asgard a place from whi ch one 54 CHILDREN OF ODIN

" ' could overlook the world and have a glimpse of all who ’ was Hlidsk alf in wandered there . That place j , Od s lofty

- Watch Tower .

High up into the blue of the air that Tower went . Frey came to it and he knew that Odin All- Father was not upon

n i P ki Hlidskjalf . O ly the two wolves, Ger and re , that crouched ’ in beside Odin s seat at the banquet ,were there, and they stood ’ the way of Frey s entrance to the Tower . But Frey spoke to i ’ Geri and Preki in the lan guage of the Gods, and Od n s wolves had to let hi m pass . i i But , as he went up the steps with n the Tower , Frey , ch ef of

i i . the Vanir , knew that he was do ng a fateful th ng For none i of the H gh Gods, not even Thor , the Defender of Asgard , nor

- f Baldur , the Best beloved o the Gods , had ever climbed to the ’ top of that Tower and seated themselves upon the All- Father s “ if i ” seat . But I could see my s ster once I should be contented, “ i n o r to if sa d Frey to him self , and ha m can come me I look out ” on the world . ’ He came to the top of Hlidskjalf . He seated himself on Odin s

. sa i lofty seat . He looked out on the world He w M dgard , the

of i its n its World Men, w th houses and tow s, farms and people .

i i am i Beyond M dgard he saw Jotunhe m the Re l of the G ants ,

ri i its ain ter ble w th dark mount s and Its masses of snow and ice . i He saw Freya as she went upon her wander ngs , and he marked that her face was turned towards Asgard and that her steps were i leading towar ds the C ty of the Gods . I have contented myself THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 55

i Hlidsk i by look ng from jalf , said Frey to h mself , and no ” harm has come to me . But even as he spoke his gaze was drawn to a dwelling that

in stood the middle of the ice and snow of JOtunheim . Long he gazed upon that dwelling without knowing why he looked that f i way . Then the door o the house was opened and a G ant

i i i on ma den stood w th n the doorway . Frey gazed and gazed t ik her . So great was the beauty of her face that i was l e star

in f light that dark land . She looked from the doorway o the

i hi . house , and then turned and went w t n , shutting the door

’ Frey sat on Odin s high seat for long . Then he went down the f tw i P i steps o the Tower and passed by the o wolves , Ger and rek ,

ni i . that looked thr eate ngly upon h m He went through Asgard, but he found n o on e to please him in the City of the Gods . That

did n t to him for hi t ﬁ night sleep o come , s though s were xed upon the loveliness of the Giant maid he had looked upon . And when morni ng came he was ﬁlled with lonelin ess because he thought

He to Hlidsk alf i i i hi mself so far from her . went j aga n , th nk ng

n o to clim b the Tower and have sight of her once more . But w i P i i him the two wolves, Ger and rek , bared the r teeth at and

i in would not let him pass , although he spoke to them aga n the language of the Gods .

He went and spoke to wise Niord his father . She whom

son i i is you have seen , my , sa d N ord, Gerda, the daughter of

Yo i i i . the Giant Gym er . u must g ve over th nk ng of her Your love for her would be an ill thing for you . 56 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Why should it be an ill thing for me ? Frey asked . Because you would have to give that which you prize most ” for the sake of coming to her . “ ” T i i i s i . hat which I pr ze most, sa d Frey, my mag c sword ” i hi You will have to give your magic sword, sa d s father, i i the w se N ord . i i i his I will give t, sa d Frey, loosen ng hi s magic sword from belt . “ i i . Bethink thee, my son , sa d N ord If thou givest thy

Ra nar k sword, what weapon wilt thou have on the day of g ii , when the Giants will make war upon the Gods

Frey did not speak , but he thought the day of Ragnarok ff “ i i ” i was far o . I cannot l ve w thout Gerda, he sa d, as he turned away . E E in was i i H R was one Asgard who called Sk rn r . He was a venturesome being who never cared what

i n o on e ki he said or dd. To else but S rnir could Frey bring himself to tell of the trouble that had fallen on him the trouble that was the pun ishm en t for his placing himself on the seat

- of the All Father . ’

i i . Sk rn r laughed when he heard Frey s tale Thou, a Van , in love with a maid of Jotunheim ! This is fun indeed ! Will ye make a marriage of it ? ” “ Would that I might even speak to her or send a message of “

i . love to her , sa d Frey But I may not leave my watch over ” the Elves .

53 CHILDREN OF ODIN

KIR I i i N R rode across Bifrost, the Ra nbow Br dge, laughing ou t of hi s wide mouth and his blue eyes

i to . at He mdall , the Warder of th e Bridge Asgard

His m ighty horse trod the earth of Midgard,

and swam the river that divides Midgard , the

f n h im World o Men, from JOtu e , the Realm of

i on did the G ants . He rode heedlessly and recklessly , as he all

u t of i t e things . Then o the ron forests came h monstrous

' f i to hi m his m i wolves o Jotunhe m, tear and devour and ghty ’ f r i i in hi horse . It was well o Sk rn r that he had s belt Frey s

i it i m on mag c sword . Its edge slew and s gleam fr ghted the

n i i n hi s m i . strous beasts . On and o Sk rn r rode o ghty horse i Then he came to a wall of ﬁre . No other horse but hi s m ghty i i horse could g o through it . Sk rn r rode through the ﬁre and ’ r came to the dale in whi ch was Gym e s dwelling . An d n ow he was before the house that Frey had seen Gerda

’ on i Hlidsk alf i enter the day when he had Cl mbed j , Od n s Watch ’ i m r li Tower . The m ghty hounds that g uarded Gy e s dwel ng i of i came and bayed around h m . But the gleam the mag c sword

e i i hi k pt them away . Sk rn r backed s horse to the door , and

’ hi s ik i made horse s hooves str e aga nst it .

G m er in l i i i hi i i y was the feast ha l dr nk ng w th s G ant fr ends, and he did n ot hear the baying of the hounds n or the clatter , i that Sk rnir made before the door . But Gerda sat spinning

“ ’ ” with her maidens in the hall . Who comes to Gym er s door ? she said . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 59

i i i A warr or upon a m ghty horse , sa d one of the maidens.

E ne ven though he be an enemy and o who slew my brother, ’ yet shall we open the door to him and give him a cup of Gym er s ” i mead, sa d Gerda . One of the maidens opened the door and Skirnir entered ’ G m er s i . y dwell ng He knew Gerda amongst her m aidens . He went to her and showed her the rich gold and the precious “ u jewels that he had brought from Frey . These are for yo , i ” i “ if i fa rest Gerda, he sa d you wi ll g ve your love to Frey, i i the Ch ef of the Van r . “ i Show your gold and jewels to other ma dens, sai d Gerda. ” i i to i Gold and jewels w ll never br ng me g ve my love . i i Then Sk rn r the Venturesome, the heedless of his words ,

drew the magic sword from his belt and held it above her . i wh i i ” i G ve your love to Frey , o has g ven me th s sword, he sa d, f ” or meet your death by the edge o it . ’ er la i i Gerda, Gym s daughter , only ughed at the reckless Sk rn r . Make the daughters of men fearful by the sharpness of Frey ’ s ” “ ’ i n ot to i i sword, she sa d, but do try fr ghten a G ant s daughter ” with it . dl his Then Skirnir the Reckless, the hee ess of words, made the

hi i in i magic sword ﬂash before her eyes, w le he cr ed out a terr ble

voice, saying a spell over her

s Gerd, I will cur e thee ; thi m i Yes, with s ag c Blade I shall touch thee ; 60 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Such is its power ik hi That, l e a t stle, ’ Withered twill leave thee, Like a thistle the wind

Strips from the roof.

Hearing these terrible words and the strange hi ssings of the i magic sword, Gerda threw herself on the ground , cry ng out for

i i i and sw a e p ty . But Sk rn r stood above her, the magic ord ﬂ sh d

i i sa : and hissed over her . Sk rn r ng

More ugly I’ ll leave thee Than mai d ever was ; Thou wilt be mocked at By men and by Giants ; A Dwarf only will wed thee ; Now on this in stant

With this blade I shall touch thee, l And leave thee bespe led.

She lifted herself on her knees an d cried out to Skirnir to spare her from the spell of the magic sword . “ nl if i i i i i O y thou w lt g ve thy love to Frey, sa d Sk rn r . ” “ ill i im i I w g ve my love to h , sa d Gerda . Now put up thy

’ magic sword and drink a cup of mead and depart from Gym er s ” dwelling . “ I will not drink a cup of your mead nor shall I depart from ’ Gym er s dwelling until you yourself say that you will meet and speak with Frey . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 61

i I w ll meet and speak with him , said Gerda . ” When will you meet and speak with him ? asked Skirni r .

him In the wood of Barri nin e nights from thi s . Let come and meet me there . Then Skirnir put up his magic sword and drank the cup of mead

’ i m er s in that Gerda gave h . He rode from Gym house, laugh g

i won f r o in i aloud at hav ng Gerda o Frey, and s mak g the mag c sword his own for ever .

hi s KIRNIR the Venturesome, the heedless of

i i BifrOst on hi s i words , r d ng across m ghty horse, found Frey standin g waiting for hi m beside Heim

f i to . dall, the Warder o the Br dge Asgard i ? ” i What news dost thou br ng me cr ed Frey .

ki i dis Speak, S rn r , before thou dost mount from thine horse . “ In nine nights from thi s thou mayst meet Gerda in Barri ” hi m hi ou t hi s i ir i . Wood, said Sk n r He looked at ,laug ng of w de i mouth and his blue eyes . But Frey turned away, say ng to him self Long is one day ;

two. Long, long Can I live through Nin e long days ?

But i Long in deed were these days for Frey . the n nth day came, and in the evening Frey went to Barri Wood . And there he met

was i as n i . Gerda, the Giant ma d She as fa r when he had see 62 CHILDREN OF ODIN

’ her before the door of Gym er s house . And when she saw Frey , i i ’ so tall and noble look ng , the G ant s daughter was glad that Skirnir the Venturesome had made her prom ise to come to

i i f . was Barr Wood . They gave each other r ngs o gold It settled that the Giant maid should come as a bride to Asgard .

i is i i . Gerda came, but another G ant ma d came also Th s how that came to be

All the Dwellers in Asgard were standing before the great gate, i waiting to welcome the bride of Frey . There appeared a G ant

in maid who was not Gerda ; all armour was she . “ ” i “ kadi t e f T a si . I am S , she sa d, h daughter o hi s My father

f in i met hi s death at the hands o the Dwellers Asgard . I cla m ” a recompense . “ ou i ? i What recompense would y have, ma den asked Od n,

i n sm iling to see a Giant ma d standin g so boldly i Asgard . “ d A husband from amongst you, even as Gerda . An I myself ” must be let choose hi m . i of Skadi . i All laughed aloud at the words Then sa d Od n , “ i i l ou laugh ng , We w l let y choose a husband from amongst us, but you must choose hi m by hi s feet . “ hi m ou i l i ka I will choose whatever way y w l , sa d S di , ﬁxing

n i of all her eyes o Baldur, the most beaut ful the D wellers in

Asgard .

They put a bandage round her eyes, and the ZEsir and the h Vani r sat in a half circle around . As s e went by she stooped over each and laid hands upon their feet . At last she came to THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD

one whose feet were so ﬁnely formed that she felt sure it was

Baldur . She stood up and said “ is n This the o e that Skadi chooses for her husband .

Then the [Esir and the Vani r laughed more and more . They

off n t i took the bandage her eyes and she saw , o Baldur the Beaut i f kadi ful , but N ord , the father o Frey . But as S looked more and more on NiOrd she became more and more contented with

i for i in . her cho ce ; N ord was strong , and he was noble look g

’ two Ni kadi ﬁ to i in iOrd s These , ord and S , went rst l ve N palace by the sea ; but the coming of the sea m ew would waken

in Skadi too early in the morn g , and she drew her husband

to the mountain top where she was more at home . He would

for n ot live long away from the sound of the sea . Back and

i Skadi NiOrd ward, between the mounta n and the sea , and

r a in i went . But Ge da st yed Asgard w th Frey, her husband,

and the B sir and the Vanir came to love greatly Gerda, the

Giant maid . 64 CHILDREN OF ODIN

NOSSA, the child of Freya and the lost Odur, was

in the youn gest of all the Dwellers Asgard . And because it had been prophesied that the child would i br ng her father and her mother together, little Hn ossa was often taken without the City of the

BifrOst i Gods to stand by , the Ra nbow B ridge, so t if hi s r hat she m ight greet Odur steps tu ned towards Asgard . In all the palaces of the City of the Gods li ttle Hn ossa was

: in i i ri made welcome Fensal r, the Halls of M sts, where F gga,

i i - i i i the w fe of Od n All Father, sat sp nn ng w th golden threads ; in i i t e - Bre dabl k, where Baldur , h Well Beloved, lived with his

66 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i he sa d , and before Odin lived , earth and sea and sky were all In mixed together : What was then was the Chasm of Chasms .

f . the North there was Niflheim , the Place o Deadly Cold In In Niflheim i f i . the South there was Muspelhe m , the Land o F re there was a cauldron called Hveigilm er that poured ou t twelve i r vers that flowed into the Chasm of Chasms .

in nu rr a a f ﬁl i ice G g g p, the Chasm o Chasms, led up w th , for the waters of the rivers froze as they pou red into it . From Muspelheim came clouds of ﬁr e that turned the ice into thi ck f i . i l n m sts The m sts fel down again i drops o dew , and from these

i i . drops were formed Ym ir , the An c ent G ant “ i i i l i Ym r , the Anc ent G ant , trave led along by the twelve r vers until he came to where another living form was standin g in the f i i Cow . dh o mists . Th s was a G ant Au umla was the name that

m ir i her i on cow . Y lay down bes de her and drank m lk , and the

i ou t f milk she gave hi m he lived . Other be ngs were formed o the of dew that fell to the groun d . They were the Daughters the

i i i i on e i Frost, and Ym r , the Anc ent G ant, marr ed , and the r chi ldren were the Giants . One day Ymir saw Audhumla breathe upon a cli ff of ice and lick with her tongue the place she breathed on . As her tongue W ﬁ i ent over and over the place he saw that a gure was be ng formed .

’ It was n ot like a Giant s form ; it was more shapely and more

i in if i beaut ful . A head appeared the cl f and golden ha r fell over i i i a the ce . As Ym r looked upon the be ng that w s being formed he hated hi m for hi s beauty . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 67

u i ow in e A dhumla , the G ant C , went on lick g the place wher she had breathed . At last a man completely formed stepped

if . i n i i him so from the cl f Ym r , the A c ent G ant, hated much that

i m if he would have sla n hi then and there . But he knew that he

i . di d th s , Audhumla would feed him n o more with her milk Bur was the name of the man who was formed in the ice

ff ﬁ f n f i o . t i o m i o cl , Bur , the rst the heroes He , oo, l ved the lk i i Audhumla . He marr ed a daughter of the Ancient G ant and

’ n i m i he had a so . But Ym r and Y r s sons hated Bur, and the time came at last when they were able to kill him . “ ’ And now there was war between Ym i r and Ym ir s sons and

’ ’ in n the son and son s sons of Bur . Od was the son of Bur s so .

Odin brought all hi s brothers together , and they were able to

n destroy Ymir and all hi s brood all except o e . So huge was Ym ir that when he was slain his blood poured ou t in such a

in it m ighty ﬂood that hi s sons were all drowned , all except

m r h in i hi s i B erg el i ,w o was a boat w th w fe when the flood came, and who floated away on the flood to the place that we n ow call

tun heim of i . JO , the Realm the G ants “ Now Odin and his sons took the body of Ymir the vastest body that ever was and they ﬂung it in to the Chasm of

ﬁ li all i it . Chasms , l ng up the hollow places w th They dug the i i bones ou t of the body and they p led them up as the mounta ns . i They took the teeth ou t and they made them nto the rocks . They took the hair of Ym ir and they made it into the forests

hi s i of trees. They took eyebrows and formed them nto the 68 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i ’ i . place where Men now dwell, M dgard And out of Ym r s hollow skull they made the sky “ And Odin and hi s sons and brothers did more than thi s . They took the sparks and the clouds of ﬂame that blew from

i i un Muspelhe m, and they made them nto the s and the moon i and all the stars that are in the sky . Odin found a dusky G antess named Night whose son was called Day, and he gave both of i i them horses to dr ve across the sky . N ght drove a horse that is rim f named H ax e, Frosty Mane , and Day drove a horse that ’ kin f i i Hrim fax e s bit is named S ax e, Sh n ng Mane . From falls the drops that make the dew upon the earth . “ Then Odin and hi s sons made a race of men an d women an d gave them Midgard to live in . Ugly Dwarfs had grown up and had spread themselves over the earth . These Odin made go i in l l ve the hol ow places beneath the earth . The Elves he let i stay on the earth, but he gave them the tasks of tend ng the streams and the grasses and the ﬂowers . An d with the Vanir he made peace after a war had been waged , taking NiOrd from them for a hostage . “ B er elm ir i who i g , the G ant escaped drown ng in YIm r 3 blood ,

in im had sons and daughters Jotunhe . They hated Odin and his s ons and strove against them . When Odin lighted up the world

i the r w th sun and the moon they were ve y wroth, and they found u o of the ﬁercest of the m ighty wolves of Jotunheim and set

hem to . An d i follow them st ll the sun and the moon , Sol an d ” Ma i are Otunhe n , followed by the wolves of J im . THE DWELLERS IN ASGARD 69

did i i Such wonders He mdall w th the Golden Teeth tell Hn ossa,

in C i the youngest of the Dwellers Asgard . Often the h ld stayed i him R i w th by the a nbow B ridge, and saw the Gods pass to and

i : h from M dgard Thor , with is crown of stars, with the great

MiOl ir in hi s hammer n hands , with the gloves of iron that he used when be grasped MiOln ir Thor in his chariot drawn by two i i goats and wear ng the belt that doubled hi s strength ; Fr gga, i i i i i w th her dress of falcon feathers, ﬂy ng sw ftly as a b rd ; Od n

- hi - All Father mself, ridin g upon Sleipner , his eight legged steed,

in hi i clad all golden armour , with s golden helmet, shaped l ke an

hi s hi u n nir in his . eagle , upon head, and with s Spear G g hand i Heimdall kept hi s horn in the branch of a great tree . Th s tree

r Hn sa it was was called Ygd assil, he told little os , and a wonder

of i Y drassil to Gods and Men . No one knows a t me when g i it was not growin g , and all are afraid to speak of the t me when

will be destroyed . i Ygdrassil has three roots . One goes deep under M dgard, Otunheim i another goes deepunder J , and the th rd grows above ’ i Y drassil it is Asgard . Over Od n s hall a branch of g grows, and

called the Peace Bough . “ Hnossa You see Ygdrassil, little , but you do not know all

in its e a z the wonders of it . Far up branch s four st gs gra e ; they

shake from their horns the water that falls as rain upon the earth .

r il is i On the topmost branch of Ygd ass , the branch that so h gh it i that the Gods themselves can hardly see , there s an eagle that i is knows all things . Upon the beak of th s eagle a hawk perched ,

a hawk that sees what the eyes of the eagle may not see. 7o CHILDREN OF ODIN

The root of Yg dr assil that is in Midgard goes deep down to

Nid- the place of the dead . Here there is an evil dr agon named t

c ro ri in hogg that gnaws onstantly at the pt, st v g to destroy

Y dra il f i s . g s , the Tree o trees An d Ratatosk, the Squ rrel of

i Y drassil M schief behold him n ow ! runs up and down g , making trouble between the eagle above and the dragon below . He goes to tell the dragon how the eagle is bent upon tearing him to pieces and he goes back to tell the eagle how the dragon

t hi in NidhO plans o devour m . The stories that he br gs to g g

Y drassil make that evil dragon more ﬁerce to destroy g , f the Tree o trees, so that he may come upon the eagle and

hi m devour . “ r i s There are two wells by the roots of Yg d assil, and one

n n i in above and o e is below . O e is bes de the root that grows

i is it i i . f Jotunhe m Th s a Well o Knowledge, and s guarded by

i h in u t f i old Mimir the W se . W oever dr ks o o th s well knows of

i l l is all the th ngs that wi l come to be . The other we l by the

n in i root that grows above Asgard . No o e may dr k out of th s i . hr i t well The t ee s sters that are the holy Norns guard , and they

i it Y r il take the wh te water from to water gd ass , that the Tree of

i i l li Hn ossa is L fe may keep green and strong . Th s we l, ttle ,

’ ” called Urda s Well . ’ And little Hn ossa heard that by Urda s Well there were two i beautiful white swans . They made a mus c that the Dwellers

Hn ossa too in Asgard often heard . But was young to hear the ’ music that was made by the swans of Urda s Well . THE DWELLERS IN: ASGARD g :

W0 ravens had Odin All- Father ; Hugin andMunin were their names ; they ﬂew through all the worlds r da i A ard e eve y y, and com ng back to sg th y would ’ i in an d him : l ght on Od s shoulders . tell of all the

thin gs they had seen and heard . And once a day i b passed without the ravens com ng ack. Then

- li k alf i i Odin, standing on the Watch Tower H ds j , sa d to h mself :

I fear me for Hugin, o Lest he come n t back, o But I watch more f r Munin.

AdaypasSedan dthe ravens ﬂew back . They sat, one on each of

- i i hi s shoulders . Then di d the All Father go nto the Counc l Hall 72 CHILDREN OF ODIN

an d that was beside Glasir, the wood that had leaves of gold, harken to what Hugin and Munin had to tell him . di They told him only of shadows an d forebodings . O n All Father did not speak to the Dwellers in Asgard of the things

i his in hi they told him . But Fr gga, Queen, saw s eyes the shadows an d forebodings of things to come . And when he spoke to her i about these things she sa d, Do not strive againstwhat must take ’ o who sit place . Let us g to the holy Norns by Urda s Well and see if the shadows and the forebodings will remain when you have looked in to their eyes . And so it came that Odin and the Gods left Asgard and ’ Y dras il came to Urda s Well, where , under the great root of g s , wo i the three Norns sat, wi th the t fa r swans below them .

in Od went, and Tyr, the great swordsman, and Baldur, the

i e most beaut ful and the best beloved of th Gods, and Thor, with his Hammer . i i i A Ra nbow Br dge went from Asgard, the C ty of the Gods,

i . R in to M dgard, the World of Men But another a bow Bridge, i i more beaut ful and more tremulous st ll, went from Asgard to ’ dras that root of Yg sil underwhichwasUrda s Well . This Rainbow

Bridge was seldom seen by men . And where the ends of the two i i i ra nbows came together He mdall stood, He mdall with the o G lden Teeth, the Watcher for the Gods, and the Keeper of the ’ Way to Urda s Well . “ i i - Open the gate , He mdall, sa d the All Father, open the

- i i r gate, for to day the Gods would v s t the holy No ns .

74 CHILDREN “ OF ODIN

Thor looked out on the two great rolling rivers of cloud . It

as a n C ff . if w bad way for o e to go , old and su ocating Yet he Went that way he could keep on hi s shoulder the hammer whi ch ’ n n out i he would ot leave i another s charge . He stept nto the i ﬂ i i hi Cloud R ver that owed by the Ra nbow Bridge , and w th s hammer upon hi s shoulder he went strugglin g on to the other river . ’ T- r Odin , y , and Baldur were beside Urda s Well when Thor tr f i i cam e s uggling out o the Cloud R ver, wet and chok ng , but i e with his hammer st ll upon his shoulder . Th re stood Tyr,

i i n i i upr ght and handsome, lean ng o hi s sword that was nscr bed

i i i i his all over with mag c runes ; there stood Baldur , sm l ng , w th

' head bent as h e li stened to the murmur of the two fair swans ;

- in hi s ri and there stood Odi n All Father, clad blue cloak f nged wi h - his th golden stars , wit out the eagle helmet upon head,

‘ andwith no spear in hishands .

h r r a i Skulda i T e th ee No ns , Urd , Verdand , and , sat bes de the

in f Y d si well that was the hollow o the great root of g ras l. Urda

was an c e t i an d. it hi e ir an d di i n w h w t ha , Verdan was beautiful ,

Wi S da a le for she h le kul could h rdly be se n, sat far baCk, andher i ‘ faé e an d e . i ha r fell over her ey s Urda, Verdand , and Skulda n the f theyk ew whole o the Past, the whole of the Present, and the

w of . u . O i i t hole the F ture d n,look ng on hem,saw into the eyes a ku ld . he t of S even Long, long s ood looking on the Noru s with the e es d hi the e s i te t y n f a Go , w le oth r l s ned othe murmur of the

“ ’ s li of Y drassil i wans and the fal ng the leaves of g nto Urdas Well . THE D IN WELLERS . ASGARD 75

i i di Look ng nto their eyes,Odin saw the shadows and forebo ngs i that Hug n and Munin told him of take shape and substance .

now And others came across the Rainbow Bridge . They were i Sif f i Fr gga and and Nanna, the wives o Od n and Thor and

. ri rn di d Baldur F gga looked upon the No s . As she , she turned

e a glance of love and sadness upon Baldur, her son, and then Sh ’ drew back and placed her hand upon Nanna s head .

i in n i Od n turned from gaz g o the Norns , and looked upon Fr gga, “ r i hi s queenly wi fe . I would leave Asgard fo a while, w fe of ”

di i . O n, he sad ” i i . in i Yea, sa d Fr gga Much has to be done M dgard, the

World of Men . “ i I would change what knowledge I have into wisdom, sa d “ i will i Odi n , so that the th ngs that are to happen be changed nto ” the best that may be . “ ’ i i i i . You would go to M m r s Well , sa d Fr gga

’ ”

i i . I would go to Mim i r s Well , sa d Od n ” o i i . My husband, g , sa d Fr gga Then they went back over that Rainbow Bridge that is more beautiful and more tremulous than the one that men see from i i i the earth ; they went back over the Ra nbow Br dge, the B s r

s ur i ri T r and the A yni , Od n and F gga, Baldur and Nanna , y ,

Sif i . with hi s sword, and bes de Tyr As for Thor, he went

Ri Korm t Erm t his struggling through the Cloud vers and , hamm er Miolnir upon his shoulder .

n in was Little Hn ossa, the you gest of the Dwellers Asgard, 76 CHILDREN OF ODIN

t n in esi im Wa r for the there, s a d g b de He dall, the tche Gods and ’ - a the Keeper of the Bridg e to Urda s Well, when Odin All F ther i with ads and Fr gga, his Queen, went through the great gate he “ ” - Hnossa - bent . To morrow, heard Odin say, to morrow I shall be Veg tam the Wanderer upon the ways of Midgard and ” Jotunheim .

i i i on i ND so Od n, no longer r d ng Sle pner, hi s

eight- legged steed ; no longer wearing hi s golden

his - armour and eagle helmet, and wi thout even

his in hi s a l r i spear hand, tr ve led th ough M dgard, the World of Men,and made his way towards i of i Jotun he m , the Realm the G ants.

l i - No longer was he ca led Od n All Father, but Vegtam the of Wanderer . He wore a cloak dark blue and he carried a ’ An d n o traveller s staff in his hands . w, as he went towards

79 80 CHILDREN OF ODIN

s a Mimi r 5 Well, whi ch wa near to Jotunheim , he came upon

Giant riding on a great Stag.

' Odin seemed a man to men and a giant to giants . He went beside the Giant on the great Stag and the two talked together . t ? ” i i Who art thou, O bro her Od n asked the G ant . “ ” I am Vafthm dner, the wisest of the Giants, said the one

dn r h as ri i . i afthru e w o w d ng on the Stag Od n knew him then . V

ri was indeed the wisest of the Giants , and many went to st ve to gain wisdom from hi m . But those who went to hi m had to answer the riddles Vafthru dner asked, andif they failed to answer i i oﬁ the G ant took the r heads . “ “ I am Veg tam the Wanderer, Odin said , and I know who

fthrudn er . I ri thou art, 0 Va would st ve to learn something from thee .

i wi his . The G ant laughed , sho ng teeth Ho , ho, he said,

f r I am ready o a game with thee . Dost thou know the stakes P My head to thee if I cannot answer any question i thou wilt ask . And f thou canst not answer any question that

I ask th d s . may , en thy hea goe to me Ho, ho, ho . And now let us begin . “ I am ready, Odin said .

i afthru dn r Then tell me, sa d V e , tell me the name of the river that divides Asgard from Jotunheim “ ” Iﬂin is ri i di . g the name of that ver, sa d O n Iﬂin g that is ” dead cold, yet never frozen . a i tl ai Thou h st answered r gh y, O Wanderer, s d the Gian t .

CHILDREN OF ODIN

i no on e i draught from the Well of W sdom, but yet has g ven the

ri i I e i 0 i . p ce M mir asks . have answ red thy quest on, Od n ” Now give up thy claim to my head and let me go on my way . “ i i . I give up my claim to thy head, sa d Od n Then Vaf

hru n i his i i his t d er, the wisest of the G ants,went on way, r d ng on g reat Stag . T was a terrible price that Mim ir would ask for a

m he of i u draught fro t Well W sdom, and very tro bled

- l to him was Odin All Father when it was reveaed . His right eye ! For all time to be wi thout the sight of his right " eye ! Almost he would have turned

to s r . back Asgard, giving up hi quest fo wisdom

’ ’

i i . He went on, turning neither to Asgard n or to M m r s Well i And when he went towards the South he saw Muspelhe m , where

Su rtur m i i ho stood with the Fla ng Sword, a terr ble ﬁgure , w would

n i i in o e day jo n the G ants their war against the Gods . And when he turned North he heard the roaring of the cauldron Hverg elm er

as it i ou t iﬂheim of k . poured tself of N , the place dar ness and dread

' i n ot n u r r And Od n knew that the world must be left betwee S tu ,

ul it i ﬁre n d Niﬂh eim who wo d destroy w th , a , that would gather

t to hi . i back Darkness and Not ngness He, the eldest of the

t n Gods, would have owi the wisdom that would help to save the world .

so i hi s in hi s And , w th face stern front of loss and pain, Odi n ’ - r i i All Father tu ned and went towards M m r s Well . It was under the great root of Ygdrassil the root that grew out of Jotun

ODIN THE WANDERER 83

h i . i i f e m And there sat M m r, the Guardian o the Well of Wisdom, i hi s A w th deep eyes bent upon the deep water . nd Mim ir, who

n i m had dru k every day from the Well of W sdo , knew who it

t hi m was hat stood before . “ ” i i E of i Ha l , Od n, ldest the Gods , he sa d . i to ’ Then Od n made reverence Mim ir, the wisest of the world s ” i . I u i be ngs wo ld dr nk from your well , Mim i r, he said . “ is ri h There a p ce to be paid . All w o have come here to drink

u f i i have shr nk rom pay ng that pr ce . Will you, Eldest of the it ? ” Gods, pay “ wi ink i m i I ll not shr from the pr ce that has to be paid, Mi r,

i i - sa d Od n All Father . “ ”

ink i i . ﬁl Then dr , sa d M m ir He led up a great horn with

n i water from the well a dgave t to Odi n .

Odin took the horn in both hi s hands and drank and drank .

him An d as he drank all the future became clear to . He saw all the sorrows and troubles that would fall upon Men and o h d Gods . But he saw , to , why the sorrows and troubles a to

i so fall , and he saw how they m ght be borne that Gods and Men, ul by being noble in the days of sorrow and trouble, wo d leave off i in the world a force that one day, a day that was far ndeed, would destroy the evil that brought terror and sorrow and despair into the world . Then when he had drunk out of the great horn that Mim ir

s d to hi s had given hi m , he put hi han face and he plucked out

i i - his right eye . Terrible was the pa n that Od n All Father 84 CHILDREN OF ODIN

d hi s d endured . But he made no groan nor moan . He bowe hea and put his cloak before hi s face, as Mim ir took the eye and let And it sink deep, deep into the water of the Well of Wisdom . there the Eye of Odin stayed, shining up through the water, a sign to all who came to that place of the price that the Father of the Gods had paid for hi s wisdom . 8 ODIN THE WANDERER , 5

E hi s as NG , when wisdom w less great, Odin had

i in i hi l ved the world of men . Fr gga, s Queen, was

i hi m i i w th then ; they had l ved on a bleak sland, and they were known as Grim n er the Fisherman

hi s and wife . Always Odi n and Frigga were watchi ng over the i i u sons of men,watch ng to know wh ch ones they wo ld foster and train so that they might have the strength and spirit to save the hi world from the power of the Giants . And w le they were stay i i saw i ing on the bleak island, Od n and Fr gga the sons of K ng 86 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Hra‘ i i s udi ng , and both thought that n them the spir t of heroe

ul di nd i co d be fostered . O n a Frigga made plans to br ng the i i children to them, so that they m ight be under the r care and tra n

ﬁshi . r ing . One day the boys went ng A sto m came and drove their boat on the rocks of the island where Odi n an d Frigga lived . i They brought them to their hut, Odin and Fr gga, and they told them they would care for them and train them through the winter and that in the spri ng they would build a boat that would ’ “ a ” i carry them back to their father s country . We sh ll see, sa d “ i two can Od n to Frigga that night, we shall see which of the ” be formed into the noblest hero . He said that because Frigga favoured one of the boys and he , i l the bo A nar favoured the other . Fr gga thought we l of elder y, g , h i w o had a gentle voice and quiet and kindly ways . But Od n

r hi s thought more of the younger boy . Gei rod, name was , and he

i i i i . was strong and pass onate, w th ah gh and a loud vo ce i hi Odin took Ge rrodinto s charge, and he showed him how to

ﬁsh and hunt . He made the boy even bolder than he was by

hi m making leap from rock to rock, and by letting him climb i if i the h ghest cl fs and jump across the w dest chasms . He would bring him to the den of the bear and make him ﬁght for hi s life

im t h . wi th the spear he had made for Agna went to the chase,

i s. too, and showed his sk ll and boldnes But Geirrod overcame “ ” him in i . Geirrod i nearly every tr al What a hero w ll be, Odin would often say .

Agnat stayed often with Frigga . He wou ld stay beside her

88 CHILDREN OF ODIN

cliﬁs, he plunged in to the water and struck out towards the

t i i i . shore . And Agna , left w thout oars , went dr ft ng out to sea ’ Geirrod climbed the hi gh cliffs and came to his father s castle .

i hi s s King Hrau din g , who had g ven up both of son for lost,

Geirrod t was rejoiced to see hi m . told of Agna that he had fallen out of the boat on their way back and that he had been

i Hrau din hi s drowned . K ng g , who had thought both of sons were gone from him , was glad enough that one had come safe .

eirr i him i He put G od bes de on the throne , and when he d ed

Geirrodwas made King over the people . ’ im i ND now Odin , having drunk from M r s Well, f i went through the kin gdoms o men, judg ng Kings and simple people according to the wisdom i he had gained . He came at last to the k ngdom i that Geirrod ruled over . Od n thought that of

rr d all the Kings he had judged to be noble, Gei o would assuredly be the noblest . ’ i He went to the Kin g s house as a Wanderer , bl nd of one eye, ’ wearing a cloak of dark blue and wi th a wanderer s staff in his i ’ hands . As he drew near the K ng s house men on dark horses i ﬁ f di d hi came r ding behind him . The rst O the men not turn s horse as he came near the Wanderer, but rode on, nearly tram

i him pl ng to the ground . As they came before the King’ s house the men on the dark horses shouted for servants . Only one servant was in the stable .

He came out and took the horse of the ﬁrst man . Then the ODIN THE WANDERER 89

r e i othe s call d upon the Wanderer to tend the r horses . He had i to hold the st rrups for some Of them to dismount.

di who ﬁ was eirrod Ki O n knew the rst man was . He G the ng . wh And he knew o the man who served in the stable was . He ’ t Geirrods was Agna , brother . By the wisdom he had gainedhe ’ knew that Agnar had come back to his father s king dom in the guise of a servant, and he knew that Geirroddidnot know who this servant was .

en i d an d They w t nto the stable together . Agnat took brea

t an him too broke i and gave some to the W derer . He gave , ,

in hil i straw to seat himself on . But a w e Od n said, I would seat ’ ” myself at the ﬁre in the King s hall and eat my supper of meat . “ “ i t i . i Nay , stay here , Agna sa d I w ll g ve you more bread and a wrap to cover yourself wi th . Do not go to the door of the ’ - an d m i King s house, for the King is angry to day he ght repulse you . “ d e who How? said Odin . A King turn away a Wan er r ” comes to his door ! It cann ot be that he would do it ! “ ” - is an nat ai . i e him To day he gry, Ag s d Aga n he begg d not ’ di the to go to the door of the King s house . But O n rose up from straw on whi ch he was se ated and went to the door .

a an d it d . A porter , hunchb cked w h long arms,stood at the oor ’ e an d in Ki I am a Wanderer, and I would have r st food the ng s ” i . hall, Odin sa d ’ i the er. Not in thi s King s hall, sa d hunchbacked port He i the Ki would have barred the door to Odin , but the vo ce of ng 90 CHILDREN OF ODIN

in i l called hi m away . Od then strode nto the hal and saw the

hi s i - King at table with fr ends, all dark bearded , and cruel

di n looking men . An d when O n looked o them he knew that the boy whom he had train ed in nobili ty had become a King over robbers . “ in i Since you have come to the hall where we eat, s ng to us , ” “ n il i o e O . Wanderer, shouted f the dark men Aye, I w l s ng to ”

i in . f i you , sa d Od Then he stood between two o the stone p llars in the hall and he sang a song reproaching the King for havin g

i i lif in l fallen nto an ev l way Of e , and denounc g all for fol owing f the cruel ways o robbers .

“ ” ’ i e im i Se z h , sa d the Ki ng , when Odin s song was ﬁni shed . The dark men threw themselves upon Odin an dpu t chain s around “ him u hi m b i l f and bo nd etween the stone p l ars o the hall . He ” in t i for came to h s hall warmth, and warmth he shall have,

i eirr l hi rv sa d G od. He cal ed upon s se ants to heap up wood

hi m did hi i hi around . They t s . Then the K ng , with s own hand, put a blazing torch to the wood and the fagots blazed up aroun d the Wanderer .

him The fagots burned round and round . But the ﬁre di dnot

’ - burn the ﬂesh Of Odin All Father . The King and the King s i i fr ends stood round, watchin g w th delight the ﬁr es blaze round

. all a man The fagots burned away , and Odin was left standing there with hi s terrible gaze ﬁx ed upon the men who

so were hard and cruel .

to i hi m in They went sleep , leav ng cha ed to the pillars of

92 CHILDREN OF ODIN

The ﬂames died down and Geirrod and his friends saw before

n e i them,not a friendless Wanderer,but o who looked more k ngly i his that any King of the earth . The cha ns fell down from body

Geirrod and he advanced towards the evil company . Then rushed upon him with hi s sword in hand to kill him . The sword

i i . stru ck him , but Od n rema ned unhurt

i Thy l fe runs out, The Gods they are wroth with thee ; Draw near if thou canst ; di o O n th u shalt see.

in f hi e i eirrod hi s SO Odin sang, and , fear O s t rr ble gaze , G and

An d company shrank away . as they shrank away they were

i i . changed nto beasts, nto the wolves that range the forests

t r him i in And Agna came fo ward , and Od n declared to be K g .

u for All the folk were glad whenAg ar came to rule over them , they

Geirrod in his i n t had been oppressed by cruel re gn . And Ag a was i was i i in not only k nd, but he strong and v ctor ous his rule . DI O N THE WANDERER 93

was who i T the Dwarfs brewed the Mag c Mead, and it was ian s who hi it the G t d away . But it was Odin who brought it from the place where it was

i it e h dden and gave to th sons of men . Those

who dr Of i ank the Mag c Mead became very wise, and not only that but they could put their wisdom into such beautiful words that every one who heard would love i and remember t. The Dwarfs brewed the Magic Mead through cruelty and

i it . was v llainy. They made out of the blood of a man The man 94 CHILDREN OF ODIN

‘ ‘ ' had i su h b i Kvasir the Poet . He w sdom, and he had é eaut ful i i words wi th t, that what he sa d was loved and remembered by

Kvasir ir all. The Dwarfs brought down i nto the caverns and ” “ ’ i Kva ir s m . they killed hi there Now , they sa d, we have s ’ n s i blood and Kvasir s wisdom . NO o e else will have hi w sdom ” i i but us . They poured the blood nto three jars and they m xed

it i it i . w th honey, and from they brewed the Mag c Mead

Havin g killed a man the Dwarfs became more and more bold . They came ou t Of their caverns and went up and down through .

T in Otun heim i O . M dgard , the World f Men hey went to J , and began to play their evil tricks on the most harm less Of the Giants .

n i i lin They came upon o e G ant who was very simple . G l g

i r was his name . They persuaded G lling to ow them out to i D in . t o O sea a boat Then the w most cunn ng f the warfs , Galar

Fialar n t . and , steered the boat o o a rock The boat split .

il i n ot i n . The G l ng , who could sw m, was drow ed Dwarfs clam

on i f bered up p eces o the boat and came safely ashore . They were so delighted with their evil tricks that they wanted to play some more Of them . Galar and Fialar then thought of a new piece Of mi schi ef they i O D to i li ’ might do. They led the r band f warfs G l n g s house and

’ ou t to s i i i screamed hi w fe that G ll ng was dead . The Giant s wife began to weep and lament . At last she rushed out of the house weeping and clappin g her hands . Now Galar and Fialar

on in O had clambered up the l tel f the house, and as she came

n n u t n ru ni g o they cast a millstone o her head . It struck her

96 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i it i e in one else has . It would be well to get t, for m ght h lp us the battle against the Gods . Yes, I will get the Magic Mead ” from them .

Of r off He took the band Dwa fs the rock, but he held Galar a i i nd Pialar, their chi efs, wh le the others went into the r caverns

ttu n and brought up the jars Of the Magic Mead . Su g took the

Mead and brought it to a cavern in a mountain near hi s dwelling .

An i d thus t happened that the Magic Mead, brewed by the

i in the Dwarfs through cruelty and v lla y, came into the hands of

i t e r n ow i E G ants . And h sto y tells how Od n, the ldest of the

i in e tam Gods , at that t me the world as V g the Wanderer, took ’ the Magic Mead out of Suttun g s possession and brought it f into the world o men .

u n OW, S ttu g had a daughter named Gu nnlod, and she byher goodness and her beauty was like Gerda

and Skadi , the Giant maids whom the Dwellers in

Asgard favored . Suttung , that he might have a i guard an for the Magic Mead, enchanted Gun nlOd, turning her from a beautiful Giant maiden in to i i a w tch w th long teeth and sharp nails . He shut her in to the

O f i cavern where the jars the Mag c Mead were hidden . Odi n heard Of the death of Kvasir whom be honor ed above all men . The Dwarfs who slew him he had closed up in their caverns so that they were never again able to come out into the world of men . And then he set out to get the Magic Meac.

i i it s i it that he m ght g ve to men, so that, ta t ng , they would have ODIN THE WANDERER 97

i w sdom, and words would be at their comman d that would make i w sdom loved and remembered .

How Odin won the Magic Mead out of the rock - covered Suttun i cavern where g had h dden it, and how he broke the ’ Gunnl enchantment that lay upon Od, Suttun g s daughter, is a i is story wh ch often told around the hearths of men . INE strong thralls were mowing in a ﬁeld as a Wanderer went by clad in a dark blue cloak and ’ i in i carry ng a wanderer s staff h s hand . One “ of the thralls spoke to the Wanderer : Tell them in the house of Bangi up yonder that I can mow no more until a Whetstone to sharpen my scythe ” “ ” is . is i sent to me Here a Whetstone, sa d the Wanderer, and he took one from hi s belt . The thrall who had spoken whetted

o m hi s scythe with it and began t ow. The grass went down before “ if cu t i . hi s scythe as the wind had t Give us the Whetstone, ” give us the Whetstone, cried the other thralls . The Wanderer th threw the Whetstone amongst em, leaving them quarrelling

on his . over it, and went way

n The Wanderer came to the house of Ba gi , the brother of ’ in Bau i s s tim Su ttung . He rested g hou e , and at supper e he was And i was ea i i given food at the great table . wh le he t ng w th the

Giant a Messenger from the field came in . “ ” “ i e i t r a . Bangi , sa d th Messenger, your n ne h alls are all de d fi i in fi They killed each other with their scythes, ght ng the eld

W now . about a hetstone . There are no thralls to do your work

8 98 CHE DREN OF ODIN

h ? i Bau i . What shall I do, what s all I do sa d gi the G ant

n ow to My ﬁelds will not be mown , and I shall have no hay i ” feed my cattle and my horses in the w nter . “ ” i for ou i n . I m ght work y , sa d the Wa derer ’ ” i n o to i i One man s work s use me, sa d the G ant, I must ” have the work of nin e m en . “ of i i i I shall do the work n ne men, sa d the Wanderer, g ve ” me a trial, and see . ’ The nex t day Vegtam the Wanderer went into Bau gi s ﬁeld .

He did as much work as the nine thralls had done in a day . “ ” i “ i Stay with me for the season, sa d Bangi , and I shall g ve ” you a full reward . ’ SO Vegtam stayed at the Giant s house and worked in the ’ r Giant s ﬁelds, and when all the wo k of the season was done Ban gi said to hi m : “ i Speak now and tell me what reward I am to g ve you . ” i The only reward I shall ask Of you, sa d Vegtam , is a draught of the Magic Mea “ ” The Magic Mead ? sai d Baugi . I do not know where it ” n o i is r how to get t . “ Your brother Su ttun g has it . Go to him and claim a draught ” Of the Magi c Mead for me .

Raugi went to Suttun g . But when he heard what he had come for i Suttu n on his in , the G ant g turned brother a rage . “ f i M ? i “ A draught o the Mag c ead he sa d . To no on e will I give a draught Of the Magic Mead . Have I not enchanted my roo CHILDREN OF ODIN

O i i . S that is your boasted strength, G ant, he sa d

- i . have not bored half way through the rock . Work aga n Then Baugi took the auger again and he bored deeper and

in i it 10 ! hi s deeper to the rock . And he blew nto , and breath went through . Then he looked at the Wanderer to see what he would do ; hi s eyes had become ﬁerce and he held the ang er in s if it i hi hand as were a stabbing kn fe . “ ”

o of i . L ok up to the head the rock, sa d the Wanderer As Bangi looked up the Wanderer changed hi mself into a snake and i B gl ded into the hole in the rock . And augi struck at him with

i to ill him i . the auger, hop ng k , but the snake sl pped through BHIND the mighty rock there was a hollow place all lighted up by the shining crystals in the

rock . And within the hollow place there was an

ill - i i i look ng w tch, w th long teeth and sharp nails . But she sat there rocking herself and letting tears

fall from her eyes . 0 youth and beauty, she

i O f sang, O s ght men and women, sad , sad for me it is that

- you are shut away, and that I have only thi s closed in cavern i ” and th s horrible form . i A snake gl ded across the ﬂoor . Oh, that you were deadly and o i u i i . that y m ght slay me , cr ed the w tch The snake glided past ” . i : G her Then she heard a vo ce speak softly unnlOd, Gunn lOdl

She looked round, and there standing behi nd her was a majestic

in di the E man, clad a cloak of dark blue , O n , ldest Of the Gods . “ You have come to take the Magic Mead that my father has ODIN THE WANDERER t o:

“ it . R set me here to guard , she cried . You shall not have ather i it ” shall I sp ll out on the thirsty earth of the cavern . ” Gu n n lOd i him , he sa d, and he came to her . She looked at and she felt the red blood of youth come back into her cheeks . i She put her hands w th their sharp nails over her breast, and she “ i ri i i felt the na ls d ve nto her ﬂesh . Save me from all this ugl i ness, she cr ed . “ ill ou i i I w save y , Od n sa d . He went to her . He took her

. i o hands and held them He k ssed her n the mouth . All the marks il l of l favor went from her . She was no longer bent, but ta l and shapely . Her eyes became wide and deep blue . Her mouth became red and her hands soft and beautiful . She became as i i fair as Gerda , the G ant ma d whom Frey had wed. ki i They stayed loo ng at each other, then they sat down s de to E by side and talked softly each other , Odin, the ldest Of the i n nl i i . Gods, and Gu Od, the beaut ful G ant ma den She gave him the three jars of the Magic Mead and she told

wi him him she would go out Of the cavern th . Three days passed

i hi s i and still they were together . Then Od n by w sdom found hidden paths and passages that led out Of the cavern and he

Of brought GunnlOd out in to the light the day . And he brought with hi m the jars of the Magic Mead the Mead

i in ti whose taste gives wisdom , and w sdom such beau ful words l it . Gun n od that all love and remember And , who had tasted a i i li ttle of the Magic Mead , wandered through the world s ng ng

Of . of the beauty and the might of Odin, and her love for him roz CHILDREN OF ODIN

T was n ot only to Giants an d Men that Odin showed himself in the days when he went through JOtunheim

and Midgard as Veg tam the Wan derer . He met

n and he spoke with the Gods also, with o e who lived far away from Asgard and with others who

O ei came to Midgard and to J tunh m . h li The one w o ved far away from Asgard was Vidar, Odm s

i r i silent son . Far w thin a wilde ness, w th branches and tall grass

i him i . An d m grow ng around ,V dar sat near by hi a horse grazed

1 04 CHILDREN OF ODIN

And I have counselled the dwellers on earth to cut Oﬂ the

ﬁn er— i t e- i O i ﬁn er g na ls and the o na ls f the r dead, lest from those g nails and toe- nails the Giants make for themselves the ship Naglfar in which they will sail from the North on the day f O o Ragnarok, the Twilight f the Gods . “ i i to More, V dar, I w ll tell thee . 1 , livin g amongst men , have wed the daughter Of a hero . My son shall li ve as a mortal

i his . i hi m i amongst mortals S g name shall be . From shall spr ng who i ﬁll i heroes w ll Valhalla, my own hall in Asgard w th heroes against the day of our strife wi th the Giants and Wi th Sur tu r Of the Flaming Swor For long Odin stayed in that silent place communing with hi s i n i i s lent so , w th V dar, who with his brother would live beyond the lives of the Dwellers of Asgard and who would bring into another day and another world the memory of the [E sir

F r i m i . hi and the Van r o long Odin spoke w th , and then he went across the wilderness where the grass and the bushes grew and

in di for where that horse grazed rea ness the sudden journey . He went towards the sea- shore where the ZEsir and the Yanir were now for O r gathered the feast that ld E gi , the Giant Kin g of f the Sea, had o fered them . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 05

LL but a few of the Dwellers of Asgard had come

ff ir i to the feast o ered by [Eg the Old, the G ant

i . i u i K ng of the Sea Fr gga, the q eenly wife of Od n ,

was there, and Frey and Freya ; Iduna who

O B i guarded the Apples f Youth, and rag , her

iOrd husband ; Tyr, the great swordsman, and N ,

O kadi iOrd the God f the Sea, S , who wedded N and whose hatred

i ﬁ if i m for Lok was erce, and S , whose golden ha r was once sho

i . Off by Loki the mischievous . Thor and Lok were there The 1 06 CHILDREN OF ODIN

t in ZE ir Dwellers of Asgard, gathered toge her the hall of g , i wa ted for Odin . Before Odin came Loki made the company merry by the tales ki i hi s i that he told in mockery of Thor . Lo long s nce had l ps unloosed from the thong that the Dwarf Brock had sewn them

Sif . with . And Thor had forgotten the wrong that he had done to

n i i Loki had been with Thor i his wander ngs through Jotunhe m, and about these wanderin gs he n ow told mocking tales . He told how he had seen Thor in hi s chariot of brass drawn

BifrOst i i . Of by two goats g o across , the Ra nbow Br dge None the ZEsir or the Vanir knew on what adventure Thor was bent .

But Loki followed him and Thor kept hi m in hi s company . As they travelled on in the brass chariot drawn by the two

O n i . goats , Thor told Loki f the adventure o wh ch he was bent ’ i Otu nheim i i He would g o nto J , even nto Utgard, the G ants

i i . C ty, and he would try his strength against the G ants He

n ot i f m i for i Mi l was afra d O aught that ght happen , he carr ed O

ir hi n , s hammer , with him . i The r way was through Midgard, the World of Men . Once ,

n ni as they were trav elling o , ght came upon them as they were ’ u n h ngry and i need of shelter . They saw a peasant s hut and they drove the chariot towards it . Unyokin g the goats and

i di in l si ri leav ng them stan ng a hol ow be de the cha ot, the two,

ki n ot i in i loo ng l ke Dwellers Asgard , but l ke men travellin g

r Of bu through the count y , knocked at the . door the t and asked for food and shelter .

1 08 CHILDREN OF ODIN on i i i the ﬁre, and hold ng a blaz ng st ck so that those at the table i wa for him m ght see to eat . There s not much left when he was i i able to sit down , for Thor and Lok had great appet tes , and the

’ lad s father and mother had eaten to make up for days of want .

So Thialﬁ got little ou t of that plentiful feast .

When the meal was ﬁn ished they lay down on the benches .

r Thor, because he had made a long journey that day, slept ve y

n too hi s soundly . Thialﬁ lay dow on a bench , , but thoughts

s were still upon the food . When all were a leep , he thought, him he would take one of the bones that were in the skins above , and break and gnaw it . SO in the dead Of the night the lad stood up on the bench and

- took down the goat skin s that Thor had left so carefully there .

t f r He took out a bone, broke it, and gnawed i o the marrow .

i him d i m i i Lok was awake and saw o this , but he, rel shing sch ef as much as ever, didnothi ng to stay the lad . He put the bone he had broken back in the skins and he left

kin n ﬁr h the s s back i the hole above the eplace . T en he went

n to sleep o the bench . i In the morn ng , as soon as they were up , the ﬁr st thin g Thor did a i was to take the skins out of the hole . He c rr ed them care

Ou t fully to the hollow where he had left the goats standing .

a - wi in i He put e ch goat skin down th the bones t. He struck

wi hi s d each th hammer, an the goats sprang up alive , horns and hoofs and all .

on e was a o . i But not s he had been bef re He l mped badly . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 09

i Thor exam ned the leg and found out that one bone was broken .

i n s if hi s . In terr ble anger he turned o the peasant, hi w e, and son “ ” of hi A bone t s goat has been broken under your roof, he “ F r shouted . o that I shall destroy your house and leave you ”

it. Thi a all dead under lﬁ wept . Then he came forward and

did n ot n did touched the knees of Thor . I k ow what harm I , i “ he sa d . I broke the bone .

Thor had hi s hammer lif ted up to crush him into the earth . t hi But he could not bring i down on the weeping boy. He let s “ Y u i to do hammer rest on the ground again . o w ll have much ”

i . service for me for havin g lamed my goat, he sa d Come with me 7 ,

And so the lad Thialﬁ went Off with Thor and Loki . Thor took in hi s powerful hands the shafts Of the chariot of brass and he dr agged it into a lonely mountain hollow Where neither men n or

in Giants came . And they left the goats a great , empty forest to stay restin g there until Thor called to them again . HOR and Loki and the lad Thialﬁ went across from Mi Ot eim . Of Oln ir Midgard into J unh Because ,

the great hammer that he carried , Thor felt safe i i . in the Realm Of the G ants And Lok , who

i . trusted in hi s own cunn ng , felt safe, too The lad Thi alﬁ trusted in Thor so much that he had

in ki i no fear . They were long ma ng the journey, and wh le they were travelling Thor and Loki train ed Thi alﬁ to be a quick and a strong lad . n o CHILDREN OF ODIN

it One day they came out on a moor . All day they crossed , i and at night it still stretched far before them . A great w nd

lin e . was blowin g , night was fal g , and th y saw no shelter near In the dusk they saw a shape that looked to be a mountain and

ﬁn d in . they went towards it, hoping to some shelter a cave Then Loki saw a lower shape that looked as if it m ight be a

it i and shelter. They walked around , Lok Thor and the lad

Thialfi . It was a house, but a house most oddly shaped. The entran ce was a long , wide hall that had no doorway . When they entered this hall they found five long and narrow cham “ ff i is it is bers runn ing O t . It an odd place, but the best shelter “ . Y two we can get, Loki said ou and I, Thor, will take the Thialfi i longest rooms, and the lad can take one Of the l ttle rooms .

They entered their chambers and they lay down to sleep . But from the mountai n outside there came a noise that was lli like moaning forests and fa ng cataracts . The chamber where i each one slept was shaken by the noise . Ne ther Thor nor

' ki Thialﬁ le t ni Lo nor the lad s p that ght .

In the morning they left the ﬁve- chambered house and turned i the r faces towards the mountain . It was not a mountain at

i . wa in on all, but a G ant He s ly g the ground when they saw “ him ll . i , but just then he ro ed over and sat up L ttle men , i ” “ l ttle men, he shouted to them, have you passed by a glove of mine on your way ? He stood up and looked all around “ ” him . H0 i , I see my glove now, he sa d . Thor and Loki and

1 1 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i lik n i aa s n ght before, sounds that were e forests moa ng and c t ract ’ a k rm ir i . falling . It w s S y s snor ng Thor an dLoki and the lad Thi alﬁ were too hungry now to i be di sturbed by these tremendous noises . Thor tr ed to open the

t to . wallet, but he foun d i was not easy undo the knots Then ’ i O all i n i not Loki tried to open it . In sp te f Lok s cu n ng he could him i undo the knots . Then Thor took the wallet from and tr ed ’ in T t e to break the knots by ma strength . Not even hor s s r ngth

hr l in hi s . could break them . He t ew the wa let down rage T The snoring Of Skyrm i r became louder and louder . hor stood up in hi s rage . He g rasped MiOlni r and ﬂun g it at the i head Of the sleeping G ant .

him Sk rm r The hammer struck on the head . But y i only “ i ” hi . stirred in s sleep D d a leaf fall on my head ? he said .

r on i i He tu ned round the other s de and went to sleep aga n . ’ r The hammer came back to Thor s hand . As soon as Sky m ir

’ ’ im i i it i . snored he ﬂung aga n, a ng at the G ant s forehead It i “ H struck there . The G ant Opened hi s eyes . as an acorn fallen ” n ? i o my forehead he sa d . i in . now Aga he went to sleep But Thor, terr bly roused, stood

his i in his over head w th the hammer held hands . He struck hi m n o the forehead. It was the greatest blow that Thor had ever dealt . “ A bird is pecking at my forehead there is no chance to ” “ s ir i i i Sk rm . An d leep here , sa d y , s tt ng up you, little men, did you have breakfast yet ? Toss over my wallet to me and I ODIN THE WANDERER 1 1 3

i i ialﬁ him shall g ve you some provis on . The lad Th brought the

. Sk rm ir O i i i wallet y pened t, took out his prov s ons, and gave a

an d i lfi share to Thor Lok an d the ladThia . Thor would not take i i prov s on from hi m , but Loki and the lad Thi alfi took it an date . “ When the meal was fini shed Skyrm ir rose up and said, Time ” for i us to be g o ng towards Utgard . “ i a k rm ir i As they went on the r w y S y talked to Lok . I always “ ’ eel s ar . very mall when I go into Utg d, he said You see, I m such a sm all and a weak fellow an d the folk who live there are so bi an d i i g powerful . But you and your fr ends w ll be welcomed ’ in i Of ou . Utgard . They will be sure to make l ttle pets y

i i Of An d then he left them and they went nto Utgard, the C ty

i w in . T the G ants . Giants were going up and do n the streets hey i i were not so huge as Skyrm ir would have them bel eve, Lok noticed . i in TGARD was the Asgard Of the G ants . But its bui ldin gs there was not a lin e of the beauty s that there was in the palaces of the Gods, Glad i heim and Breidablik or Fensal r. Huge but shape

li i ic . less the buildings arose, ke mounta ns or ebergs 0 beautiful Asgard with the dome above it of i the deepest blue ! Asgard with the clouds aroun d t heaped up like mountains of diamonds ! Asgard with its Rainbow i it Bridge and its glittering gates ! 0 beaut ful Asgard, could be indeed that these Giants would on e day overthrow you ? Thor and Loki with the lad Thialﬁ went to the palace of the 1 1 4 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i King . The hammer that Thor gr pped would, they knew , make i them safe even there . They passed between rows of G ant

’ ou guards and came to the King s seat . We know y , Thor and ” “ i i in e Lok , sa d the Giant K g, and w know that Thor has come to Utgard to try hi s strength again st the Giants . We shall have

- TO - . a contest to morrow . day there are sports for our boys If your young servant should like to try hi s swiftness against ” - h m t . our youths , let i enter the race o day NOWThialfi was the best runner in Midgard and all the time he had been with them Loki and Thor had trained hi m in quick Thi a i i i ’ ness . And so lfi was not fearful Of rac ng aga nst the G ants youths . The Kin g called on on e named Hugi and placed him against T i hi alfi i . Thi a ff lfi . . The pa r started together sped O Lok and

i for it Thor watched the race anx ously , they thought would be well for them if they had a triumph over the dwellers in Utgard in i ﬁ . i the rst contest But they saw Hug leave Th alﬁ behi nd .

i inn i i They saw the G ant youth reach the w ng post, c rcle round i T t,and come back to the starting place before hialﬁ had reached the end of the course .

Thialﬁ did n ot it , who know how was that he had been beaten, i i i asked that he be let run the race w th Hug again . The pa r

Off i it did n started once more, and this t me ot seem to Thor and Loki that Hugi had left the starting place at all he was back there almost as soon as the race had started . i They came back from the rac ng ground to the palace . The

1 1 6 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i i were left on the plates . Where Log had eaten, noth ng was

: left bones as well as meat were consumed, and all the plates were left bare . “ i i We are beaten , sa d Thor to Lok . ” “ - T i i To morrow, hor, sa d Lok , you must show all your strength or the Giants will cease to dread the m ight of the Dwell ” in ers Asgard . “ afral i Be not d said Thor . No one in Jotunhe m will i tr umph over me . i i t HE next day Thor and Lok came n o, the great f i a it hall o Utgard . The G ant Kin g w s there w h i i a throng of h s fr ends . Thor marched into the

i MiOlnir hi in hi hall w th , s great hammer, s hands . Our young men have been drinkin g out of ” i i “ this horn, sa d the K ng , and they want to if i i know you , Asa Thor, would dr nk out of t a morning

ou hi draught . But I must tell y that they t nk that no one of ” ir on e the ZEs could empty the horn at draught . “ ” “

i . is n Give it to me, sa d Thor There o horn you can hand ” me that I cannot empty at a draught . i i u i A great horn , br mmed and ﬂow ng , was bro ght over to h m . Handing Mitiln ir to Loki and bidding hi m stand so that he m ight

in i i hi keep the hammer s ght, Thor ra sed the horn to s mouth .

He drank and drank . He felt s ure there was not a drop left “ ” in i it the horn as he la d on the ground . There, he gasped, “ your Giant horn is drained . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 1 7

i i i The G ants looked w th n the horn and laughed . Drained, !” i “ i r i . Asa Thor sa d the G ant King . Look into the ho n aga n ” dr You have hardly unk below the brim . An dThor looked into it and saw that the horn was not half

i . i empt ed In a m ghty rage he lifted it to his lips again . He nk i dra and drank and drank . Then , satisﬁed that he had empt ed it to the bottom, he left the horn on the groun d and walked over i to the other s de of the hall . h i Thor thinks he as dra ned the horn, said one of the Giants, “ ” i in i l ft g t up . But see , friends, what remains in it. ai i Thor strode back and looked ag n nto the horn . It was all i still half ﬁlled . He turned round to see that the G ants were laughing at him . “ i i i Asa Thor, Asa Thor, sa d the G ant K ng , we know not how you are going to deal with us in the next feat, but you cer i ” tainly are not able to drink against the G ants. “ Said Thor I can lift up and set down any being in your ” hall .

As he sai d this a great iron- coloured cat bounded into the hall i i and stood before Thor, her back arched and her fur br stl ng . i Then lift the cat oﬁ the groun said the G ant King . li i Thor strode to the cat, determined to ft her up and ﬂ ng her his amongst the mocking Giants . He put hands to the cat, ’ but he could not raise her . Up , up went Thor s arms, up , up , ’ as high as they could go . The cat s arched back went up to

t off . the roof, but her feet were never aken the ground And as 1 1 8 CHILDREN OF ODIN he heaved and heaved with all his might he heard the laughter of the Giants all round him .

hi i i . He turned away , s eyes ﬂam ng w th anger I am not ” i i on e wont to try to lift cats, he sa d . Br ng me to wrestle ”

r him . with, and I swear you shall see me overth ow “ i n f r i i Here s o e o you to wrestle w th, Asa Thor, sa d the i ld i K ng . Thor looked round and saw an o woman hobbl ng “ - i is E i towards him . She was blear eyed and toothless . Th s ll e , ” “ i i on e my anc ent nurse, said the Giant King . She s the we i would have you wrestle w th . “ n ot i Thor does wrestle with old women . I w ll lay my hands ” on your tallest Giants in stead . “ i Ell e has come where you are, said the Giant King . it is i she who w ll lay hands upon you . old The woman hobbled towards Thor, her eyes gleaming i f li o i . under her fal ng fr nges grey ha r Thor stood, unable to i move as the hag came towards hi m . She la d her hands upon

hi s . i i arms Her feet began to tr p at hi s . He tr ed to cast her

him from . Then he found that her feet and her hands were as

i his strong aga nst as bands and stakes Of iron . Then began a wrestling match in earnest between Thor and

i E i . l the anc ent crone ll e Round and round the ha l they wrestled, and Thor was n ot able to bend the old woman backward nor sideways . Instead he became less and less able under her terrible

. him n grasp She forced down , dow , and at last he could only save him self from being left prone on the ground by thr owing

1 20 CHILDREN OF ODIN

OKI told another tale about Thor about Thor

T m i i who nni and hry , a stup d G ant had cu ng

in him i in his streaks . Lok and Thor had been t ’ t Giant s house . He had made a feast for hem

and Thor had been unwatchful . Then when they were far from Jotunheim

i i m s Thor m issed M oln ir , m ssed the ha mer that wa the de

t fence of Asgard and the help of the Gods . He could not e i ’ member how or where he had mislaid it . Lok s thoughts went i i who towards Thrym , that stup d G ant yet had cunning streaks ODIN THE WANDERER 1 2 1

in hi m . h Thor ,w o had lost the hammer that he had sworn never hi s i did to let out of s ght , not know what to do . But Loki thought it would be worth while to see if Thrym

n hi it . k ew anyt ng about He went ﬁr st to Asgard . He hurried across the Rainbow Bridge and passed Heimdall without speak in m g to hi . To none of the Dwellers in Asgard whom he met

’ did the i i he dare relate t d ngs of Thor s loss. He spoke to none i t ’ unt l he came o Frigga s palace . i i To Fr gga he sa d, You must lend me your falcon dress until I ’ Thr m li ﬁn ﬂy to y s dwel ng and dout if he knows where MiOlni r is . If every feather was silver I would give it to you to go on ”

i . such an errand, Frigga sa d So Loki put on the falcon dress and ﬂew to Jotunheim and ’ i came near Thrym s dwelling . He found the G ant upon a hill side putting golden and silver collars upon the necks of hi s

i in houn ds . Lok the plumage of a falcon perched on the rock

i . above hi m , watching the g ant with falcon eyes An d while he was there he heard the Giant speak boastful “ ” of i on words . I put collars s lver and gold you now, my hounds, “ i i the said he, but soon we G ants w ll have gold of Asgard to deck our hounds and our steeds, yea, even the necklace of Freya

Mi ir . Ol to put upon you , the best of my hounds For n , the defence ’ i Th s in of Asgard , s in rym hold g we Then Loki spoke to him Yea , know that Mrolnir is “ T r m i k in thy possession , O h y , sa d he, but now thou that ” the eyes of the watchful Gods are upon thee . 1 2 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i — i Thr m ! Ha, Lok , Shape changer, sa d y , you are there a But ll your watching will not help you to ﬁn dMioln ir . I have ’ i i it buried Thor s hammer e ght miles deep in the earth . F nd ” if . you can It is below the caves of the Dwarfs . ’ is i i It useless for us to search for Thor s hammer, sa d Lok ;

Thr m ? eh, y “ f r is o t i . It useless for you to search i , said the G ant sulkily ’ But what a recompense you would gain if you restored Thor s ” l in i hammer to the Dwe lers Asgard, Lok said . “ o i ki i N , cunn ng Lo , I w ll never restore it, not for any recom ”

i Thr . pense, sa d ym “

ink Thr m i . Yet beth thee, y , sa d Loki Is there nought in

ik n Asgard you would l e to ow No treasure, no possession ? ’ ’ ” i r hi kid a n r Odin s r ng o Frey s s p , S bl d i ? ” No n o i Thr m . on e , , sa d y Only thing could the Dwellers in in Asgard offer me that I would take exchange for Miolni r, ’ ” Thor s hammer . “ T r m i And what would that be, h y ? sa d Loki , ﬂying towards

i i She whom many G ants have str ven to gain Freya , for ” r my wife, said Th ym .

i Thr m i hi Lok watched y for long w th s falcon eyes . He saw “ that the Giant would not alter hi s demand . 1 will te ll the ” ll in Dwe ers Asgard of your demand, he said at last, and he

ﬂew away . Loki knew that the Dwellers in Asgard would never let Freya

1 2 4 CHILDREN OF ODIN

OKI left the Council of the Gods and came to

where he had left Thor . There is but one way ” in i to w the hammer back, Thor , he sa d, and the Gods in Council have decreed that you shall ” take it. “ What is the way? said Thor But no i i what t s, tell me of it and I shall do as thou dost

i i “ i Then, sa d laughing Lok , I am to take you to Jotunhe m

i T r i as a br de for h ym . Thou art to go in bridal dress and ve l, ’ ” in i i Freya s ve l and br dal dress .

“ ’ ! in What I dress woman s garb ? shouted Thor . i Yea, Thor , and wear a ve l over your head and a garland of ” flowers upon it . “ I I wear a garland of flowers ? ” i ’ And r ngs upon thy fingers . And a bunch of housekeeper s ” keys in thy girdle . i ” i Cease thy mockery, Lok , sa d Thor roughly, or I shall ” shake thee . “ i i Mr ln r It is no mockery . Thou w lt have to do th s to win o i

Th m i back for the defence of Asgard . ry w ll take no other recom

him i in pense than Freya . I would mock by br ng g thee to hi m ’ in hi in Freya s veil and dress . When thou art s hall and he asks

i i him thee to jo n hands w th , say thou wilt not until he puts i i i M oln r nto thy hands . Then when thy mighty hammer is in

i n wi him i thy hold ng thou ca st deal th and w th all in his hall . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 2 5

i And I shall be w th thee as thy bridesmaid ! 0 sweet, sweet maiden Thor !” “ ki ” i Lo , sa d Thor, thou didst devise all this to mock me . I in a bridal dress ! I with a bride’ s veil upon me ! The Dwellers ” in il Asgard w l never cease to laugh at me . “ i i “ ill i Yea, sa d Lok , but there w never be laughter aga n in Asgard unless thou art able to bring back the hammer that i ” th ne unwatchfulness lost . “ ” i i i i thinkst True, sa d Thor unhapp ly, and s th s, thou, i ” Lok , the only way to win back MIoln ir from Thrym ? “ ” is a i It the only w y, 0 Thor, sa d the cunning Loki . O Thor and Loki set out for Jotunheim and the

Thr m e dwelling of y . A m ssenger had gone before them to tell Thrym that Freya was coming with

her bridesmaid ; that the wedding- feast was to be prepared and the guests gathered and that Mitilnir was to be at hand so that it might be given over

in Thr m hi i to the Dwellers Asgard . y and s G ant mother i hastened to have everythin g in read ness . ’ Thor and Loki came to the Giant s house in the dr ess of a i i ’ i bride and a br desmaid . A ve l was over Thor s head h ding

n i - m i his beard a d h s ﬁerce eyes . A red e bro dered robe he wore ’ a and at his side hung a girdle of housekeeper s keys . Loki w s ’ r m s veiled , too . The hall of Th y great house was swept and T ’ garni shed and great tables were laid for the feast . And hrym s i m other was going from one guest to another, vaunt ng that her 1 2 6 CHILDREN OF ODIN son was gettin g one of the beauteous Dwellers in Asgard for his

i i i win . br de, Freya , whom so many of the G ants had tr ed to When Thor and Loki stepped across t he thr eshold Thrym

i i his i went to welcome them . He wanted to ra se the ve l of br de ’ i i i his i and give her a kiss . Lok qu ckly la d hand on the G ant s shoulder . “ D n t i i . D l Forbear, he whispered . O o ra se her ve l We we l ers in Asgard are reserved and bashful . Freya would be much offended to he kissed before thi s company “ ” T ’ i i hr m s l . D O Aye, aye, sa d y o d mother not ra se thy ’ ﬁn in i i s n . br de s ve l, o These Dwellers in Asgard are more re ed ” ld their ways than we, the Giants . Then the o woman took Thor by the hand and led him to the table . The size and the girth of the bride did n ot surprise the huge

Giants who were in the wedding company . They stared at Thor i i i of and Lok , but they could see nothing of the r faces and l ttle i f the r forms because o their veils . Thor sat at the table with Thrym on one side of him and i i i on . . Lok the other Then the feast began Thor, not not c ng

did i ﬁn i i that what he was unbecom ng to a re ed ma den , ate e ght

i i hi m his salmon r ght away . Lok nudged and pressed foot, but

n he did ot heed Loki . After the salmon he ate a whole ox . “ i f i i These ma ds o Asgard, sa d the G ants to each other ,

’ ﬁn Thr m s ir they may be re ed , as y mother says , but the i ” appet tes are lusty enough .

i . No wonder she eats, poor thing , sa d Loki to Thrym

1 2 8 CHILDREN OF ODIN

’ i s s his her whom he thought was his br de . Thor s hand clo ed on Hi s 03 him . ham mer . In stantly he stood up . The veil fell countenance and his blazing eyes were seen by all . He struck one blow on the wall of the house . Down it crashed . Then Thor

i i in i went str d ng out of the ru with Loki beside him ,wh le within i the G ants bellowed as the roof and walls fell down on them.

a i n And so w s M olnir , the defence of Asgard, lost andwo back . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 2 9

time between m id- day and evening wore on while the Ai sir and the Vanir gathered for the ’ feast in old [Egi r s hall listened to the stories that

i in of . i Lok told mockery Thor The n ght came, but no banquet was made ready for the Dwellers ’ E ir s two n in Asgard . They called to g u der

Fim aﬂen r E ri servants, g e and lder, and they bade them b ng them

i was a h sa a supper . Sl ght wh t they got, but t ey went to bed y 1 30 CHILDREN OF ODIN i i old [E ir is i ng , Great must be the preparat ons that g mak ng

- to feast us to morrow .

m i - . i The morrow came and the d day Of the morrow, and st ll the Dwellers in Asgard saw no preparations being made for the

Old E ir banquet . Then Frey rose up and went to seek g , the

him i i i Giant King of the Sea . He found s tt ng w th bowed head “ ” “ o ir i of i . H ZE n his inner hall , g , he sa d, what the banquet that you have offered to the Dwellers in Asgard

u l hi Old [Egi r mum bled and p l ed at s beard . At last he looked hi s guest in the face and told why the banquet was n ot being

e for n ot . made ready . Th mead the feast was yet brewed And there was li ttle chance of being able to brew mead that would ’ for r s l was i do for all , [Egi ha l lack ng a mead kettle that would contain enough . When the [Esir and the Vanir heard this they were sorely

i . Who now i of i disappo nted , outs de Asgard, would g ve them a feast [Egir was the only on e of the Giants who was friendly

ir n ot i l i to them, and [Eg could g ve them fu l enterta nment . i who i Then a G ant youth was there spoke up and sa d , My

i H m er kin sman , the G ant ry , has a mead kettle that is a mile ’

i . i Hr m er s w de If we could br ng y kettle here, what a feast we ” m i ght have ! f One of us can go or that kettle, Frey said . ’ Hr m er s l i is Ah , but y dwe l ng beyond the deepest forest and i hi i ” i i beh nd the ghest mounta n , the G ant youth sa d, and

Hr m er hid f is li l n y a rough and a chur sh one to cal o .

1 32 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i i Son, come wi thin, sa d she, and you may br ng your fellow ” farer with you . ’ The Giant crone she was Hrym er s grandmother kept i up her scream ing and yelping . But Thor went past her and nto

’ the Giant s dwelling . When she saw that it was one of the Dwellers in Asgard who had come with her son the Giant woman grew fearful for them “ ” H m r i i in to ﬁn d on e both . ry e , she sa d, w ll be a rage of the

i i to . [E sir under hi s roof . He w ll str ve slay you “ ” i i i i ni It s not likely he will succeed, Thor sa d , grasp ng M ol r, the hammer that all the Giant race knew of and dreaded . “ ” m i Hide from hi , sa d the Giant woman . He may injure ” my son in his rage to ﬁn dyou here .

t i i i . I am not wont o h de from the G ants, Thor sa d

i nl for i hi ! m r H de o y a l ttle w le Hide until Hry e has eaten,

i in the G ant woman pleaded . He comes back from the chase a stormy temper . After he has eaten he is easier to deal with . ” Hide until he has ﬁnished supper .

Thor at last agreed to do thi s . He and the Giant youth hid i beh nd a pillar in the hall . They were barely hidden when they heard the clatter of the Giant’ s steps as he came through the

- . Hi s h ar court yard He came to the door . e d was like a frozen forest around hi s mouth . And he dragged along wi th him a wi ld l bul that he had captur ed in the chase . So proud was he of hi s capture that he dragged it into the hall . a li “ I have t ken a ve, he shouted, the bull with the mightiest 1 “ ODIN THE WANDERER 33

- d h . a i i is hea and orns Heaven bre k ng th s bull Called . NO i a ” G ant but me could c pture it . He tied the bull to the post of the door and then his eyes went towards the pillar behind which

i i i its Thor and the G ant youth were hiding . p llar spl t up _The ’ whole length at that look from Hrym er s eyes . He came nearer .

i - it The p llar of stone broke across . It fell with the cross beam supported and all the kettles and cauldrons that were hanging on the beam came down with a terrible rattle . “ Then Thor stepped out and faced the wrathful Giant . It ” is who i Hr r i his i I am here, fr end ym e , he sa d, hands rest ng on hi s hammer . ’ Then Hrym er, who knew Thor and knew the force of Thor s ” o in hammer,drew back . Now that y u are my house,Asa Thor, “ he said, I will not quarrel with you . Make supper ready for Asa

i to i . Thor and your son and myself, sa d he the G ant woman A plentiful supper was spread and Hrym er and Thor and the

Giant youth sat down to three whole roast oxen . Thor ate the i on . r ho whole of e ox Hrym e , w had eaten nearly two h mself,

s hf leaving only small cuts for his wife and hi yout ul kinsman, ’ “ ’ fi ” g rumbled at Thor s appetite . You ll clear my elds,Asa Thor, “ ” if o . he said , y u stay long with me “ ” “ ’ - r i . r Do not grum ble , Hrym e , Thor sa d To mo row I ll go ’ ” fishing and I ll bring you back the weight of what I ate . “ ’ i o - Then instead of huntin g I ll go fishing w th y u to morrow, ” “ ’ i An i if Asa Thor, sa d Hrym er . ddon t be fr ghtened I take you ” out on a rough sea . 1 34 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i Hrym er was ﬁrst out of bed the next morning . He came w th the pole and the ropes in hi s hand to where Thor was sleepin g .

“ ' i . Time tO start earning your meal, Asa Thor, sa d he

in - Thor got ou t of bed, and when they were both the court yard “ ’ to i i . the Giant said , You ll have prov de a ba t for yourself i Mind that you take a bait large enough . It s not where the ’

i to . little ﬁshes are , the place where I m go ng take you If you ’ ’

o . never saw monsters before you ll see them n w I m glad, ” ou of i ﬁ i . Asa Thor, that y spoke go ng sh ng “ ” i bi ? i i i s Will this ba t be g enough sa d Thor, lay ng h hands on the horns of the bull that Hrym er had captured and brought

i of was a home, the bull with the m ghty head horns that c lled “ - i i do ou Heaven breaking . Will thi s ba t be bg enough, y thi nk ? “ ’ if bi l it i i . Yes, you re g enough to hand e , sa d the G ant

i i u l in i Thor sa d noth ng, but he str ck the bu l full the m ddle

he l w . of the forehead with hi s ﬁst . T great creature fe l do n dead ’ ff “ i ’ Thor then twisted the bull s head O . I have my ba t and I m ”

r m r i . ready to g o with you, H y e , he sa d Hrym er had turned away to hide the rage he was in at seeing k Thor do such a feat . He wal ed down to the boat wi thout “ ” Yo f r i i . u speak ng may row o the ﬁrst few strokes , sa d Hrym er, “ in o when they were the boat , but when we come t where the ’ ”

is . ocean rough, why I ll take the oars from you Without saying a word Thor made a few strokes that took t e in m h boat out to the middle of the ocean . Hry er was in a rage

1 36 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i had against each other and wrecked and tossed . But t to loosen i coil after coil of the co ls it makes aroundthe world . Thor pulled i and pulled . Then the terr ble head of the serpent monster

Hr m er appeared above the waters . It reared over the boat that y i sat in and that Thor straddled across . Thor dropped the l ne

i i hi s i i it ri and took up M oln r, m ghty hammer . He ra sed to st ke the head of the serpent monster whose coils go round the world .

But Hrym er would not have that happen . Rather than have

im li of Thor pass h by such a feat he cut the ne, and the head the i ’ serpent monster sank back nto the sea . Thor s hamm er was it raised . He hurled , hurled that hammer that always came back i ki to his hand . It followed the s n ng head through fathom after fathom of the ocean depth . It struck the serpent monster a

not blow, but such a deadly blow as would have been struck if f the water had n ot come between . A bellow o pain came up from the depths of the ocean, such a bellow of pain that all in h JOtunheim were aﬂrig ted. “ i is i E sir i Th s surely someth ng to tell the of, sa d Thor, i i ’ someth ng to make them forget Lok s mockeries . Without speaking Hrym er turned the boat and rowed towards

i in . s the shore , dragg ng the whale the wake He wa in such a rage to think that one of the [Esir had done a feat surpassing hi s

. t o i that he would not speak At supper , o , he rema ned silent, but hi Thor talked for two , boasting loudly of s triumph over the monster serpent . i No doubt you th nk yourself very powerful, Asa Thor, ODIN THE WANDERER 1 37

Hr m er i y sa d at last . Well, do you think you are powerful ” enough to break the cup that is before you ? Thor took up the cup and with a laugh he hurledit against the i stone p llar of the house . The cup fell down on the ﬂoor without a crack or a dint in it . But the pillar was shattered with the blow . ” The Giant laughed . So feeble are the folk of Asgard ! he said . Thor took up the cup again and ﬂung it with greater force against the stone pillar . And again the cup fell to the ground without a crack or a dint . Then he heard the woman who was the mother Of the Giant youth sing softly, as she plied her wheel behind him

Not at the pillar of the stead, ’ But at Hrym er s massy head

When you next the goblet throw, i Let hi s head rece ve the blow.

it the i i Thor took the cup up again . He ﬂung , not at p llar th s ’ H m er s a . i time, but at ry he d It struck the G ant full on the fore ’ r head and fell down on the ﬂoor in pieces . And Hrym e s head was left without a dint or a crack . “ can can i i Ha , so you break a cup , but you l ft up my m le ” wide kettle ? cried the Giant .

Show me where your mile- wi de kettle is and I shall try to ” ri . lift it, c ed Thor 1 38 CHILDREN OF ODIN

The Giant took up the ﬂooring and showed hi m the mile

the Wide kettle down inthe cellar . Thor stooped down and took

li it f i i eﬂort . kettle by the brim . He fted slowly as i w th a m ghty “ ” ou r it ? i i . You can lift, but can y car y sa d the G ant

' ”

i . i I will try to do that , sa d Thor He l fted the kettle up and

to ou t of placed it on hi s head . He strode the door and the house before the Giant could lay hands on hi m . Then when he was i outside he started to run . He was across the mounta n before i i he looked behi nd him . He heard a yelp ng and a scream ng i i f i and he saw the G ant crone w th the bunch o heads runn ng,

m . i i running after hi Up h ll and down dale Thor raced, the m le wide kettle on hi s head and the Giant crone in chase of him .

Through the deep forest he ran and over the high mountain,

— - f hi m in C but still Bunch o Heads kept has e . But at last, jumpin g

in of hi s over a lake , she fell and Thor was free pursuer .

s to sir i And o back the [E and the Van r Thor came in triumph,

- carryi ng on his head the mi le wide kettle . And those of the ZEsir and the Vani r who had laughed most at Loki ’ s mockeries rose

h for him in . up and c eered as he came The mead was brewed,

n the feast was spread, a d the greatest banquet that ever the Kings of the Giants gave to the Dwellers in Asgard was eaten in gladness .

si ﬁ sat A strang e and lent gure at the banquet . It was the ﬁgure of a Giant and n o one knew who he was n or where he had

m . come fro But when the banquet was ended Odi n , the Eldest “ hi ﬁ s i of the Gods, turned towards t s gure and a d , O Skyrm i r,

1 4° CHILDREN OF ODIN

to see how much you were able to gulp down . For the end of

r is ll that horn was in the sea, and iEgi , who here, can te you that

i . after you had drunk from t, the level of the sea went down “ The cat whom you strove to lift was NidhOgg , the dragon

Y r . that gnaws at the roots of gd assil, the Tree of Trees Truly we were terriﬁed when we saw that you made NidhOgg budge . When you made the back of the cat reach the roof of ou r palace

‘ we i to is i all i we sa d ourselves, Thor the m ghtiest of the be ngs ’ have known . “ Lastly you strove with the hag Ellie . Her strength seemed

r to i a ma vellous you, and you thought yourself d sgraced bec use

ou no E i y could t throw her . But know, Thor, that ll e whom you i wrestled with was Old Age herself . We were terriﬁed aga n to see that she who can overthrow all was not able to force you ” prone upon the ground .

k r ir So S y m spoke and then left the hall . And once more the

sir i [E and the Van r stood up and cheered for Thor,the strongest who of all guarded Asgard . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 41

’ OW old E gir s feast was over and all the [Esir and the Vanir made ready for their return to

o nl on wa i Asgard . Tw o y went another y Od n, f o i i i the Eldest o the Gods, and L k the M sch evous . Loki and Odin laid aside all that they had kept

of the divine power and the divine strength . going into the World of Men, and they would i merely. Together they went through M dgard, CHILDREN OF ODIN

i all r i an m ngling with men of so ts , k ngs d farmers , outlaws and t an s rue men , warriors d hou eholders, thr alls and councillors,

o ill- Courteous men and men wh were mannered . One day they

' i ri i i came to the bank Of a m ghty ver and there they rested,l sten ng to thebeat of iron upon iron in a place near by .

in i l of i saw Presently, on a rock the m dd e the r ver, they an i to btter come . The otter went nto the water and came back the

it t . r ock with a catch of salmon . He devoured here Then Odin saw Loki do a senseless and an evil thi ng . Takin g up a g reat

s on stone he ﬂung it at the otter . The stone truck the beast

hi m t he skull and knocked over dead . “ ki w i o Loki , Lo , hy hast thou done a th ng s senseless and so evil Odin said . Loki only laughed . He swam across the water “ and came back with the creature Of the river . Why di dst thou ” take the life of the beast ? Odi n said . “ h i hi in do it i T e m sc ef me made me , sa d Loki . He drew out hi s knife and ripping the otter up he began to ﬂay i off i him . When the sk n was the beast he folded t up and di stuck it in his belt . Then O n and he left that place by the river . to i two i i i They came a house w th sm th es bes de it, and from i i of i i the sm th es came the sound ron beat ng upon iron . They went withi n the house and they asked that they might eat there and rest themselves .

An old man who was cooking fish over a fir e pointed ou t a ” “ to . i bench them Rest there, sa d he , and when the fish is

1 44 CHILDREN OF ODIN

foreham m ers ni R these men dead with your , O Faf r, O egin, “ to in i their father cried . Otter, who used stay the r ver, and whom I changed by enchantment into a river beast that he m i ght ” i . ﬁsh for me, has been sla n by these men ” “ i it Peace, said Odin . We have sla n thy son, would seem , di i i but it was unwittingly that we d the deed . We w ll g ve a ” recompense for the death of thy son . “ i i What recompense w ll ye g ve said Hreidmar, looking at l Odin with eyes that were sma l and sharp . of Then did Odin, the Eldest the Gods, say a word that was

is . i unworthy of hi s wisdom and h power He m ght have said, “ ’ I will bring thee a draught of Mim ir s well water as a rec ’ ” i om pense for thy son s death . But nstead of thinkin g of

- f . ri wi sdom , Odin All Father thought o gold Set a p ce on the ” i n life of thy son and we will pay that pr ce i gold, he said . “ i Maybe ye are gr eat kings travell ng through the world ,

i to ﬁn d Hreidmar said . If ye are ye w ll have gold that will cover every hair upon the skin of him whom ye have ” killed . i i i ﬁ th Then ddOdin, his m nd be ng xed upon e gold , thi nk upon i a certa n treasure , a treasure that was guarded by a Dwarf . No other treasure in the nine worlds would be great enough i i to make the recompense that Hre dmar cla med . He thought upon this treasure and he thought on how it might be taken and yet he was ashamed of his thought . ’ i An dvari s oar ? Dost thou, Lok , know of b d he said . ODIN THE WANDERER 1 45

it I know of , sai d Loki sharply, and I know where it is hi i ’ dden . W lt thou, Odin, win leave for me to fetch Andvari s hoard i i . Od n spoke to Hre dmar I will stay with thee as a hostage, i “ if he sa d, thou wilt let this one go to fetch a treasure that i ’ i i ” w ll cover the otter s sk n ha r by hair . i i ” I w ll let th s be done , sai d old Hreidmar with the sharp ” u in . n ow sai o i and c nn g eyes Go , d he to Loki . Then L k went from the house .

NDVARI in a was a Dwarf who, the e rly days, had gained for hinm elf the greatest treasure in

the nine worlds . So that he m ight guard thi s treasure unceasingly he changed himself into a ﬁsh into a pike and he swam in the water i before the cave where the hoard was h dden .

in All Asgard knew of the Dwarf an d of the hoard he g uarded . And there was a thought amongst all that this hoard was not to be meddled with and that some evil was joined to it . But now Odi n had given the word that it was to be taken from the ’ t dvari s i . Dwarf . Loki se out for An cave rejo cingly He came

i ri to the pool before the cave and he watched for a s ght of Andva .

Soon he saw the pike swimming cautiously before the cave . He would have to catch the pike and hold hi m till the treasure was i i of g ven for ransom . As he watched the p ke became aware

l e him . Suddenly he ﬂung hi mse f forward in the wat r and went with speed down the stream . 1 46 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Not with his hands and n ot wi th any hook and line could Loki

. H catch that pike ow , then , could he take him ? Only with a net

m i that was woven by magic . Then Loki thought of where he ght

get such a. net .

Ran i of old r i f , the w fe ZEgi ,the G ant King o the Sea, had a net it that was woven by magic . In she took all that was wrecké don

’ th of e sea . Loki thought Ran s net and he turned and went ’ o [E i s to s for back t g r hall ak the Queen . But Ran was seldom ’ in r n ow of he husband s dwelling . She was down by the rocks

the sea .

in ﬂow of He found Ran, the cold Queen , standing the the sea, drawing ou t of the depths with the net that she held in her i hands every p ece of treasure that was washed that way. She

of i ou t of had made a heap the th ngs she had drawn the sea , f corals and amber , and bits o gold and silver, but still she was i ply ng her net greedily . ’ kn owst i r s i i Thou me, [Eg w fe, sa d Loki to her . k i i I now thee, Lok , sa d Queen Ran . ”

i . Lend me thy net , sa d Loki ” i n ot o i . That I w ll d , sa d Queen Ran Lend me thy net that I may catch Andvari the Dwarf who boasts that he has a gr eater treasure than ever thou wilt take out

i . of the sea, sa d Loki O i The cold Queen f the sea ceased ply ng her net . She looked at i if i Loki stead ly . Yes , he were go ng to catch Andvari she would

t him lend her net o . She hated all the Dwarfs because this one

1 48 CHILDREN OF ODIN

n i it Soon he appeared as a Dwarf . A dvar , you are caught ; ” hi sa . is one of the }Esir who has taken you, he heard s captor y “ ” Loki , he gasped .

i i him . Thou art caught and thou shalt be held, Lok sa d to

It is the will of the B sir that thou give up thy hoard to me . “ ” “ ! r . i l My hoard, my hoard the Dwa f shouted Never w l I give up my hoard . “ i it i ki . I hold thee t ll thou givest to me, sa d Lo “ i Unjust, unjust, shouted Andvari . It is only thou , Lok , i i h who art unjust . I will go to the throne of Od n and I w ll ave

Odin puni sh thee for striving to rob me of my treasure . “ ” him i i . Odin has sent me to fetch thy hoard to , sa d Lok

i sir . Can t be that all the [E are unjust ? Ah, yes In the beginning of things they cheated the Giant who built the wall ”

sir . round their City . The [E are unjust

An d Loki had An dvari in his power . after the Dwarf had

i m hi m raged aga nst him and deﬁed hi , he tormented ; at last,

i i i is i trembl ng w th rage and w th h face covered with tears , Andvar

i i hi s r i i him took Lok nto cave n , and , turn ng a rock as de , showed the mass of gold and gems that was hi s hoard . At once Loki began to gather into the Magic Net lumps and ingots and circlets of gold wi th gems that were rubies and sap i phires and emeralds . He saw An dvar snatch at something on the heap , but he made no sign of marking it . At last all was i gathered nto the net, and Loki stood there ready to bear the ’ Dwarf s hoard away . ODIN THE WAND ERER 1 49

“ is i i i ki i There one th ng more to be g ven , sa d Lo , the r ng A i ” that you , ndvar , snatched from the heap . “ ” in i I snatched noth g , said the Dwarf . But he shook w th i anger and h s teeth gnashed together and froth came on his lips . “ i ” I snatched noth ng from the heap . But Loki pulled up his arm and there fell to the ground the

i i hi hi - i r ng that Andvar had dden under s arm p t.

wa i in it It s the most prec ous thing all the hoard . Had been left with him Andvari would have thought that he still possessed f f r i in i l . a treasure , o th s r g o tse f could make gold It was made out of gold that was reﬁned of all impurities and it was engraven with a rune of power .

i hi i i it n hi ﬁ Lok took up t s most prec ous r ng and put o s nger .

D m i his Then the warf screamed at hi , turn ng thumbs towards him in a cu rse : The ring with the rune Of power upon it :

May it weigh down your fortune,

An dload you wi th evil, o o i an d all Y u , L k , Who lust to possess is The rin g I have cher hed.

As Andvari uttered this curse Loki saw a ﬁgure rise up in the i ﬁ cave and move towards him . As th s gure came near he knew

i in who it was : Gulveig , a G ant woman who had once been

Asgard . 1 5° CHILDREN OF OD IN

ir Far back in the early days , when the Gods had come to the i of i holy hill and before Asgard was bu lt, three women the G ants

ir i had come amongst the E s . After the Three had been w th di d r i of ZEsir C . them fo a time , the l ves the hanged Then they begin to value and to hoard the gold that they had played with .

f i hi s Then did they think o war . Od n hurled spear amongst the i ' i messengers that came from the Van r , and war came nto the world . i f P The Three were dr ven ou t o Asgard . eace was made of i in with the Vanir . The Apples Last ng Youth were grown

B u t i Asgard . The eagerness for gold was curbed . never aga n were the [Esir as happy as they were before the women came to them from the Giants . Gu lveig was one of the Three who had blighted the early i f . he in happ ness o the Gods And, behold, s was the cave where Andvari had boarded hi s treasure and wi th a smile upon her face she was advancing towards Loki . “ ” “

SO i s e i i . i , Lok , h sa d , thou seest me aga n And Od n who i to hi i i . o ! sent thee t s cave w ll see me aga n L , Lok I g o to Odin to be thy messenger and to tell him that thou comest with ’ ” n dvari A s hoard .

ki o m i i i u l i And spea ng s ,and s l ng nto his face , G ve g went ou t Of i the cave with swift and light steps . Lok drew theends of the Magic Net together and gathering all the treasure in its meshes he , too , went out .

1 5 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i i whether the recompense be suﬂi cien t . Go w thout, go w thout, ” sons of mine .

Then Fafnir and Regin were forced to go out of the dwelling .

lvei hi i They went out slowly, and Gu g went with them , w sper ng to both . With shaking hands old Hreidmar spread out the skin that i once covered hi s son . He drew out the ears and the ta l and the paws so that every single hair could be shown . For long he was hi on his hands and kn ees, hi s sharp eyes searching , searc ng over i “ i . il i every line of the sk n And st l on his knees he sa d, Beg n i now,0 kings , and cover with a gem or a piece of gold every ha r ’ ” on the skin that was my son s .

i in hi s Od n stood lean g on spear, watching the gold and gems

i i . i i be ng pa d out Lok took the gold the ngots, and the lumps i i and the c rclets ; he took the gems the rub es , and the emeralds

ir i . and the sapph es , and he began to place them over each ha r i ki Soon the m ddle of the s n was all covered . Then he put the i gems and the gold over the paws and the ta l . Soon the otter skin was so glittering that one would think it could light up the

An d i world . st ll Loki went on ﬁnding a place where a gem or a i i p ece of gold m ght be put . E At last he stood up . very gem and every piece of gold had

’ been taken out of the net . And every hair on the otter s skin i i had been covered w th a gem or a p ece of gold. And still old Hreidmar on his hands and knees was peering i hi over the sk n, searc ng, searching for a hair that was not ODIN THE WANDERER 1 53

. li i covered At last he fted h mself up on his kn ees . His mouth

was was in th open , but he speechless . He touched Od on e knees, and when Odin bent down he showed him a hair upon the lip was that left uncovered. “ Wh i at meanest thou Lok cried, turning upon the crouching

is i i Your ransom not pa d yet look, here is st ll a hair un covered You may not go until every hair is covered with gold

or a gem .

“ ’ i i the Peace, old man, sa d Lok roughly . All Dwarf s i hoard has been g ven thee. “ m a i Ye y not go unti l every ha r has been covered, Hreidm ar

said again .

is i . There no more g old or gems , Lok answered ” T i i i . hen ye may not go, cr ed Hre dmar, sprin g ng up i i i It was true . Od n and Lok m ght not leave that dwelling

until the recompense they had agreed to was paid in full . Where now would the E sir go for gold ? ’ And then Odin saw the gleam of gold on Loki s finger : it was “ ” - i . n er i the ring he had forced from Andvar Thy fi g r ng , said ’ Pu r- i Odin . t thy finge ring over the ha r on the otter s s Loki took ofl the ring that was engraved with the rune of ’ - i li i t i . power , and he put t on the p ha r of the ot er s sk n Then i Hreidm ar clapped his hands and screamed aloud . Huge Fafn r

- in i i lvei and lean and hungry looking Reg came w th n, and Gu g un e i n d cam e behind them. They stood aro d th sk n of the so an 1 54 CHILDREN OF ODIN

the brother that was all glittering with gold and gems . But they looked at each other more than they looked on the gli ttering

ir R in mass , and very deadly were the looks that Fafn and eg cast upon their father and cast upon each other . i i a VER B frost, the Ra nbow Bridge , went ll of the ’ ZEsir and the Vanir that had been at Old [Egir s

— i Sif feast Frey and Freya, Fr gga , Iduna and Tyr with hi s sword and Thor in hi s chari ot drawn

i i be by the goats . Lok came beh nd them, and i i h nd them all came Od n , the Father of the Gods . i hi He went slowly w th s head bent, for he knew that an nu

i ulvei welcome one was follow ng G g , who once had been cast ou t of Asgard and whose return now the Gods m ight not gainsay .

HAT happened afterwards is to the shame of

the Gods, and mortals may hardly speak of it .

Gulveig the Witch came into Asgard,for Heim

dall m ight not forbid her en trance . She came within and she had her seat am ongst the E sit

and the Vanir . She walked through Asgard with a smile upon her face, and where she walked and where she smiled Care and dire Forebodi ng cam e . Those who felt the care and the foreboding most deeply were

s i i i who Bragi the Poet and hi w fe, the fa r and s mple Iduna,she in gathered the apples that kept age from the Dwellers Asgard .

- di a . Bragi ceased to tell hi s never en ng t le Then one day, over come by the fear and the foreboding that was creeping through 1 5 7 1 33 CHILDREN OF ODIN

As ar Y rl an l g d, Iduna slipped down gdrassil, the Wo d Tree, d n" o on t sir and th e was left to pluck the apples wi h which the [E é

Vanir ir . E stayed the youth 1 “ t Then were all the Dwellers In Asgard in sore dismay . S rength n d it hard‘ to i beauty began to fade from all . Thor foun d l ft h _ g ’ VIiOlnir his h n d r Fre a s l e l , great ammer, and the ﬂesh u e , y neck ac it i i i wk lost s wh te radi ance . And still Gulve g the W tch al ed

i i . sm l ng through Asgard, although now she was hated by all

It was Odi n and Frey who went in search of Iduna . She would have been found and brought back wi thout delay if Frey had

wi hi m had th the magic sword that he had bartered for Gerda . In his search he had to strive with on e who guarded the lake

i i on where n Iduna had hi dden herself . Bel was the e he strove against . He overcame him in the end with a weapon made of ’ i . Ah t not stags antlers , was then but later that Frey lamented the loss of his sword : it was when the Riders of Muspell came

i ni i aga nst Asgard, and the Va r, who m ght have prevailed, ’ i n preva led ot because of the loss of Frey s sword .

They found Iduna and they brought her back . But still Care

di . i and Forebo ng crept through Asgard And t was known , too,

a i Gu lvei C i th t the w tch g was hang ng the thoughts of the Gods .

At last Odi n had to judge Gulveig . He judged her and decreed

. nl Gun ni r of her death And o y g , the spear Odin, might slay

ulv i G e g , who was not of mortal race .

i Gun nir . Od n hurled g The spear went through Gulveig . i l i i But st l she stood sm l ng at the Gods . A second time Odin

1 60 CHILDREN OF ODIN

s by the presence and the whispers of the witch Gulveig . Hi mind o t was being changed to hatred of the G ds . Now he wen to the ’ ni . in place of Gulveig s bur ng All her body was ashes, but her heart had not been devoured by the ﬂames . And Loki in his rage took the heart of the witch and ate it . Oh, black and di reful was it in Asgard, the day that Loki ate the heart that the ﬂames would not devour ! ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 61

i ’ s stole Fr gga s dre s of falcon feathers . Then

flew as a falcon he out of Asgard . Jotunheim was the place that he flew towards . The anger and the fierceness of the hawk was ’ i hi i flew h i w t n Lok as he t rough the G ants Realm . The heights and the chasms of that dread land made hi s spiri ts mount up like fir e . He saw the Whi rlpools i i and the smoking mounta ns and had joy of these s ghts . i i i Higher and h gher he soared unt l, look ng towards the South, Hi he saw the flaming land of Muspelheim . gher and higher ’ i his alco saw am still he soared. Wth f n s eyes he the gle of 1 62 CHILDREN OF ODIN

’ ﬁre of i Surtur s ﬂaming sword . All the Muspelhe m and all the gloom of JOtu nheim would one day be brought against Asgard

oki no di hi and against Midgard . But L was longer smayed to t nk ’ ’ of the ruin of Asg ard s beauty and the ruin of Midgard s promi se .

m h He hovered around on e of the dwellings in JOtunh ei . Wy had he come to it ? Because he had seen two of the women of

li is i s ni r i that dwel ng, and h rage aga nst the A y u and the Van r was such that the ugliness and the evil of these women was pleas in g to him . He hovered before the open door of the Giant’ s house and he

w o i . rri looked upon those h were with n Ge Od, the most savage

the i . si m of all G ants, was there An d be de hi , squatting on the

hi s i r ground, were two ev l and ugly daughters, Gialp and G eip . bi ’ They were g and bulky, black and rugged, wi th horses ’ t and i was i tee h ha r that l ke horses manes . Gialp was the ugliest of two if one i the , could be sa d to be ugli er than the other, for her nose was a yard long and her eyes were crooked . a i i What were they t lk ng about as they sat there, one scratch ng the other Of Asgard and the Dwellers in Asgard whom they

. h was hated T or the one whom they hated most of all, and they ea i i were sp k ng of all they would l ke to do to hi m . “ ” u in i i rri I would keep Thor bo nd cha ns, sa d Ge Odthe Giant, ul him i and I wo d beat to death w th my iron club . “ ” i his to i I would gr nd bones powder, sa d Greip . ” oﬂ his i I would tear the ﬂesh bones, sa d Gialp. Father, can you not catch this Thor and bring him to us alive ?

1 64 CHILDREN OF ODIN

did nothing but laugh and chuckle to each other for days . And

all this time they left Loki in the closed box to waste with hun ger . ai to When they opened the box ag n Loki spoke to them . He ld them he would do any injury to the Dwellers in Asgard that would

l him please them if they would et go . “ ? ” i Will you bring Thor to us sa d Greip.

Will you bring Thor to us without his ham m er, and without the gloves with whi ch he grasps his hammer, and without hi s ” belt ? sai d Gialp.

i i him if I w ll br ng to you you will let me go, Loki said . Thor is easily deceived and I can bring him to you without hi s ” s his hammer and hi belt and gloves . “ “ We will let you go, Lo said the Giant, if you will swear by the gloom of Jotunheim that you will bring Thor to us as you ” say . Loki swore that he would do so by the gloom of JOtunheim ” Yea ﬁr , and by the es of Muspelheim, he added . The Giant

hi s h im ﬂ and daug ters let h go , and he ew back to Asgard. E restored to Frigga her falcon dress . All blamed

hi m for having stolen it, but when he told how ’ he had been shut up without food in GerriOds dwelli ng those who judged him thought he had

ni n t been pu shed e ough for he theft . He spoke as

e in before to th Dwellers Asgard, and the rage ’ and hatred he had against them since he had eaten Gulveig s

heart he kept from burs ting forth . ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 65

He talked to Thor of the adventures they had together in

im Jotunhe . Thor would now roar with laughter when he talked i of the t me when he went as a bride to Thrym the Giant . Loki was able to persuade him to make another journey to “ n h im JOtu e . And I want to speak to you of what I saw in ’ i “ f GerriOds i . i Si dwell ng , he sa d I saw there the ha r of , your ” wife . “ i Sif The ha r of , my wife, said Thor in surprise . i ’ off i i i . Yes , the ha r I once cut from S f s head, sa d Lok

GerriOd was the one who found it when I cast it away . They i i ’ ’ light their hall w th S f s hair . Oh, yes, they don t need torches ’ where Sif s hair is . “ i . I should like to see it, sa d Thor ” “ if i i ied. ou o Then pay GerriOd a vis t, Lok repl But y g to

m i ni his house you will have to go without your ham er M ol r , and ” without your gloves and your belt . “ Where will I leave MiOlnir and my gloves and my belt ?

Thor asked . “ ’ i own lli i i Leave them in Valaskjalf, Od n s dwe ng, sa d cunn ng “ ’ Gerriods lli . Loki . Leave them there and come to dwe ng ” Surely you will be well treated there . “ i in i Yes, I w ll leave them Valaskjalf and go w th you to ’ ” i i . GerriOd s dwell ng, Thor sa d

his in . Thor left hi s hammer, hi s gloves, and belt Valaskjalf

Then he and Loki went towards JOtunheim . When they were i i near the end of their journey, they came to a w de r ver, and 1 66 CHILDREN OF ODIN with a young Giant whom they met on the bank they began to ford it .

n i Suddenly the river began to rise . Loki and the you g G ant would have been swept away only Thor gripped both of them . i i i it H gher and h gher the r ver rose, and rougher and rougher

hi s ﬁ n or became . Thor had to plant feet rmly o the bottom he and the two he held would have been swept down by the ﬂood .

i . He struggled across, holding Loki and the young G ant A i of wo mounta n ash g rew ou t the bank , and, while the t held to him it i hi s ill hi , he grasped w th hands . The river rose st gher, but Thor was able to draw Loki and the youn g Giant to the bank , and then he hi mself scrambled up on it . Now looking up the river he saw a sight that filled him with i i i i . t rage A G antess was pouring a flood in to t . Th s was that was making the river rise and seethe . Thor pulled a rock out of the bank and hurled it at her . It struck her and flung her i ou t of t nto the flood . Then she struggled the wa er and went ’ i i i ial rri yelp ng away . Th s G antess was G p, Ge ods ugly and evil daughter . Nothing would do the young Giant whom Thor had helped i i i hi across but that the pair would go and v s t Gr d, s mother, who i ki n o o l ved in a cave in the hillside . Lo would t g and was of i angered to hear that Thor thought go ng . But Thor , seeing i i i that the G ant youth was fr endly, was will ng enough to go to i ’ i Gr d s dwell ng . ’ Go rrrods i then, but get soon to Ge dwell ng yonder . I will

1 68 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i . I will give you something that w ll help you, Asa Thor hi f Lucky for you I am mistress of magical things . Take t s sta f in i tafl i a i your hands . It s a s of power and w ll st nd you nstead i i ” of M oln r . “ r i I will take it since you ofle it in kindness, old dame, th s worm - eaten sta “ And take these mittens , too . They will serve you for your ” gauntlets of iron . “ I will take them since you ofler them in kindness, old dame, ” these worn old mi ttens . “ i ri And take th s length of st ng . It will serve you for your belt ” of prowess . “ i ff i I will take it s nce you o er it in kindness, old dame , th s ragged length of string . Ti l i a s we l ndeed for you , As Thor, that I am mistress of

i in mag cal th gs . i hi i Thor put the worn length of str ng around s wa st, and as

did i i in he he knew that Gr d , the old G antess , was deed the m is

i i i di be his tress o mag cal things . For mme ately felt strength

his o n augmented as when he put on w belt of strength . He then drew on the mittens and took the staﬂ that she gave him in hi s hands . ’ i i rri d He left the cave of Gr d, the old G antess,and went to Ge o s

i . n was dwell ng Loki was ot there . It then that Thor began to think that perhaps old Grid was right and that a trap was being i hi la d for m . ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 69

wa in No one s the hall . He came out of the hall and in to a

great stone chamber and he saw no one there either . But in the a centre of the stone chamber there w s a stone seat, and Thor went it hi to and seated mself upon it .

was be C i No sooner seated than the ha r ﬂew upwards . Thor would have been crushed against the stone roof only that he

his ff . held sta up So great was the power in the staff, so great

i m was the strength that the str ng around hi gave, that the chair wa s thrust downward . The stone chair crashed down upon the

stone ﬂoor . i i There were horr ble screams from under it . Thor l fted up the

’

saw two . seat and ugly, broken bodies there The Giant s d Gial Grei i aughters, p and p, had h dden themselves under the

Chair to watch hi s death . But the stone that was to have crushed hi m against the ceilin g had crushed them against the ﬂoor . hi Thor strode out of that chamber with s teeth set hard . A

i in l di i re great ﬁre was blaz ng the ha l, and stan ng bes de that ﬁ he

- erriod i . saw G , the long armed G ant

im He held a tongs into the ﬁre . As Thor came towards h he

i in lifted up the tongs and ﬂung from t a blaz g wedge of iron . It ’ hi whizzed straight towards Thor s forehead . Thor put up s hands and caught the blazin g wedge of iron between the mittens i it that old Grid had given him . Qu ckly he hurled back at i i GerriOd. It struck the G ant on the forehead and went blaz ng through him . CHILDREN OF ODIN

erri od i re G crashed down nto the ﬁ , and the burnin g iron made

’ a blaze all round hi m . And when Thor reached Grid s cave to to ld i !he went there restore the O Giantess the str ng , the m i ff of ttens, and the sta power she had given hi m ) he saw the

’ Giant s dwelling in such a blaze that one would think the ﬁres of all i Muspelheim were around t .

1 72 CHILDREN OF ODIN

ki as . w Frey, smiling a welcome, showed a bench to Lo It ’ ’ i beside Bragi s and next to Freya s . Lok did not take the “ i i l sit place ; nstead he shouted out, Not bes de Bragi wi l I

i all l in . not bes de Bragi, the most craven of the Dwe lers Asgard ff hi i i Bragi sprang up at that a ront, but s w fe, the m ld Iduna ,

i i him qu eted his anger . Freya turned to Lok and reproved for speaking injurious words at a f east . “ ” i “ i Freya, sa d Loki , why were you not so m ld when Odur was with you ? Would it not have been well to have been wifely with your husband in stead of breaking faith with him for the sake of a necklace that you craved of the Giant women ? ” ’ Amazement fell on all at the bitterness that was in Loki s

i rd t s . words and looks . Tyr and N O stood up from heir seat But then the voice of Odin was heard and all was still for the words

- of the All Father . “ i i ki ” i Take the place bes de Vidar, my s lent son , 0 Lo , sa d “ di i ri i r O n, and let thy tongue wh ch d ps b tte ness be silent . “ E i if All the sir and the Vanir l sten to thy words, 0 Odin,as “ i i e thou wert always wise and jus Lok sa d . But must w forget that thou di dst bring war into the world when thou didst ﬂin g thy spear at the envoys of the Vanir ? And didst thou not permi t me to work craftily on the one who built the wall around

ri 0 i E ir Asgard for a p ce ? Thou dost speak, Od n , and all the s

i i as it i and the Van r l sten to thee ! But w not thou who, think ng i not of w sdom but of gold when a ransom had to be made, brought the witch Gulveig out of the cave where she stayedwi th ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 73

’ the Dwarf s treasure Thou wert not always wise nor always just, 0 Odin, and we at the table here need not listen to thee as if l ” a ways thou wert . Skadi i i Then , the w fe of N ord, ﬂung words at Loki . She spoke “ i ﬁercen e s i w th all the s of her G ant blood . Why should we not i the i r se up and chase from hall th s chatterin g crow she said . “ kadi i i “ S , sa d Lok , remember that the ransom for thy ’ e ai father s death has not yet b en p d . Thou wert glad to sn atch R a husband instead of it. em ember who it was that killed thy

Giant father . It was I, Loki . And no ransom have I pai d thee for it, although thou hast come amongst us in Asgard . ki hi Then Lo ﬁx ed s eyes on Frey , the giver of the feast,an dall i i i knew that w th b tter words he was about to assa l him . But

r i i Ty , the brave swordsman, rose up and sa d, Not aga nst Frey i i mayst thou speak, 0 Loki . Frey s generous ; he s the one ” is i amongst us who spares the vanqu hed and frees the capt ve . “ “ sai i . a Cease speaking , Tyr, d Lok Thou m yst not always hi R have a han d to hold that sword of t ne . emember this saying of m i ne in days to come . “ ” “ i the e Frey, said be, because thou art the g ver of feast th y think I wi ll not speak the truth about thee . But I am not to be ’ i i m er bribed by a feast . Didst thou not send Sk rn r to Gy s ’ dwelling to befool Gym er s ﬂi ghty daughter ? Didst thou not i i w bribe hi m into frightening her nto a m arr age wi th thee, ho,

? . di men say, wert the slayer of her brother Yea, Frey Thou dst a part with a charge, with the m gic sword that thou shouldst 1 74 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i have kept for the battle . Thou hadst cause to gr eve when thou ” di dst meet Beli by the lake .

i h ! When he said th s all w o were there of the Vanir rose up , their faces threateni ng Loki . “ “ ir i i i . E s Sit still, ye Van r , Lok ra led If the are to bear ’ ’ the brunt of Jotu nheim s and Muspelheim s war upon Asgard ’ i r it was your part to be the ﬁr st or the last on V g a d s plain .

But already ye have lost the battle for Asgard, for the weapon ’ that was put in to Frey s hands he bartered for Gerda the ’ ! Su rtu r i ou Giantess . Ha shall tr umph over y because of Frey s ” bewi tchment . In horror they looked at the one who could let hi s hatred speak ’ i of Surtur s triumph . All would have la d hands on Loki only ’ Odin s voice rang ou t . Then another appeared at the entrance

was . i hi s of the feasting hall . It Thor W th hammer upon his

hi of i on his hi s shoulder, s gloves ron hands , and belt of prowess

hi m i i i around , he stood mark ng Lok w th wrathful eyes . “ ” “ i . i Ha, Lok , betrayer, he shouted Thou d dst plan to leave ’ n erriod s n me dead i G house, but ow thou wilt meet death by the ” stroke of thi s hammer .

i r His hands were ra sed to hurl Ml oln i . But the words that

i . in i i Od n spoke were heard Not th s hall may slay ng be done , ” son Thor . Keep thy hands upon thy hammer .

i i in Then shr nk ng from the wrath the eyes of Thor ,Loki passed out of the feast hall . He went beyond the walls of Asgard and

i i i . crossed B frost, the Ra nbow Br dge And he cursed Bifrost,

1 76 CHILDREN OF ODIN

GAINST the time when the riders of Muspelheim, with the Giants and the evil powers of the

- i Under world, would br ng on battle, Odin All Father was preparing a host of defenders for

ZEsir Asgard . They were not of the nor of the

Vanir ; they were of the race of mortal men, heroes chosen from amongst the slain on ﬁelds of battle in i M dgard . To i choose the heroes, and to give v ctory to those whom he

i - i w lled to have vi ctory, Odi n had battle ma dens that went to

i - the ﬁelds of war . Beaut ful were those battle maidens and fear

1 78 CHILDREN OF ODIN

- ﬁelds . down from Asgard . Not yet had she to go to the battle

i on l All- Waters drew her, and as she wa ted the wil of the Father

for its she sought out a lake that had golden sands shore, and as

in it a maiden bathed . Now there dwelt near this lake a young hero whose name was

r And on e A n ar Ag na . day as g lay by the lake he saw a swan i with dazzling plumage ﬂy down to it . And while she was n the

- i o r reeds the swan feather dress sl pped ﬂ her, and Agn a beheld i the swan change to a ma den . i o So bright was her ha r, s strong and swift were all her move

’ for on e i — i for ments, that he knew her of Od n s battle ma dens ;

ri one of those who give victory and choose the slam . Very da ng

as hi s i i i w Agu ar, and he set m nd upon captur ng th s battle maiden even though he should bring on himself the wrath of

in i Odin by do g t .

hi - in He d the swan feather dress that she had left the reeds .

W ou t of i not hen she came the water she m ght ﬂy away .

n ar to - Ag gave back her the swan feather dress, but she had to

- promise that she would be his battle maiden . An d as they talked together the young Valkyrie saw in him a

n hero that o e from Asgard might help . Very brave and very

- t . i wi him hi s i noble was Agna Brynh ld went th as battle ma den,

him of i and she told much from the Runes W sdom that she knew, ’ and she showed him that the All- Father s last hope was in the bravery of the heroes of the earth ; with the Chosen from the Slain

his i in for Champ ons he would make battle defence of Asgard . ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 79

’ Always Brynhild was with Agnat s battalions above the battles

i - - she hovered, her br ght hair and ﬂashi ng battle dress out shining s the spears and sword and shields of the warriors .

But the grey - beard King Helm gun nar made war on the young

- u . i d m Ag ar Od n favoure the grey beard King , and to hi he prom

- i i . i sed the v ctory Brynh ld knew the will of the All Father .

to A n ar not to Helm r . But g , g un n a , she gave the victory ’ Doomed was Brynhild on the instant she went ag ainst Odin s

will . i i a Never aga n m ght she come into Asgard . A mort l woman she was now, and the Norns began to spin the thread of her mortal destiny .

Sorrowful was Odin All- Father that the wisest of his battle maidens m i ght never appear in Asgard nor walk by the benches at the feasts of his Champions in Valhalla . He rode down on i Sleipner to where Brynhi ld was . And when he came before her t

hi s n . was , and ot her head that was bowed down For she knew n ow that the world of men was paying a bitter

for in price the strength that Asgard would have the last battle . The bravest and the noblest were being taken from Midgard to ’ ’ An d ﬁll up the ranks of Odi n s champions . Brynhi ld s heart was full of anger against the rulers of Asgard, and she cared no more to be of them .

- i Odin looked on hi s unﬂinchi ng battle ma den, and he said, Is there aught thou wouldst have me bestow on thee in thy ” mortal life , Brynhild ?

in Naught save this, Brynhild answered, that my mortal 1 80 CHILDREN OF ODIN

in life no one but a man without fear, the bravest hero the world, ” may claim me for wife .

- o All Father bowed hi s head in thought . It shall be as th u hast

nl is i a a asked he said . O y he who w thout fe r sh ll come near thee . Then on the top of the mountain that is called Hindfell he i it had a Hall built that faced the south . Ten Dwarfs bu lt of

was i u it black stone . And when the Hall bu lt he put ro nd a wall of mounting and circling ﬁre .

More di d Odin All - Father : he took a thorn of the Tree of

- T Sleep and he put it into the ﬂesh of the battle maiden . hen, with her helm et on her head and the breast- mail of the Valkyrie

i in hi i upon her,he lifted Brynh ld s arms and he carr ed her through i the wall of mounting and circling ﬁre . He la d her upon the

i in couch that was with n the Hall . There she would lie slumber until the hero who was without fear should ride through the f ﬂame and waken her to the life o a mortal woman .

He took farewell of her and he rode back to Asgard on Sleipner . He might not foresee what fate would be hers as a mortal

r i i i woman . But the ﬁ e he had left went mount ng and c rcl ng

re around the Hall that the Dwarfs had built . For ages that ﬁ i would be a fence around where Brynh ld, once a Valkyrie, lay in sleep .

1 82 CHILDREN OF ODIN

And his offspring took on forms and showed themselves to the

The ﬁ was i hi Gods . rst , whose greed destruct on, showed mself

i . An d as a fearful Wolf . Fenr r he was named { the second , whose

- i . orm u n f greed was slow destruction, showed tself as a Serpent J

i for i i gand it was called . The th rd, whose greed was w ther ng i li on . t of all fe, took a form also When the Gods saw they

For of on e were affrighted . this had the form a woman, and side of her was that of a living woman and the other side of hi her was that of a corpse . Fear ran through Asgard as t s form was revealed and as the name that went with it, Hela , was uttered . di Far ou t of sight of the Gods Hela was thrust . O n took her and hurled her down to the deeps that are below the world .

to Niﬁ eim o to He cast her down h ,where she t ok herself power

in is f i i . over the n ne reg ons There, the place that lowest o all,

i l is Elvidni r it is i hi Hela re gns . Her ha l set round w th gh walls and it has barred gates ; Precipice is the threshold of that

is i it is hall ; Hunger the table with n ; Care the bed, and Burni ng

Anguish is the hanging of the chamber .

Thor laid hold upon Jorm un gan d. He ﬂung the serpent into the ocean that engirdles the world . But in the depths of the ocean Jorm u n g an d ﬂourished . It grew and grew until it en i c rcled the whole world . And men knew it as the Midgard

Serpent .

i i not i of t Fenr r the Wolf m ght be se zed upon by any the E si . Fearfully he ranged through Asgard and they were only able to ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 83 bring him to the outer courts by promising to give him all the was food he able to eat .

[Esir s The hrank from feeding Fen rir . But Tyr , the brave ’ was i in ri i . swordsman, w ll g to b ng food to the Wolf s la r . Every day he brought him huge provision and fed him with the point of his sword . The Wolf grew and grew until he became monstrous

in i and a terror the m nds of the Dwellers in Asgard . T last the Gods in council considered it and de i h cided that Fenr r must be bound . T e chain that they would bind him wi th was called Laed

i own i i ing . In the r sm thy the Gods made t and ’ i as s ts weight w g reater than Thor ham m er. Not by force could the Gods get the fetter

i irni upon Fenr r, so they sent Sk r, the servant of Frey, to be guile the Wolf into letting it go upon him . Skirnir came to i ’ his la r and stood near him , and he was dwarfed by the Wolf s

r i monst ous s ze . “ ” How great may thy streng th be, Mighty One ? Ski rnir ? asked . Couldst thou break thi s chain easily The Gods would try thee .

In scorn Fenrir looked down on the fetter Skirnir dragged . In scorn he stood still allowing Laeding to be placed upon him

f his he ' Then, with an ef ort that was the least part of strength, stretchedh im self and broke the chain in two. i i T he Gods were dismayed . But they took more ron, and w th greater ﬁres and mightier hammer blows they forged an other 1 84 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i hi it i fetter . Drom , t s one was called,and was half aga n as strong

ir i it as Laeding was . Sk n r the Venturesome brought to the ’ i ri m i i i Wolf s la r, and in scorn Fen r let the ght er cha n be placed upon him .

hi s b a He shook himself and the chain held . Then eyes ec me i i ﬁery and he stretched h mself with a growl and a snarl . Drom

i o i ki i . broke across, and Fenr r sto d look ng balefully at S rn r The Gods saw that no chain they could forge would bin d o Fenrir and they fell more and more into fear of him . They t ok council again and they bethought them of the wonder- work the Dwarfs had made for them , the spear Gun gnir, the ship

Skidbladn ir i ni . D , the hammer M ol r Could the warfs be got to make the fetter to bind Fenrir ? If they would do it the Gods i would add to the r domain . Skir nir went down to Svartheim with the message from As gard . The Dwarf Chief swelled with pride to think that it was to i left them to make the fetter that would b nd Fenrir .

can i i We Dwarfs make a fetter that w ll b nd the Wolf, “ ”

i . he sa d Out of six things we will make it . “ hi What are these six t ngs Skirni r asked .

ﬁsh The roots of stones, the breath of a , the beards of women, i a s i of the no se made by the footfalls of c t , the s news bears, the i of sp ttle a bird . “ i ’ I have never heard the no se made by a cat s footfall, nor have I seen the roots of stones nor the beards of women . But i i ” use what th ngs you w ll, 0 Helper of the Gods .

1 86 CHILDREN OF ODIN

” i if on e {Esir i hi s binding upon me , he sa d, but of the w ll put it ill hand in my mouth as a pledge that I shall be freed of , I w ” let ye put it on me .

The Gods looked wistfully on on e another . It would be health

i ul hi s to them all to have Fenr r bound, but who wo d lose hand to have it done P One and then another of the B sir stepped

not . backward . But Tyr , the brave swordsman He stepped to Fenrir and laid his left hand before those tremendous jaws . ” ot - 0 N thy left hand thy sword hand, Tyr, g rowled

- i s i i . Fenr r, and Tyr put hi sword hand nto that terr ble mouth i ﬁ Then the cord Gleipnir was put upon Fenrir . W th ery eyes he watched the Gods bind hi m . When the bin ding was on him he hi to stretched himself as before . He stretched mself a monstrous size but the bindi ng did n ot break off hi m . Then with fury he ’ i s snapped h jaws upon the hand, and Tyr s hand, the swords ’

oﬂ . man s hand, was torn

m i But Fenrir was bound . They ﬁx ed a ghty chain to the fetter, and they passed the chain through a hole they bored through a great rock . The monstrous Wolf made terrible efforts to break loose , but the rock and the chain and the fetter held . Then see

’ in hi m r of g secu ed, and to avenge the loss Tyr s hand, the Gods ’ it hi h hi s - took Tyr s sword and drove to the lt t rough under jaw . ri t i Hor bly he Wolf howled . M ghtily the foam flowed down from hi s jaws . That foam flowing made a river that is called Von i of o R e a r ver fury that flowed n un til agn a came , the Twilight of the Gods . ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 87

U R’ S ex am

N As gard there wer e two places that mean t stren gth and joy to the [Bait and the Van ir : one was the

garden where grew the apples that Iduna gathered ,

was and the other the Peace Stead; where , in a

- palace called Breidablik, Baldur the Well beloved

dwelt . h e In the Peace Stead no crime ad ev r been committed, no blood had ever been shed, no falseness had ever been spoken. Contentment came into the minds of all in Asgard when they ! it t thought upon this place . Ah Were not hat the Peace ’ ese e i Steadwas there, happy with Baldur s pr nc , the m nds of the 1 88 CHILDREN OF ODIN

[Esir and the Vanir might have become gloomy and stem from thinkin g on the direful things that were arrayed against them .

a i w s i Baldur was beautiful . So be ut ful a he that all the wh te

t al s a blossoms on the ear h were c l ed by hi n me . Baldur was

a was all i on hi s happy . So h ppy he that the b rds the earth sang

as name . So just and so wise w Baldur that the judgement he

in pronounced might never be altered . Noth g foul or unclean had ever come near where he had hi s dwelling :

’ Tis i i Bre dabl k called, Where Baldu r the Fair i Hath bu lt him a bower, In the land where I know i i Least loathl ness l es .

’ ’ i ' Healing things were done n Baldur s Stead . Tyr s wrist was ’ n enrir healed of the wou ds that F s fangs had made . And there ’ Frey s mind became less troubled with the foreboding that Loki had ﬁlled it with when he railed at him about the bartering of I s hi sword .

Now after Fenrir had been bound to the rock in the far- away i B i i i sland the s r and the Van r knew a wh le of contentment . ’ i in i They passed br ght days Baldur s Stead,l stenin g to the birds

i An d it was h that made mus c there . t ere that Bragi the Poet ’ wove into his never- ending story the tale of Thor s adventures i amongst the G ants . ’ i in a But even nto Baldur s Stead forebod g c me . One day i Hn ossa i l ttle , the ch ld of Freya and the lost Odur, was brought

1 9° CHILDREN OF ODIN

i i di it i And hear ng th s , O n thought that were better that Fenr r the Wolf should range ravenously through Asgard than that

” Hela should win one from amongst them to ﬁll that chair and lie in that bed .

i his i - E mounted Sle pner, e ght legged steed, and

For rode down towards the abodes of the Dead . three days and three nights Of s ilence and dark

n ness he journeyed on . Once o e of the hounds ’ of Helheim broke loose and bayed upon Sleipn er s

. For i tracks a day and a n ght Garm , the hound, i pursued them , and Od n smelled the blood that dripped from his monstrous jaws . i i ﬁ At last he came to where, wrapped n the r shrouds, a eld f i i o the Dead lay . He d smounted from Sle pner and called upon

to ri i him . on one se and speak w th It was Volva, a dead prophetess, he called . And when he pronounced her name he uttered a rune that had the power to break the sleep of the Dead . There was a groaning in the middle of where the shrouded ones “ ri ri lay . Then Odin c ed out, A se, Volva , prophetess . There

i in i l was a st r the m dd e of where the shrouded ones lay, and a head and shoulders were thrust up from amongst the Dead . Who calls on Volva the Prophetess P The rains have drenched my ﬂesh and the storms have shaken my bones for more seasons i i than the l ving know . No living voice has a r ght to call me from my sleep with the Dea ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 91

is t m F r It Veg a the Wanderer who calls . o whom is the bed

’ prepared and the seat left empty in Hela s habitation ? “ ’ For in i Baldur, Od s son, s the bed prepared and the seat ” left empty . Now let me go back to my sleep with the Dead . ’ “ di is it But now O n saw beyond Volva s prophecy . Who , “ ri he c ed out, that stands with unbowed head and that will ? not lament for Baldur Answer, Volva , prophetess

Thou seest far, but thou canst not see clearly . Thou art

i . can Od n I see clearly but I cann ot see far . Now let me go back to my sleep with the Dea “ ” I i i out i Volva, prophetess Od n cr ed aga n . i “ But the vo ce from amongst the shrouded ones said, Thou canst not wake me any more until the ﬁres of Muspelheim blaze ’ above my head . i Then there was silence n the ﬁeld of the Dead,and Odin turned

i hi s Sle pner, steed, and for four days, through the gloom and silence , he journeyed back to Asgard .

RIGGA had felt the fear that Odin had felt .

She looked towards Baldur , and the shade of Hela

came between her and her son . But then she heard the birds sing in the Peace Stead and she knew that none of all the thin gs in the world

r would injur e Baldu . And to make it sure she went to all the thi ngs that could hurt him and from each of them she took an oath that it would not

- . ﬁr e injure Baldur, the Well beloved She took an oath from 1 92 CHILDREN OF ODIN

t and from water, from iron and from all metals, from ear hs and i i hi stones and great trees, from b rds and beasts and creep ng t ngs,

a i ! all from poisons and di seases . Very re d ly they gave the oath that they would work no injury on Baldur . Then when Frigga went back and told what she had accom pli shed the gloom that had lain on Asgard li fted . Baldur would

m i in be spared to them . Hela ght have a place prepared her

i nor nor i dark habitation, but ne ther ﬁr e water, ron nor any

n r i metal, o earths nor stones nor great woods, nor b rds nor beasts no i nor i o nor u r creeping th ngs, po s ns diseases, wo ld help her to “ ” no to th bring him down . Hela has arms draw you to her, e

E sit and the Vani r cried to Baldur . Hope was renewed for them and they made games to honour

hi m a in P Baldur . They had st nd the eace Stead and they brought

i i him aga nst him all the th ngs that had sworn to leave hurtless .

- And neither the battle axe ﬂung full at him , nor the stone out of

n r i n or of the sling, o the burn ng brand, the deluge water would in

jE sir i jure the beloved of Asgard . The and the Van r laughed joy ously to see these things fall harm lessly from him while a throng

i in i i came to jo n them the games ; Dwarfs and fr endly G ants .

But Loki the Hater came in with that throng . He watched

saw i i the games from afar . He the m ss les and the weapons being ﬂun g and he saw Baldur stand smiling and happy under of a a the strokes met l and stones and gre t woods . He wondered i i at the s ght, but he knew that he m ght not ask the meaning of it from the ones who knew him .

1 94 CHILDREN OF ODIN

But why will they not hur t him ? said the pretended En chantress . “ Because I have dr awn an oath from all dangerous and threat ” i i . ening things to leave Baldur hurtless, sa d Fr gga “ ? n in all e From all things, lady Is there no thi g th world that has not taken an oath to leave Baldur hurtless ? “ is hi . Well, indeed, there one t ng that has not taken the oath But‘ that thing is so small and weak that I passed it by without ” taki ng thought of it . “ What can it be, lady ?

r The Mistletoe that is without root o strength . It grows on i it the eastern s de of Valhalla . I passed by without drawn an ” oath from it . “ i Surely you were not wrong to pass t by . What could the Mistletoe the rootless Mistletoe do against Baldur ? i i ff Say ng th s the pretended Enchantress hobbled o . di i hi But not far d the pretender go hobbl ng . He changed s i i i f ga t and hurr ed to the eastern s de o Valhalla . There a great oak tree ﬂourished and out of a branch of it a li ttle bush of

i i off i in hi M stletoe grew . Lok broke a spray and with t s hand he went to where the iEsir and the Vani r were still playing games to honour Baldur . All i i i were laugh ng as Lok drew near, for the G ants and the

ni ur i i i Dwarfs, the Asy and the Vana, were all cast ng m ss les . The Giants threw too far and the Dwarfs could n ot throw far enough, while the Asyn iur and the Vana threw far and wide ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 95

of the m ark . In the m idst of all that glee and gamesomeness it was n e stra ge to se one stan ding joyless . But one stood so , ’ and was E it he of the s Hodur , Baldur s blind brother . “ ” Why do you not enter the game ? said Loki to hi m in his i changed vo ce . i I have no miss le to throw at Baldur, Hiidur said . ” “ i hr it i Take th s and t ow , sa d Loki . It is a twig of the

Mistletoe . “ nn see t it ai I ca ot to hrow , s d Hodur . i I will gu de your hand, sai d Loki . He put the twig of ’ Mistletoe in Hodur s hand and he guided the hand for the

ﬂe . hi m throw . The twig w towards Baldur It struck on the

im breast and it pierced h . Then Baldur fell down with a deep groan .

The E sir and the Vanir, the Dwarfs and the friendly Giants , ki li stood still in doubt and fear and amazement. Lo s pped li i away . And b nd Hodur , from whose hand the tw g of Mis tletoe i had gone, stood quiet, not know ng that his throw had bereft i Baldur of l fe .

Then a wailing rose around the Peace Stead . It was from the wa Asyniur and the Vana . Baldur s dead, and they began to i in him lament hi m . And wh le they were lament g , the beloved of Asgar d, Odin came amongst them . “ Hela has won our Baldur from us, Odin said to Frigga as they both bent over the body of their beloved son . “ t it i i . Nay, I will no say , Fr gga sa d 1 96 CHILDREN OF ODIN

When the E sir andthe Vanir had won their sen ses back the “ mother of Baldur went amongst them . Who amongst you “ - i ? ou would win my love and good w ll she said . Whoever w ld ’ let hi m ride down to Hela s dark realm and ask the Qu een to take ransom for Baldur . It may be she will take it andlet Baldur ’ come back to us. Who amongst you will go ? Odin s steed is ” r ready for the jou ney . f i Then orth stepped Hermod the N mble, the brother of Baldur . s He m oun ted Sleipner and turned the eight- legg ed steed down ’ towards Hela s dark realm .

i an d ni ni OR n ne days ne g hts Hermod rode on .

His a was w y through rugged glens, one deeper ri and darker than the other . He came to the ver that is called GiOll and to the bridge across it i i i i that s all gl tter ng w th gold . The pale maid h i w o guards the br dge spoke to him . i ” i The hue of life is st ll on thee, sa d Modgudur, the pale “ ’ ” Wh r maid. y dost thou jou ney down to Hela s deathly realm ? “ ” “ I am Hermod, he said, and I go to see if Hela will take ransom for Baldur . “ ’ is i i Fearful Hela s hab tat on for one to come to, sai d Mod i “ i i gudur, the pale ma d. All round t s a steep wall that even thy

i . is steed m ght hardly leap Its threshold Precipice . The bed

i is is there n Care, the table Hunger, the hanging of the chamber ” is i Burn ng Anguish . a i a It may be th t Hela w ll t ke ransom for Baldur .

1 93 CHILDREN OF ODIN

he saw a hag with blackened teeth who raised no voice of lament .

If thou art the crow that came ﬂying here, make lament for ”

i . Baldur, Hermod sa d “ T a k i f r ha i I, h u t, w ll make no lament o Baldur , the g sa d, ” let Hela keep what she holds . “ i i All th ngs weep tears for Baldur, Hermod sa d . ” l him i I wi l weep dry tears for , sa d the hag .

in She hobbled to her cave, and as Hermod followed a crow i a kt i ﬂuttered out . He knew that th s was Th u , the ev l hag,

l the transformed . He fol owed her, and she went through world “ cre akin g , Let Hela keep what she holds . Let Hela keep what she holds . ’ Then Hermod kn ew that he might not ride to Hela s habita i tion . All th ngs knew that there was on e thing in the world that would not lament for Baldur . The Vanir came back to

’ him i lei n r , and w th head bowed over S p e s mane, Hermod rode i nto Asgard .

E sir ni OW the and the Va r , knowing that no ransom would be taken for Baldur and that i the joy and content of Asgard were gone ndeed,

hi for i made ready s body the burn ng . First they ’ wi i covered Baldur s body th a r ch robe, and i it hi each left bes de s most precious possession .

him i i him Then they all took leave of , k ss ng upon the brow .

his n But Nanna, gentle wife, ﬂung herself o his dead breast and i her heart broke and she d ed of her grief . Then did the [Esir ’ THE WITCH S HEART 1 99

ni k N n and the Va r weep afresh . And they too the body of a na it i i l ’ and they placed s de by s de with Ba dur s .

i i Rin r r On h s own great sh p , gho n , would Baldu be placed

' i i m i w th Nanna bes de hi . Then the sh p would be launched on the water and all would be burned with ﬁre . But it was found that none of the j Esir or the Vanir were ’ H rroken i able to launch Baldur s great ship . y , a G antess, was f i wi sent for . She came mounted on a great wol w th t sted ser i pents for a bridle . Four G ants held fast the wolf when she i i i alighted . She came to the sh p and w th a s ngle push she sent it i l ﬁr e a i nto the sea . The rol ers struck out s the sh p dashed across them .

ﬁr Then when it rode the water es mounted on the ship . And in the blaze of the ﬁres one was seen bendin g over the body of

A - is wa i ll . Baldur and whispering into h ear . It s Od n Father Then he went down off the ship and all the ﬁres rose into a m ighty

JEsir i i burning . Speechlessly the and the Van r watched w th i tears streaming down their faces while all th ngs lam ented , cry “ i is is . ing , Baldur the Beaut ful dead, dead

And what was it that Odin All- Father whispered to Baldur as he bent above hi m with the flames of the burning ship around ’ He whispered of a heaven above Asgard that Surtu r s flames if i might not reach, and of a l e that would come to beauty aga n after the world of men and the world of the Gods had been searched through and through with fire. zoo CHILDREN OF ODIN

crow went ﬂying towards the North, croaking “ ﬂ . as she ew, Let Hela kee p what she holds Let ” as Hela keep what she holds . That crow w the

hag Thaukt transformed, and the hag Thaukt

was Loki . He ﬂew to the North and came into the wastes i i i i of Jotu nheim . As a crow he l ved there, h d ng h mself from f i t the wrath o the Gods . He told the G ants that he time had come for them to build the ship Naglfar, the ship that was to be built out of the nails of deadmen, and that was to sail to Asgard

th i Hr m e on the day of Ragnarok with e G ant y r steering it. An d harkening to what he said the Giants then and there

202 CHILDREN OF ODIN

hand the sprig of Mistletoe that had bereft Baldur of life . Empty was Asgard n ow that Baldur lived no more in the Peace

i sir Stead, and stern an d gloomy grew the m n ds of the [E and the Vanir with thi nking on the di reful things that were arrayed

i in i of h nl of against them . Od n h s hall Val alla thought o y the ways by whi ch he could bring heroes to him to be his help in defending Asgard . The Gods searched through the world and they found at last h i the place where Loki had made is dwelling . He was weav ng the net to take fishes when he saw them coming from four direc i t ons . He threw the net into the fire so that it was burnt,and he sprang into the River and transformed himself into a salm on . When the Gods entered his dwelling they found only the burnt out fire . But there was on e amongst them who could understand all of that he saw . In the ashes were the marks the burnt net and i O hi to fi he knew that these were the trac ng f somet ng catch shes . And from the marks left in the ashes he made a net that was the

n same as the o e Loki had burnt .

i it in i W th the r hands the Gods went down the River , draggin g the net through the water . Loki was aﬂrighted to ﬁn d the thing of hi s own weaving brought against hi m . He lay between two of Ri stones at the bottom the ver, and the net passed over hi m . But the Gods knew that the net had touched s omethi ng at

a n ‘ the bottom . They f ste ed weights to it and they dragged the

‘

t Ri . ne through the ver agai n . Loki knew that he m ight n ot ’ THE WITCH S HEART 203 escape it thi s time and he rose in the water and swam towards

’ the sea . The Gods caught sight of him as he leaped over a water

l . T him i fa l hey followed ,dragg ng the net . Thor waded behind, i him ready to se ze should he turn back . Loki came ou t at the mouth of the River and behold ! there was a great eagle hovering over the waves of the sea and ready to on ﬁ . swoop down shes He turned back in the River . He made

' ' hi m t he wer d a leap that took over the net that Gods e ragging . But Thor was behind the net and he caught the salmon in his powerful hands and he held him for all the struggle that Loki

s made . No ﬁ h had ever struggled so before . Loki g ot himself

s il to i free all but hi ta , but Thor held the ta l and brought him

him to on his amongst the rocks and forced take proper form . He was in the hands Of those whose wrath was strong against to him . They brought him a cavern and they bound hi m to three

- i of i sharp pointed rocks . W th cords that were made the s news f im o wolves they bound h , and they transformed the cords i into iron bands . There they would have left Lok bound and

ﬁ i not helpless . But Skadi , with her erce G ant blood, was content that he should be left untormented . She found a serpent that i ’ had deadly venom and she hung th s serpent above Loki s head .

m i i hi m i The drops of venom fell upon hi , br ng ng angu sh drop by ’

So i on . i . drop, minute by m nute Lok s torture went i But Sig una with the pitying heart came to his rel ef . She ex iled herself from Asgard , and endured the darkness and the i cold of the cavern, that she m ght take some of the torment away 2 04 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i na from hi m who was her husband . Over Loki S gu stood , hold ’ ing in her hands a cup into whi ch fell the serpent s venom, thus

i him u w spar ng from the f ll measure of anguish . No and then

Si u n a to r i i g had tu n as de to sp ll out the ﬂowing cup, and then the drops of venom fell upon Loki and he screamed in agony, twist

in his was . g in bonds . It then that men felt the earth quake i There in h s bonds Loki stayed until the com ing of Ragnariik, the Twilight of the Gods .

i i N M dgard , n a northern Kingdom , a King reigned

Alv i whose name was ; he was w se and good,

and he had in hi s house a foster- son whose name i was S gurd . Sigu rd was fearless and strong ; so fearless and so strong was he that he once captured a bear of ’ ’ s the forest and drove him to the King s Hall . Hi mother s name

i i . i Alv hi was H ord s Once , before S gurd was born, and s father who was King before him went on an expedi tion across the sea i and came into another country . Wh le they were yet afar oﬂ they heard the di n of a great battle . They came to the battle

207 2 08 CHILDREN OF ODIN

li i i it nl of i . ﬁeld, but they found no v ng warr ors on , o y heaps sla n

One warrior they marked : he was whi te- bearded and old and

- i v or hi s .yet he seemed the noblest look ng man Al father had

His was Kin am ever looked on . arms showed that he a g ongst one of the bands of warriors . They went through the forest searching for survivors of the

i in in m battle . An d, h dden a dell the forest , they ca e upon two i i hi ir women . One was tall w thblue,unﬂ nc ng eyes and ruddy ha ,

- i but wearing the garb of a serving maid . The other wore the r ch

Of lo nn was dress of a Queen, but she was w stature and her ma er covert and shrinking .

Alv s dr who When and hi father ew near, the one had on her i “ the raiment of a Queen sa d, Help us,lords, and protect us,and i i we w ll show you where a treasure s hidden . A great battle has been fought between the men of King Lygni and the men of

i L n King S gmund , and the men of King yg i have won the victory

ﬁ Kin i and have gone from the eld . But g S gmun d is slain , and we who are of hi s household hi dhi s treasure and we can show it ” to you . “ i i - ir - The noble warr or, wh te ha ed and white bearded, who ” lies yonder is he Kin g Sigmund ?

e a Th wom n answered, Yes, lord, and I am hi s Queen . “ i i ” i ’ We have heard of K ng S gmund, sa d Alv s father . His fame and the fame of hi s race, the Volsungs, is over the wi de ” world . Alv i sa d no word to either of the women, but his eyes stayed

2 1 0 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i was n The one clad in the queenly garb sa d , When I you g i I used to rise to milk the cows, and I waken ever s nce at the ” same hour .

— f is r The Queen mother said to hersel , It a strange count y ” in which the royal maids rise to milk the cows . Then she said to the one who wore the clothes of the serving maid How dost thou know in the dark hours when the dawn is coming “ ai ri My father, she s d, gave me the ng of gold that I wear, and always before it is time to rise I feel it grow cold on my ” ﬁnger .

is i - It a strange country, truly, sa d the Queen mother to “ ” f in vi - i i f hersel , which the ser ng ma ds wear r ngs o gold . When all the others had left she spoke to the two women who i had been brought nto her country . To the one who wore the clothes of a serving- maid she said : “ Thou art the Queen .

on e Then the who wore the queenly clothes sai d, Thou art

ri . is nn ght , lady She the Queen, and I ca ot an y longer pretend to be other than I am .

Then the other woman spoke . Said she I am the Queen

i in i as thou hast sa d the Queen of K g S gmund who was slain . Because a King sought for me I changed clothes wi th my serv in - i i g ma d , my w sh being to baﬁle those who might be sent to a c rry me away . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 1 1

K t i i ’ now hat I am H ord s, a King s daughter . Many men a c me to my father to ask for me in marriage, and of those that came there were two whom I heard much of : one was Kin g Lyg ni and the other was King Sigmund of the race of the Vol sun s . The Ki i g ng, my father, told me t was for me to choose

t s two. w i between he e No K ng Sigmund was old,but he was the most famous warrior in the whole world, an dI chose him rather

wed. i L We were But K ng ygni did not lose desire of me, ’ and in a while he cam e against King Sigmund s kin gdom with a

- . hid ou r great army of men We treasure by the sea shore, and I and my maid watched the battle from the borders of the

. i i forest W th the help of Gram, h s wondrous sword, and his own r i i great wa r or streng th, S gmund was able to harry the great force that came against him . But suddenly he was stricken ’

w . i L down . Then as the battle lost Only K ng ygni s men sur vivedit, and they scattered to search for me and the treasure of

ﬁ I came to where m y lord lay on the eld of battle, and he rai sed himself on his shi eld when I came, and he told me that

m death was very near hi . A stranger had entered the battle at the tim e when it seemed that the m en of King Lygni must in his dr aw away . With the spear that he held hand he struck ’ th at Sigmund s sword, and Gram , e wondrous sword, was d i i m et his a broken in two pieces . Then di K ng S g und g de th ‘ ’ ‘ die i a i wound . It m ust be I shall , he sa d, for the spe r aga nst 2 1 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

’ which my sword broke was Gung nir , Odin s spear . Only that spear could have shattered the sword that Odi n gave my fathers . ’ ’ to i l Now must I go Valhalla , Od n s Hal of Heroes . “ ‘ ’ i ‘ i a I weep , I sa d, because I have no son who m ght c ll ’ himself of the great race of the Volsungs . “ ‘ ’ ‘ n ot i son il For that you need weep , sa d Sigmun d , a w l be born to you,my son and yours,and you shall name him Sigurd . Take n ow the broken pieces of my wondrous sword and give ’ them to my son when he shall be of warrior age . “ Then did Sigmund turn hi s face to the ground and the death ’ struggle came on him . Odi n s Valkyrie took his spirit from the

- ﬁ . i i f battle eld And I l fted up the broken p eces o the sword, and with my serving - maid I went and hi d in a deep dell in the forest . Then your husband and your son found us and they to i brought us your k ngdom where we have been kindly entreated, ” 0 Queen . i i Such was the h story that H ordi s, the wife of Kin g Sigmund, told to the mother of Prin ce Alv. ’ Soon afterwards the chi ld was born to her that was Sigmund s

n. i sh so S gurd e named him . And after Sigurd was born the old

i i i Alv i in hi s K ng d ed and Pr nce became K ng stead . He married i i of i i i H ord s, she the ruddy ha r, the unﬂ nch ng ways, and the i “ h gh beauty, and he brought up her son Sigurd in hi s house as

- his foster son . i r i a i ’ S gu d , the son of S gmund , before he came to w rr or s age ,

' was known for his strength and his swi ftness an d“ for the fear

2 1 4 CHILDREN OF ODIN he was working and he ran to the horse- pastures by the great Ri k ver . A herd of horses was there, grey and blac and roan and

of Ki Alv . chestnut, the best the horses that ng possessed As he came near to where the herd grazed he saw a stranger near, an ancient but robust man, wearing a strange cloak of blue and i u n leaning on a staff to watch the horses . S gurd, tho gh you g,

i ari had seen Kings in their halls, but th s man had a be ng that ’ was more lofty than any King s he had ever looked on . ” r Thou art going to choose a horse for thyself, sai d the strange to Sigurd . “ i Yea , father, Sigurd sa d . ” i i ai . Dr ve the herd ﬁrst nto the River, the stranger s d i S gurd drove the horses into the wide River . Some were swept down by the current , others struggled back and clambered up

of one i the bank the pastures . But swam across the r ver, and

i is i for i throw ng up h head ne ghed as a victory . S gurd marked him was ; a grey horse he , youn g and proud, wi th a great ﬂowing mane . He went through the water and caught thi s horse,

him an i m mounted , d brought h back across the River . “ ”

i . Thou hast done well, sa d the stranger Grani , whom ” a is of th thou h st got, e breed of Sleipner, the horse of Odin . “ ” of And I am of the race the sons of Odin, cried Sigurd, his wi i i wi “ eyes de and sh n ng th the very light of the sun . I am of the of i hi race of the sons Od n, for my father was Sigmund , and s

was s father Volsung , and hi father was Rerir, andhi s father was

i i who was S g , the son of Odin . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 1 5

i on a his taﬂ on . The stranger, le n ng s , looked the youth steadily of hi s t i Only one eyes was to be seen, but hat eye, S gurd thought, i “ l ” m ght see through a stone . Al thou hast named, the stranger i “ i ’ sa d, were as swords of Od n to send men to Valhalla, Odin s

Hall of Heroes . And of all that thou hast named there were i ’ f ” none but were chosen by Od n s Valkyries or battles in Asgard . “ ri i C ed S gurd, Too much of what is brave and noble in the ” is i for s i world taken by Od n hi battles n Asgard .

on hi s taﬂ i The stranger leaned s and h s head was bowed . ” ? i it i not i What wouldst thou he sa d, and dd seem to S gurd

m ? that he spoke to hi . What wouldst thou The leaves wither ” off Y drassil of Ra n ar and fall g , and the day g Ok comes . Then “ ” hi s o i h i is he raised head and spoke t S gurd . T e t me near, i he sa d, when thou mayst possess thyself of the pieces of thy ’ ” father s sword . Then the m an in the strange cloak of blue went climbing up

m the hill and Sigurd watched hi pass away from hi s sight . He

him had held back Grani , his proud horse , but now he turned and let him gallop along the River in a race that was as swift as the 2 1 6 CHILDREN OF ODIN

!ve nd

OUNTED upon Grani , hi s proud horse, Sigu rd Alv rode to the Hall and showed himself to ,

a to hi s . the King, nd Hiordis , mother Before

the Hall he shouted out the Volsun g name , and Ki ng Alv felt as he watched him that this

s youth wa a match for a score of men, and a Hiordis, mother, s w the blue ﬂam e of his eyes and thought

2 1 8 CHILDREN OF ODIN

on ni Aye, thou dost look Faf r the Dragon, son of the Vol ” n s i to i . it is i him . su g , he sa d S gurd Mayhap thouwho w lt slay i I would n ot strive with such a beast . He is all horr ble to

i i . me , S gurd sa d “ With a good sword thou mightst slay hi m and win for thy ” i i . self more renown than ever thy fathers had , Reg n wh spered

wi n won in i I shall renown as my fathers renown , battle w th ” in of ki i men and conquest ngdoms , S gurd said . “ Thou art n ot a true Volsun g or thou wouldst gladly go where “ is i i O most danger and dread sa d Reg n . Thou hast heard f

f nn r . Fa nir the Dragon, whose age I have w ought here If thou dost ride to the crest of the hi lls thou mayst look across to the i hi i desolate land where Fafn r has s haun t . Know that once t

ri was fair land where men had peace and prospe ty, but Fafni r

hi s in hi s came and made den a cave near by, and breathings as he went to and came from the River withered up the land and i a it Gn t . made the barren waste that men call Heath Now, i if thou art a true Volsung,thou w lt slay the Dragon, and let that i land become fair aga n, and bring the people back to it and so ’ ” add to King Alv s domain . to i i I have nought do w th the slay ng of Dragons, Sigurd “ to on i L ni said . I have make war K ng yg , and avenge upon hi m

i . the slaying of S gmund , my father “ What is the slayi ng of Lygni and the conquest of his king ” “ dom the i i ? i to slay ng of Fafn r the Dragon Reg n cried . I will l i te l thee what no one else knows of Fafn r the Dragon . He THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 1 9 guards a board of gold and jewels the like of which was never

in seen the world . All thi s hoard you can make yours by slay ” in g hi m . “ do n ot i i i . I covet r ches , S gurd sa d

i is i No r ches l ke to the riches that Fafnir guards . His hoard ’ is the hoard that the Dwarf Andvari had from the world s early days . Once the Gods themselves paid it over as a ransom . And if i thou w lt win thi s hoard thou wilt be as on e of the Gods . “ How dost thou know that of which thou speakst, Regin ? i i S gurd sa d . “ I know, and on e day I may tell thee how I know .

on to And e day I may harken to thee . But speak me no more

is . of th Dragon I would have thee make a sword, a sword that

in will be mightier and better shapen than any sword the world .

for Thou canst do this , Regin, thou art accounted the best sword i ” sm th amongst men . Regin looked at Sigurd ou t of his small and cunning eyes and he thought it was best to make himself active . So he took the weightiest pieces of iron and put them into his furnace and he brought ou t the secret tools that he used when a master- work was claimed from his hands . All day Sig urd worked beside him keeping the ﬁre at its best glow and brin ging water to cool the blade as it was fashioned and

- re fashioned . And as he worked he thought only about the blade

i L ni and about how he would make war upon K ng yg , and avenge the man who was slain before he himself was born . 220 CHILDREN OF ODIN

All day he thought only of war and of the beaten blade . But at night his dreams were n ot upon wars nor shapen blades but upon Fafni r the Dragon . He saw the heath that was left barren

t e hi s by his breath, and he saw h cave where he had den, and he hi s a li rin ik saw him crawling down from c ve, his scales g tte g l e rings of mail, and his len gth the length of a company of men on the mar ch .

The nex t day he worked with Regin to shape the great sword . When it was shapen with all the cunnin g Regin knew it looked i i indeed a mighty sword . Then Regin sharpened t and S gurd

i s it. i pol hed And at last he held the great sword by its iron h lt . Then Sigurd took the shield that had the image of Fafnir the Dragon upon it and he put the shi eld over the anvil of the smithy . Raising the great sword in both hi s hands he struck

n full o the iron shield . of The stroke the sword sheared away some of the shi eld, but ’ a in Si urd s the bl de broke g hands . Then in an ger he turned on “ i r i ’ Reg n , c y ng out, Thou hast m ade a kn ave s sword for me . To work with thee again ! Thou must make me a Volsung’ s swor

Then he went out and called to Grani , hi s horse, and mounted him i ik and rode to the r ver bank l e the sweep of the wind .

R i i ir an db eg n took more p eces of on egan to forge a new sword, utterin g as he worked run es that were about the hoard that i Fafn r the Dragon guarded . And Sigurd that night dreamt of i i gl tter ng treasure that he coveted not, masses of gold and heaps i i of gl sten ng jewels .

2 2 2 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Then she embraced him as she had never embraced him before , and standing there with her ruddy hair about her she told him of the glory of Gram and of the deeds ~ of hi s fathers in whose hands the sword had shone . i to i i Then S gurd went the sm thy, and he wakened Reg n out of i s him n of Si h sleep , and he made look o the shini ng halves g ’ hi m mund s sword . He commanded to make out of these halves a sword for hi s hand . Regin worked for days in his smithy and Sigurd never left his

i . it in s de At last the blade was forged, and when Sigurd held

s ﬁr f hi hand e ran along the edge o it . Again he laid the shield that had the im age of the Dragon

it on i of i i hi s upon the anv l the sm thy . Aga n , with hands on i s i i is t f . ron h lt, he ra ed the sword or a full stroke He struck, and the sword cut through the shield and sheared through the

i in i i i anv l, cutt g away ts ron horn . Then did S gurd know that ’ in his he had hands the Volsungs sword . He went wi thout and to i i called Gran , and l ke the sweep of the wind rode down to the ’

i . of i R ver s bank Shreds wool were ﬂoat ng down the water .

i wi his S gurd struck at them th sword , and the ﬁn e wool was ’

i i i . d v ded aga nst the water s edge Hardness and ﬁneness, Gram could cut through both .

’ ni That ght Gram , the Volsungs sword , was under hi s head

n i his whe he slept , but st ll dreams were ﬁlled with images that he had n ot regarded in the day time ; the shine of a hoard that

not f he coveted , and the gleam o the scales of a Dragon that was too him loathly for to battle wi th . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 23

IGURD went to war with the men that King Alv gave him he marched in to the country that

wa the hi s ruled over by slayer of s father . The war that he waged was short and the battles that

he won were n ot perilous . Old was King Lygn i n ow i , and feeble was h s grasp upon hi s people . Sigurd slew him and took away his treasure and added hi s f lands to the lands o King Alv .

i was i i But S gurd not content w th the v ctory he had gained . He had dr eamt of stark battles and of renown that would be 2 2 4 CHILDREN OF ODIN

hardily won . What was the war he had waged to the wars that

’ hi s Sigmund his father , and Volsung father s father , had waged

his in their days ? Not content was Sigurd . He led men back by the hills from the crests of which he could look upon the ’ i i l Dragon s haunts . And hav ng come as far as those h l s he bade ’ his men return to King Alv s hall with the spoils he had won . i They went, and S gurd stayed upon the hills and looked across

Gnita Heath to Where Fafni r the Dragon had his lair . All blasted and wasted was the Heath with the ﬁery breath of the

ni Dragon . And he saw the cave where Faf r abode ,and he saw the

F r track that hi s comings and goings made . o every day the

hi in i Dragon left s cave the cliff s, cross ng the Heath to come to i the R ver at whi ch he drank . For the length of a day Sigu rd watched from the hills the haun t

f in hi m ni i f o the D ragon . In the even g he saw lengthe ng h msel

u t f in n hi in o o the cave , and com g o s track across the Heath, i seem ng like a ship that travels swiftly because of its many oars .

i in ni Then to Reg n hi s smithy he came . To that cun ng man Sigurd said : “ all nir h Tell me thou dost know of Faf t e Dragon . i to hi old Reg n began talk, but s speech was and strange and ﬁ i d it i “ . Wh a i lled w th runes en he h spoken all S g urd sa d, All thou hast told me thou wilt have to say over again in a speech ” is that known to men of our day . i i “ Then sa d Reg n Of a hoard I spoke . The Dwarf Andvari it guarded from the ﬁr st days of the world . But one of the ZEsir

2 2 6 CHILDREN OF ODIN

e The track of the Dragon to the River is broad , for h takes

in ever the one track . Dig a pit the middle of that track, and when Fafni r comes over it strike up into hi s coils of mail with

i i . Gram, thy great sword . Gram only may p erce that ma l

Then will Fafnir be slain and the hoard will be left guardless . “ ” “ i i i . What thou sayst s wi se, Reg n , S gurd answered We ” will make thi s pit and I will strike Fafnir in the way thou sayst. i i hi Then S gurd went and he rode upon Gran , s proud horse,

l i i i s . and he showed himself to King A v and to H ord s, h mother Afterwards he went wi th Regin to the Heath that was the haunt

in of the Dragon, and in hi s track they dug a pit for the slay g of i Fafn r . m i And, lest his horse should scream aloud at the co ng of the

i i in hi l . Dragon , S gurd had Gran sent back to a cave the ls It “ was Regin that brought Grani away . I am fearful and can do ” “ i . nothi ng to help thee, son of the Volsungs , he sa d I will go ” away and await the slaying of Fafnir .

i in it He went, and S gurd lay down the p they had made and practised thrusting upward with hi s sword . He lay with his face upward and with hi s two hands he thrust the m ighty sword upward . But as he lay there he bethought of a dread thing that might happen ; namely , that the blood and the venom of the Dragon

i m m ght pour over him as he lay there , and waste hi ﬂesh and bone . When he thought of this Sig urd hastened out of the pit, h i and he dug other pits near by, and e made a passage for h mself THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS from one pit to the other that he m ight escape from the ﬂow of r ’ the D agon s envenomed blood . As he lay down again in the pit he heard the treading of the ’ Dragon and he heard the Dragon s strange and mournful cry . i i D i M ght ly the ragon came on and he heard hi s breathing . H s i shape came over the p t . Then the Dragon held hi s head and

looked down on Sigu rd .

i him did It was the nstant for to make stroke with Gram . He

n ot let the instant pass . He struck mightily under the shoulder

and towards the heart of the beast . The sword went through the ’ i hard and gli ttering scales that were the creature s mail . S g urd pulled out the sword and drew hi mself through the passage ’ and out into the second pit as Fafnir s envenomed blood

drenched where he had been . Drawing himself up out of the second pit he saw the huge

him shape of Fafnir heavin g and lashing . He came to and thrust

’ his sword right through the Dragon s neck . The D ragon reared up as though to ﬂing himself down on Sigurd with all hi s

r crushing bulk and dr ead talons, with hi s ﬁe y breath and hi s

i ff . envenomed blood . But Sigu rd leaped as de and ran far o

Then did Fafnir scream hi s death scream . After he had torn up

on hi rocks with his talons he lay prone the ground, s head in the

pit that was ﬁlled with his envenomed blood . i him Then did Regin , hear ng the scream that let know that

Fafnir was slain , come down to where the battle had been fought . When he saw that Sigur d was alive and unharmed he uttered a 2 2 8 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i w cry of fury . For hi s plan had been to have S gurd dro ned and ’ burnt in the pit with the stream of Fafnir s envenomed blood .

' But he mas tered his fury and showedapleased countenance to “ ” i i . Sig urd. Now thou wilt have renown, he cr ed Forever w lt ’

i i a . an thou be called S gurd,Fafn r s B ne More renown than ever y ” i . of thy fathers had w lt thou have , 0 Prince of the Volsungs i i So he spoke, say ng fa r words to him ,for now that he was left alive there was something he would have Sigurd do . “ ” “ in i i him was Fafnir is sla , S gurd sai d, and the tr umph over

n Alv not lightly wo . Now may I show myself to Ki ng and to ’ my mother, and the gold from Fafnir s hoard will make me a ” great spoil . “

i i . i i i . Wa t, sa d Reg n cunn ngly Wa t Thou hast yet to do

f r i somethin g o me . W th the Sword thou hast, cut through the

Dragon and take out hi s heart for me . When thou hast taken

t u t it a it i o , roast th t I may eat of and become wiser than I am . ” Do this for me who showed thee how to slay Fafnir .

i d i cu S gurd di what Fafn r would have hi m do . He t out the of it heart the Dragon and he hung from stakes to roast . Regin

r i u ﬁr d ew away and left him . As S g rd stood before the e putting ti it i in s cks upon there was a great s lence the forest . He put hi s hand down to turn an ashen branch into the heart

- of the ﬁre . As he did a drop from the roasting D ragon heart l hi a s . u i him fe l upon h nd The drop b rnt nto . He put hi s hand hi s hi s t t to mouth to ease the smart, and ongue tas ed the burning blood of the Dragon .

230 CHILDREN OF ODIN

But suddenly they changed the ﬂow of their discourse, and their notes became sharp and piercing . “ ” is i i . i on e. Look, look ! cr ed He com ng aga nst the youth ri He is com ing against the youth with a spear, c ed another . “ i Now will the youth be slain unless he is swift, cr ed a

Sig urd turned round and he saw Regin treading the way

in his an . towards hi m , grim and silent, with a spear h ds The spear would have gone through Sigurd hadhe stayed one ins tant longer in the place where he had been li stenin g to the speech of

hi s in his n the birds . As he turned he had sword ha d, and he

i on . ﬂung it, and Gram struck Reg n the breast Then Regin cried ou t I di e I die without having laid i was my hands on the hoard that Fafn r guarded . Ah, a curse i upon the hoard, for Hreidmar and Fafnir and I have per shed

of n ow on e who because of it. May the curse the gold fall on the i s my slayer . i i i Then didReg n breathe out hi s l fe . S gurd took the body and

it it i i . cast in to the p that was alongs de the dead Fafn r Then, i ’ i that he m ght eat the Dragon s heart and become the w sest, it d h of men , he went to where he had left roasting . An he t ought that when he had eaten the heart he would go into the Dragon’ s cave and carry away the treasure that was there , and bring it as

i hi i Alv hi s spo l of s battle to K ng and to mother . Then he would go through the forest and ﬁnd the House of Flame where slept THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS the maiden wi sest and bravest and most beautiful in the world . i did ’ But S gurd not eat the Dragon s heart . When he came to where he left it roasting found that the ﬁre had burnt i t utterly . 231 CHILDREN OF ODIN

called to Grani , his proud horse ; he stood up on a mound in the Heath and he sent forth a great

ni in shout . And Gra heard the cave where Regin had left hi m and he came galloping to Sigurd with

in i fir flow g mane and eyes flash ng e . ’ He mounted Grani and he rode to Fafnir s When he went into the place where the Dragon was

lie saw i him . i to he a door of ron before W th Gram, his

CHILDREN OF ODIN

He knew that no on e would cross the Heath and come to Faf ’ ni i . r s la r , so he did not fear to leave the treasure unguarded

s . He mounted Grani , hi proud horse, and rode towards the forest i He would seek the House of Flame where she lay sleep ng , the maiden who was the wisest and the bravest and the most beautiful in i hi hi i hi s the world . W th s golden helmet s n ng above golden

ai i n h r S gurd rode o .

S he rode towards the forest he thought of Sigmund,

hi s father , whose slaying he had avenged, and he f i ’ O thought o S gmund s father, Volsung , and f the grim deeds that the Volsungs had suffered and

wrought .

Rerir i i , the son of S gi who was the son of Od n ,

in his was the father of Volsung . And Volsung when he was

ﬁ i hi m i rst manhood had bu lt s hall around a ghty tree . Its branches went up to the roof and made the beams Of the house f “ ” and its great trunk was the centre o the hall . The Branstock ’ “ the tree was called, and Volsung s hall was named The Hall of ” the Branstock . hi Many c ldren had Volsung , eleven sons and one daughter .

his ﬁ Strong were all sons and good ghters, and Volsung of the B i Hall of the ranstock was a m ghty chief . i ‘ It was through S gny , the daughter of the house, that a feud and a deadly battle was brought to Volsung and hi s sons . She was a wise and a fair maiden and her fame went through all the lands . Now, one day Volsung received a message from a THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 235

i i i n K ng ask ng for the hand of S gny i marriage . And Volsung who knew Of this King through report of his battles sent a message to him saying that he would be welcome to the Hall of he t Branstock . i i i i hi So K ng S gge r came w th s men . But when the Volsungs i hi i i looked nto s face they l ked it not . And S gny shrank away , “ ” i i i is i f say ng, Th s K ng ev l O heart and false of word .

hi s i i Volsung and eleven sons took counsel together . S gge r

O i m had a great force f men w th hi , and if they refused to give her i i i he could slay them all and harry the r k ngdom . Bes des they had pledged themselves to give Signy when they had sent him a message of welcome . Long counsel they had together . And i ’ i i i i ten of S gny s brothers sa d, Let S gny wed th s K ng . He is i ” i it . n ot as evil as he seems in her m nd . Ten brothers sa d But “ n i i l n ot i o r i i il o e spoke out, say ng , We w l g ve u s ster to th s ev all o ﬁ i f King . Rather let us g down ght ng wi th the Hall o the

r Branstock ﬂam ing above ou heads .

i of i i . It was S gmund, the youngest the Volsungs , who sa d th s ’ “ But Signy s father said We know nought of evil of King

u r is i to him . hi m wi Siggeir . Also o word g ven Let feast th us thi s night in the Hall of the Branstock and let Signy go from us ” i to with hi m as h s wife . Then they looked her and they saw

’ m Signy s face and it was white and ste . Let it be as ye have ” “ i i . i said, my father and my brothers, she sa d I w ll wed K ng ”

i . Siggeir and go with hi m overseas . So she sa d aloud But “ ” i e Sigmund heard her say to herself, It s wo for the Volsungs . 2 36 CHILDREN OF ODIN

A feast was made and Kin g Siggeir and his men came to the i i Hall of the Branstock . F res were l ghted and tables were

r the . spread,and great ho ns of mead went around guests In the middle of the feasting a stranger entered the Hall . He was taller

m . than the tallest there, and his bearing made all do hi reverence

One offered him a horn of mead and he drank it. Then, from

drew a ord a under the blue cloak that he wore , he sw that m de the brightness of the Hall more bright .

He went to the tree that the Hall was built around, to the

i it . a Branstock, and he thrust the sword nto All the comp ny i were hushed . Then they heard the vo ce of the stranger, a ’ “ voice that was like the trumpet s call The sword is for the ” hand that can draw it out of the Branstock . Then he went out of the Hall . ’ All looked to where the Word was placed and saw a hand s i breadth of wonderful brightness . Th s one and that one would i hi l ’ i have la d hands on the lt, on y Volsung s vo ce bade them stand “ ” “ ~ - i . is ai ha o r an d i law st ll It meet, he s d, t t u guest our son n ,

King Siggeir, should be the ﬁrst to put han ds on its hilt and try ” to draw the sword of the stranger out of the Branstock . King Siggeir went to the tree and laid hi s hands on the broad

i . h lt He strove hard to draw out the sword, but all his mig ht

t. i i could not move i As he stra ned h mself to draw it and fai led , i i a dark look of anger came nto h s face .

Then others tried to draw it, the captains who were with King i i i S gge r, and they, too, fa led to move the blade . Then Volsung

238 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i t i u i i thou comest, he sa d o S gmund, be sure tho dost br ng w th thee the mighty sword that thou di dst win .

u i n i a All this was tho ght of by S gurd, the so of S gmund, s he rode towards the fringe of the forest . HE time came for Volsung and his sons to redeem

the promise they made to King Sig geir . They made ready their ship and they sailed from the

land where stood the Hall of the Branstock . ’ And they landed on the coast of King Siggeir s

i i n country, and they drew the r sh p up o the beach i i ’ and they made their camp there, ntending to come to the K ng s

Hall in the broad light of the day .

But in the half light of the dawn on e came to the Volsung ship .

ﬁ i was A cloak and hood covered the gure, but S gmund ,who the “ ” i i i . i l watcher ,knew who t was S gny he sa d, and S gny asked that her father and her brothers be awakened until she would speak to them of a treason that was brewed against them . “ King Siggeir has made ready a great army against your “ coming, she told them . He hates the Volsungs, the branch , l it i hi s as wel as the root, and s plan to fall upon you , my father and my brothers, with his great army and slay you all. And ’ him i - he would possess self of Gram, S gmund s wonder sword.

ou i Therefore, I say to y , O Volsungs, draw your sh p into the i ” sea and sa l from the land where such treachery can be . i “ But Volsung , her father, would not l sten . The Volsungs do not depart like broken men from a land they have brought THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 239

i hi ” t to ai . he r s p , he s d We gave, each and all , the word that we i i in i i i i if would v s t K g S g ge r and v s t him we will . And he is a dastard and would fall upon us, why we are the unbeaten l s an d we ill ﬁ Vo sung , w ght against hi m and his army and slay him , and bear you back with us to the Hall of the Branstock .

i e The day w dens now , and w shall go to the Hall . Signy would have spoken of the great army Ki ng Siggeir had d gathere , but she knew that the Volsungs never harkened to talk of odds . She spoke no more, but bowed her head and went ’ i i ir back to K ng S gge s hall . Siggeir knew that Signy had been to warn her father and her brothers . He called the men he had gathered and he posted them cunningly in the way the Volsungs would come . Then he sent one to the ship with a message of welcome .

‘ As they left their ship the arm y of King Siggeir fell upon the

as was Volsungs and their followers . Very fierce w the battle that ’ in i i waged on the beach, and many and many a one of K g S gge r s fierce fighters went down before the fearless ones that made ’ a hi i Volsung s comp ny . But at last Volsung mself was sla n and

his m i his eleven sons were taken captive . And Gram, ghty sword, ’ was taken out of Sigmund s hands .

n They were brought before Ki n g Siggeir i his hall, the eleven “ i see him . Volsun g princes . S ggeir laughed to them before Ye i i are not in the Hall of the Brans tock now,to d shonour me w th ” “ sai as black looks and scornful words , he d, and a harder t k will be given you than that of drawing a sword out of a tree 2 49 CHILDREN OF ODIN

e i i i trunk . Before s t of sun I w ll see you hewn to p eces w th the sword . Then Signy who was there stood up with her whi te face and “ he i : if her wide eyes, and s sa d I pray not for longer l e for my

th t i . brothers,for well I kn ow a myprayerswould ava l them nought _ i ‘ But dost thou not heed the proverb, S ggeir Sweet to the eye as long as the eye can

And Siggeir laughed hi s evil laugh when he heard her . Aye , ” i “ my Queen, he sa d, sweet to the eye as long as the eye may see

l e . their torments . They shal not di at once nor all together I will let them see each other die . i i SO S gge r gave a new order to hi s dastard troops . The order was that the eleven brothers should be taken into the depths of i i the forest and cha ned to great beams and left there . Th s was done with the eleven sons of Volsung . The next day on e whohadwatched andwho was faithful to Signy i i Wh l came, and S gny sa d to him at has befa len my brothers “ And the watcher said : A great wolf came to where the chained ” ﬁr of men are , and fell upon the st them and devoured him .

h i hi no a W en S gny heard t s tears c me from her eyes , but that

i n a wh ch was hard arou d her heart bec me harder . She said, o i G aga n, and watch what befalls . And the watcher came the second time and said : The second of ” your brothers has been devoured by the wolf . Signy shed n o i i i tears th s t me e ther, and again that which was hard around her heart became harder .

242 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Sig urd rode the ways of the he thought

i s upon Sigmund, his father , on his life and h

in i di hi s death, accord g to what H or s, mother, had hi m i of told . S gmund lived for long the life the

hunter and the outlaw, but he never strayed far ’ from the forest that was in King Siggeir s do

di i . m inion . Often d he get a token from S gny They two, the i last of the Volsungs,knew that King S ggeir and hi s house would have to perish for the treason he had wrought on their father i and the r brothers . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 243

Sigmund knew that hi s sister would send her son to help hi m .

One morni ng there came to hi s but a boy of ten years . He knew

’ hi on e of i i m that t s was S gny s sons , and that she would have h train him into being a warrior worthy of the Volsung breed .

Sigmund hardly looked and hardly spoke to the lad . He was go in i his i g hunt ng, and as he took down spear from the wall he sa d

- i bo . Mix There s the meal bag, y the meal and make the ” bread , and we will eat when I come back .

When he returned the bread was unmade, and the boy was “

- standing watchi ng the meal bag with widened eyes . Thou ” didst not make the bread ? Sigmund said . “ ” I i bo . Nay , sa d the y, I was afeard to go near the bag

Somethi ng stirred wi thi n it . “ Thou hast the heart of a mouse so to be frighted . Go back to thy mother and tell her that not in thee is the stuﬂ for a ” Volsung warrior .

bo i . So Sigmund spoke, and the y went away weep ng ’ i m A year later another son of Signy s came . As before S g und

i : hardly looked at and hardly spoke to the boy . He sa d “ - Mix a There is the meal bag . the meal and make re dy the ” bread against the time I retur n . h When Sigmund came back the bread was unm ade . T e boy had shrunk away from where the bag was .

Thou hast not made the bread ? Sigmund said . “ ” hi i in the ba and Nay, said the boy, somet ng st rred g , I ” was afeard . 1 44 CHILDREN OF ODIN

th Thou hast the heart of a mouse . Get thee back to y mother and tell her that there is not in thee the stuff for the m aking of a

Volsung warrior .

i . And thi s boy, like his brother, went back weep ng i as was At that time S gny had no other sons . But at l t one

Him born to her, the child of a desperate thought. , too, when i un . he was grown, she sent to S gm d “ What did thy mother say to thee ? Sigm un dsaid to this boy hi f when he showed msel at the hut . “ e Nothing. She sew d my gloves to my hands and then bade ” me pull them off. “ And didst thou ?

e i i Aye , and th sk n came w th them . And didst thou weep ? ”

for A Volsung does not weep such a thing . i Long did S gmund look on the lad . He was tall andfai r and

- s great limbed, and hi eyes had no fear in them . “ for t ? What wouldst thou have me do hee sai d the lad. ” “ i - i There s the meal bag, S gmund sai d . Mix the meal and ” for a i i m ake the bread me ga nst the t me I return . i a “ When S gmund came back the bre d was bakin g on the coals . Wh i al ? ” i at di dst thou w th the me S gmund asked . “ i it. hin in I m xed Somet g was the meal a serpen t , I

i it i n ow is th nk but I kneaded w th the meal, and the serpent ” baking on the coals . “ i a d his S gm und l ughe and threw arms around the boy . Thou

2 46 CHILDREN OF ODIN

’ in hi s lf One day, as he went through the forest wo s shape, Sigmund heard the di n of a struggle and he stopped to listen for ’ i hr n o a . Sin ﬁotli s call . But call c me Then S gmund went t ough

hi s wa the forest in the direction of the struggle . On y he passed Sinﬁotli the bodi es of eleven slain men . And he came upon ’ i his l i ly ng in the thicket , wo f s shape upon him , and pant ng from the battle he had waged . “ i Thou didst str ve wi th eleven men . Why didst thou not ” call to me ? Sigmund said . Why should I have called to thee ? I am not so feeble but

I can strive with eleven men .

Sigmund was made angry wi th thi s answer . He looked on ’ was in Sinﬁotli where he lay, and the wicked wolf s nature that

hi m . s the skin came over He sprang upon him , sinkin g hi teeth ’ in Sin ﬁotli s throat .

Sinﬁotli i in . i lay gasp ng the throes of death AndS gmund,

’ a ri knowing the de dly g p that was in those jaws of hi s, howled hi s anguish .

i hi s Then, as he l cked the face of comrade, he saw two weasels

to fi on i meet . They began ght, e w th the other, and the first caught the second at the throat, and bit hi m with hi s teeth and i laid him out as if in death . S gmund marked the combat and fi the end of it . But then the rst weasel ran and found leaves of

’ ai his a cert n herb and he put them upon comrade s woun d . And t he herb cured the wound, and the weasel that was bitten rose if up and was sound and sw t again . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 247

Sigmund went searching for the herb he saw the weasel carry to hi s comrade . An das he sought for it he saw a raven with a leaf in her beak . She dropped the leaf as he came to her, and behold it was the same leaf as the weasel had brought to hi s comrade . Sigmun d took it and lai d it on the wound he had made in Sin ’ otli otli ﬁ s throat , and the wound healed , and Sinﬁ was sound

to i . once more . They went back the r hut in the forest And the

r - nex t day they bu nt the wolf skins , and they prayed the Gods that they might never be afﬂi cted with the wolf ’s evil nature

i un Sinﬁotli r d again . And S gm d and never afte wards change their shapes . 2 48 CHILDREN OF ODIN

CGDCC

ND now Sinﬁotli had come to hi s full streng th and it was time to take vengeance on Kin g Siggeir for the slaying of Volsung and the dread doom he ’ i had set for Volsung s ten sons . S gmund and Sinﬁotli put helmets on their heads and took ’ swords in their hands and went to King Siggeir s They hi dbehind the casks of ale that were at the entrance

1 59 CHILDREN OF ODIN

w shall not die, for the queen has thrown down to me meat rapped in a parcel of straw . And a while afterwards Sin ﬁotli shouted to Sigmund The queen has left a sword in the meat which she ﬂung down to me .

l ink it i It is a m ighty sword . A most I th s Gram, the sword you told me of . “ it i i is If be Gram, S gmund sa d, It a sword that can cut in and through this ﬂag stone . Thrust the blade aga st the stone

Sin ﬁotli thrust the blade against the stone and the blade

h . one i went t rough the stone Then, on each s de, they took hold

c t in . of the sword and they u the great stone two Afterwards ,

i it a i i . t work ng together, w s easy to sh ft the turf and so l The wo came out under the sky .

Before them was the Hall of King Siggeir . They came to the Hall and they set dry wood before it and they ﬁred the wood

s in and made the Hall blaze up . And when the Hall wa a blaze i i i “ K ng S gge r came to the door and shouted, Who is it that ” has ﬁred the house of the King ? i i And S gmund said, I , S gmund, the son of Volsung, that you ” may pay for the treason wrought on the Volsungs .

i i i in See ng S gmund there w th Gram,the great sword , his hands ,

Siggeir went back into hi s hall . Then Signy was seen with her hi i w te face and her stern eyes, and S gmund called to her , Come ’ t t . i l . for h, come for h S gmund cal s Come out of Siggeir s blazing ” to e we i to house and g ther w ll go back the Hall of the Branstock. THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 25 1

i s i All is ﬁ is n But S gny a d, n hed ow. The vengeance is wrought

and I have no more to keep me in life . The Volsung race lives on in i you, my brother, and that s my joy. Not merrily did I

in i i r i di wed K g S g ge r and not me r ly d I live with him , but i il die i him n merr ly w l I w th ow . She went within the hall ; then the ﬂames burst over it and who wi thi all were n perished . Thus the vengeance of the Vol

ND i S gurd thought on the deed that Sigmun d, his inﬁ father, and S otli, the youth who was his ’ i father s k nsman , wrought, as he rode the ways

of the forest, and of the things that thereafter

befell them . Sigmund and Sinﬁotli left King Siggei r 5 land and came back to the land where was the Hall of the Bran

i m c stock . S g und be ame a great King and Sinﬁotli was the

Captain of his host . And the story of Sigmu nd and Sinﬁotli goes on to tell how Sig mund wed a woman whose name was Borghild, and how Sin ’ ﬁotli loved a woman who was loved by Borghild s brother . A

in hi i in battle came w ch the youths were on opposite s des, and S ’ i as in i ﬁotli killed Borghild s brother , and t w fa r combat .

hi m Sinﬁotli returned home . To make peace between and the Queen Sigmund gave Borghild a great measure of gold as com it pen sation for the loss of her brother . The Queen took and “ ’ i re on ed hi said, Lo, my brother s worth s ck at t s ; let no more 2 52 CHILDREN OF ODIN

in tli be said about hi s slay g . And she made Sinﬁo welcome to the Hall of the Branstock. But although she showed herself friendly to him her heart was set upon hi s destruction . That night there was a feast in the Hall of the Branstock an d Borghild the Queen went to all the guests with a horn of mead in

he Sinﬁotli him . r hand . She came .to and she held the horn to ” i f i i . Take th s from my hands, 0 friend o S gmund, she sa d “ Sinﬁotl in i il But i saw what was her eyes and he sa d, I w l

ri is in in . not d nk from this horn . There venom the dr k

Then, to end the mockery that the Queen would have made

inﬁ tli i over S o , S gmund who was standing by took the horn out ’ i . No r i in hi m of Borgh ld s hand venom o po son could jure . He

i t his i i ra sed the horn o l ps and dra ned the mead at a draught . “ i Sin ﬁotli The Queen sa d to , Must other men quaff thy drink for thee ? ”

in i hi m i f Later the n ght she came to aga n , the horn o mead in

ff it t in tli her hand . She o ered o S ﬁo , but he looked in her eyes “ i ” aw . s in rin and s the hatred that was there Venom the d k, “ ”

i wi it. he sa d . I ll not take And again Sigmund took the horn and drank the mead at a d i dr . An inﬁ aught aga n the Queen mocked S otli .

ﬁ r A third time she came to hi m . Before she O e ed the horn she “ i i is to his i i sa d, Th s the one who fears take dr nk l ke a man . What a Volsung heart he has Sinﬁotli saw the hatred in her eyes , and her mockery could not make him take the mead from

CHILDREN OF ODIN

i hi i di Then S gmund went back to s Hall. H s Queen ed, and

n i . i tim e he wed with Hiordi s, who became the mother of S gurd f i i And now Sigurd the Volsung, the son o Sigmu nd and H ord s, i rode the ways of the forest, the sword Gram by his s de, and ’ the Golden Helmet of the Dragon s Hoard above his golden hair . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 255

0 07 6

HE him - forest ways led on and up a mountain side .

i - m i a : i He came to a mounta n sum t at l st H ndfell,

where the trees fell away, leaving a place open to

the sky and the winds . On Hindfell was the i a . s w House of Flame S gurd the walls black, and

i was i h gh, and all around them a r ng of ﬁre . As he rode nearer he heard the roar of the mounting and the

ni hi s circling ﬁre . He sat on Gra , proud horse , and for long he looked on the black walls and the ﬂame that went circling around them . 256 CHILDREN OF ODIN

ou Then he rode Grani to the ﬁr e . Another horse w ld have

r i i . o been aﬂ ighted, but Grani rema ned steady under S gurd T “ ar the wall of ﬁre they came, and Sigurd , who knew no fe , rode through it. 7

- e Now he was in the court yard of the Hall . No stir was ther i i ni of man or hound or horse . S g urd d smounted and bade Gra i i be st ll . He opened a door and he saw a chamber with hang ngs hi i on w ch was wrought the pattern of a great tree, a tree w th l three roots, and the pattern was carried across from one wa l to

in f in the other . On a couch the centre o the chamber one lay a slumber . Upon the head was a helmet and across the breast w s r i l ﬂ . a breastplate . S gurd took the he met o the head Then ove ’ i i - the couch fell a heap of woman s ha r wondrous, br ght gleam ing hair . Thi s was the maiden that the birds had told him of .

ni hi He cut the faste ngs of the breastplate with s sword, and i he gazed long upon her . Beaut ful was her face, but stern ; like the face of one who subdues but may not be subdued .

Beautiful and strong were her arms and her hands . Her mouth was proud, and over her closed eyes there were strong and beautiful brows .

Her eyes opened, and she turned them and looked full upon “ i u . ho S g rd Who art thou w hast awakened me ? she said . “ i i ” I am S gurd, the son of S gmund, of the Volsung race, he answered . “ And thou didst ride through the ring of ﬁre to m e ? ” That didI .

THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 57

She knelt on the couch and stretched out her arms to Where li ” s . i 0 i the ght hone Ha l, Day, she cr ed, and hail, O beams

. 0 i that are the sons of Day N ght, and O daughter of Night, i may ye look on us w th eyes that bless . Hail, O B sir and O

As niu r ! i i - y Ha l, O w de spreading ﬁelds of Midgard May ye i i i g ve us w sdom, and w se speech, and healin g power, and grant ” that nothin g untrue or unbrave may come near us ! All thi s she cried with eyes open wide ; they were eyes that had in them all the blue that Sigurd had ever seen : the blue of

of i of - ﬂowers, the blue sk es, the blue battle blades . She turned “ him i n those great eyes upon and she sa d , I am Bry hild, once i i a Valkyr e but now a mortal ma den, on e who will know death all and the sorrows that mortal women know . But there are

i n ot th ngs that I may know, things that are false and of no ” bravery . She was the bravest and the wisest and the most beautiful

i in : i it ma den the world S g urd knew that was so. He laid his i “ ” sword Gram at her feet, and he sa d her name, Brynhi ld . how i h He told her he had sla n the Dragon, and ow he had heard the birds tell of her . She rose from the couch and bound her

n . wondrous hair o her head In wonder he watched her . When she moved it was as though she walked above the earth .

him hi They sat together and she told wonderful and secret t ngs . t ho di And she told him oo, w she was sent by O n from Asgard

r hi lh i to choose the slam fo s hall Va alla , and to give v ctory to those whom he willed to have it . And she told how she had

s 2 58 CHILDREN OF ODIN

- was disobeyed the will of All Father , and how for that she made i i r outcast of Asgard . Od n put nto her ﬂesh the tho n of the Tree of Sleep that she . m ight remain in slumber until one who was the bravest of mortal men should waken her . Whoever would break the fastenings of the breastplate would take out the Thorn “ i ” i “ a of Sleep . Od n granted me this, she sa d, that as a mort l maid I should wed none but him who is the bravest in the world .

him - And so that none but m ight come to me , All Father put the

ﬁre- ri I in it is i ng round where lay slumber . And thou , S gurd , i son of S gmun d , who hast come to me . Thou art the bravest and I think thou art the most beautiful too ; like to Tyr , the God ” who wields the sword . She told him that whoever rode through the ﬁr e and claimed her as his wife, him she must wed .

They talked to each other fondly and the day ﬂowed by them .

i i his i hi m Then S gurd heard Gran , horse , ne gh for again and “ i r again . He cr ed to B ynhild Let me go from the gaze of

I h is thin e eyes . am that one w o to have the greatest name in I the world . Not yet have made my name as great as my father ’ I and my father s father made their names great . have overcome

in L ni i i K g yg , and I have sla n Fafn r the Dragon, but that is

li . I in ttle would make my name the greatest the world, and

i in ki i I endure all that s to be endured ma ng t so . Then would ” come back to thee in the House of Flame . “ i i him l Brynh ld sa d to Wel dost thou speak . Make thy name great, and endure what thou hast to endure in making it

260 CHILDREN OF ODIN

left Hindfell and he came into a kingdom that was ruled over by a people that were called the ’ Nibelungs as Sig urd s people were called the Vol

uki sung s . Gi was the name of the King of that

land . Giuki and his Queen and all their sons gave

i u r a a great welcome to S g d when he c me to their hall , for he ’ looked such a one as m ight win the nam e of being the world s

’ ' An d war esi greatest hero . Sigurd went to b de the King s sons, THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 261

nn i Gu ar and Hogn , and the three made great names for them ’ Si urds i selves, but g shone h gh above the others . When they came back from that war there were great rejoicings ’ in l i n i the hal of the N belu gs, and Sig urds heart was ﬁlled w th ’ friendship for all the Nibelung race ; he had love for the King s

n ni sons , Gun ar and Hog , and with Gunnar and Hogni he swore oaths of brotherhood . Henceforward he and they would be as i i brethren . K ng G uki had a stepson named Guttorm and he was not bound in the oath that bound Sigurd and the others in brotherhood . After the war they had waged Sigurd spent a whole win ter in of i Hi s ri the hall the N belungs . heart was full of memo es of

‘ Brynhﬂd and of longin gs to ride to her in the House of Flame and to take her with hi m to the kingdom that King Giuki would

not have given him . But as yet he would go back to her, for he had sworn to give hi s brethren further help . i One day, as he rode by himself, he heard b rds talk to each i “ other and he knew the words they were saying . One sa d, There is Sigurd who wears the wondrous helmet that he took out of ’ ” h i i “ Fafni r s hoard . And the ot er b rd sa d, He knows not that by that helmet he can change his shape as Fafnir changed hi s

hi or shape , and make him look like t s creature that creature, or ” “ An d i i i thi s man or that man . the th rd b rd sa d, He knows not ” that the hehn et can do anything so wonderful for hi m . i He rode back to the hall of the N belungs , and at the supper board he told them what he had heard the birds say . He showed 2 62 CHILDREN OF ODIN

how i them the wondrous helmet . Also he told them he had sla n

f how won i Fafnir the Dragon, and o he had the m ghty hoard for who i d himself . Hi s two sworn brothers were there rejo ce that he had such wondrous possessions . But more precious than the hoard and more wondrous than the helmet was the memory of Brynhﬂd that he had . But of this he said no word . wa Grimhild was the name of the Queen . She s the mother of

- Gunnar and Hogni and their half brother Gu ttorm . And she ow and the King had on e daughter whose name was Gudrun . N

ri i G mhild was one of the w sest of women, and she knew when she i ’ looked upon him that S gurd was the world s greatest warrior .

hi m i n o She would have belong to the N belungs, t only by the oaths of brotherhood he had sworn wi th Gunnar and Hogni , r of but by othe ties . And when she heard the great hoard that was hi s she had greater Wish and will that he should be on e with i the N belungs . She looked on the helmet of gold and on the great

’ - i it arm r ng that he wore, and she made her heart s purpose that

i ul S gurd sho d wed with Gudr un, her daughter . But neither

’ i i of ri hi S gurd nor the ma den Gudrun knew G m ld s resolve . i i And the Queen, watch ng S gurd closely, knew that he had a ’ remembrance in hi s breast that held hi m from seeing Gudrun s i f lovel ness . She had knowledge o spells and secret brews !she ’ was of the race of Borghi ld whose brew had destroyed Sinﬁotli s life) and she knew that she could make a potion that would i destroy the memory S gurd held .

2 64 CHIL DREN OF ODIN

’ No more was Sig urd s heart empty of memory : it was ﬁlled with the memory of Gudrun as he saw her by the lake when the

i now wild swans were building the r nests . And he watched her

i i r i in the hall, sitting with her mother embro der ng, or se v ng her

or i father her brothers, and tenderness for the ma den kept growing in hi s heart .

A day came when he asked Gunnar and Hogni, hi s sworn

h . bret ren, for Gudrun They were glad as though a great fortune i had befallen them . An d they brought him before G uki the

i im i . as if K ng, and Gr h ld the Queen It seemed they had cast oﬁ all trouble and care and entered into the prim e of their life o i and power, s g reatly di d the K ng and the Queen rejoice at ’ Sig urd s becoming one with the Nibelungs through his marriage with Gudrun .

r i i When Gud un heard that S gurd had asked for her, she sa d to the Queen Oh,my mother,your wisdom should have strength Ho ened me to bear such joy. w can I show him that he is so

to ? tr f dear, so dear me But I shall y not to show it, or he might

in deem that there was no sense me but sense to love hi m . So

ri a great a war or would not c re for such love . I would be with ” im - i h as a battle ma den . Sigurd and Gudrun were wed and all the kin gdom that the

Nibelungs ru led over rejoiced . And Queen Grimhild thought that though the eﬁ ect of the potion she gave would wear

his ﬁll hi s away, love for Gudrun would ever heart , and that no r ﬁnd other memo y would be able to a place there . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 65

60m m

OW that Sigurd had wed Gudr un he was - one with i ’ the N belungs . The hoard that was in Fafnir s cave he brought away and he left it in their ’ i i s - treasure house . He went nto h foster father s Al kingdom again, and he saw King v and Hiordis,

is no n ow of h mother . But he had memory the

“

of or h i for him . House Flame , n of Brynhi ld, w o wa ted there ’ i i i r s K ng Giuki d ed, and Gunnar, S gu d sworn brother, became

Hi s i m King in hi s stead . mother would have h wed, but Gunnar

for his told her he had seen no maiden whom he would choose wife . 2 66 CHILDREN OF ODIN

But when Sigurd and he were together Gunnar would speak

on e of a maiden far away, one whom he often thought on . And

' i s day when Sigurd pressed hi m to tell who thi s ma den wa , he

of of i in spoke one whom the wisest of the poets told , a ma den a as Hall with a ﬂame around it, a maiden named Brynhild who w guarded by a ring of ﬁre . Sigurd laughed to thi nk that hi s shrewd brother was beguiled

one nl of if was b by whom he had o y heard . But he beguiled y the tale of her, why should he not come to her and wedher ? So

i i him i S gurd sa d . Then Gu nnar bent to and asked S gurd ’ would he aid him to win her And Sigurd took Gunnar s hand and swore that he would .

a off i n ni an i So they st rted for H ndfell, Gu nar and Hog dS gurd . They rode on until they came in sight of the black walls with i the mount ng and circling ﬁre around them . No memory had i i of i S gurd of the place . W th the ﬂame eagerness upon h s stolid

i ri face Gunnar went forward to r de through the ng of ﬁre. He

o i his t brought G t , horse, near he ﬂame, but the horse, for no i i u h t. urg ng,wo ld go t rough Then Gunnar thought that,mounted ’ i Si ur s d i rin on Gran , g d horse, he coul r de through the g of ﬁre .

d i a ri He mounte Gran and came ne r to the ﬂa ng wall . B u t Grani , k i who him now ng that the one rode had fear of the ﬁre, reared

n ot i n up and would go through t . O ly with Sigurd on his back ni would Gra go through the ﬂame .

Then were the three sworn brethren greatly di scom ﬁted. But after they had considered it for long Hogni the Wise said

268 CHILDREN OF ODIN

” Art thou the bravest one in the world ? she asked .

I have ridden thr ough the wall of ﬂaring ﬁre to come to thee ,

Sigurd answered . “ He who has come through that wall of ﬂaring ﬁre may claim ” i t hi i . s w i in i me, Bryn ld sa d It r tten the runes , and must be

was on e who so. But I thought there only would come to me i of through it She looked at h m , and her eyes had a ﬂame ” i i i - anger . Oh, I would str ve w th thee with warr or weapons,

i m she cried . Then S gurd felt her strong hands upon hi , and he knew that she was striving to throw hi m .

so They wrestled , and each was strong that none could move i f the other . Theywrestled,S gurd the first o heroes ,and Brynhild , i the Valkyrie . S gurd g ot her hand in his in the wrestle . On that i i it hand was a r ng , and S gurd bent back the finger and drew off . ’ An dvari s ri i on It was ng, the r ng he had placed her finger . i ff And when the r ng was taken o it, Brynhild sank down on her kn ees like one that was strengthless . Then Sigurd li fted her in his arms and carried her to where i his i i . i Gran , horse, was wa t ng He l fted her across his horse, and be mounted behi nd her and again he rode through the wall

’ of . i i i n ﬂame Hogn and Gunnar were wa t ng , Gu nar in Sig u rd s

. nhi di n t shape Bry ld d o look upon them , but covered her face

i . i hi s own w th her hands Then S gurd took back shape , and he i of rode before Gunnar and Hogn to the hall the Nibelungs .

' withi n an d he W He went j found Gudrun , his wife, playing ith

i his i S gmund, l ttle son, and he sat beside her and he told her of THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 269

: ho f all that had befallen w, or the sake of the sworn brother won hi hood, he had Bryn ld the Valkyrie for Gun nar , and how he had striven with her and had overcome her,and had taken ofl fin i her ger the r ng that he now wore upon his own . And even as he spoke to his wife the fume of the potion that ’ i him Gudrun s mother had g ven was wearing off, and he had memories of going to the House of Flame on a day that was not i of ri i th s day, and d ng through the wall of fire in hi s own shape . ai And ag n , as on the ni ght when he drank the potion that Queen i i Gr mh ld brewed, he became as one Whose wits are astray

i hi s i He stood watch ng ch ld as he played, and hi s wife as she

i n worked at her embro dery, and he was as a man i a dream . While he was standing there Gunnar and Hogni came into the i i wi hall of the N belungs br nging Brynhild th them . Gudrun ’ rose up to welcome her who came as her brother s bride . Then did Sigurd look on Brynhi ld and then didhe remember all . And when he remembered all such a m i ghty sigh rose from hi s heart as burst the li nks of the mail that was across his breast . 270 CHILDREN OF ODIN

’ happened one that Brynhild, Gunn ar s wife, ’ r now a Queen, was with Sigu d s wife, bathi ng in a

as river . Not often they were together . Brynhild w

the haughtiest of women, and often she treated

Gudrun with disdain . Now as they were bathing

together, Gudrun, shaking out her hair, cast some

o h . drops up n Bryn ild Brynhild went from Gudrun . And ’ i ur s wi S g d fe, not knowin g that Brynhild hadang er ag ainst her, went after her up the stream . “ f Why dost thou go so ar up the river, Brynhild ? Gudrun

2 72 CHILDREN OF ODIN

Gunnar rode through the ring of fir e . Mayhap thou wilt ” i r hi . tell us that Sigurd did the like, sa d B yn ld ‘ “ ” “ n w . was i Yea, said Gudrun, o made angry It S gurd and not Gunnar who rode through the ring of fire . He rode ’ ofl th through it in Gun n ar s shape, and he took the ring y finger ” look, it is now on mine . ’ And Gudrun held out her hand on whi ch was An dvari s ring .

i was Then Brynhi ld kn ew, all at once, that what Gudrun sa d

as i O re true . It w S gurd that rode through the ring f fi the second fi i who i as well as the rst t me . It was he had struggled w th her, fl f taking the ring O her hand and claiming her or a bride, not for

ou t f i i . himself but for another, and o d sda n ’

n . n f Falsely had she been wo And she, o e o Odin s Valkyries, had been wed to on e who was not the bravest hero in the world,

n and she to whom untruth m i ght ot come had been deceived .

' o n She was silent n w, and all the pride that was i her turned to hatred Of Sigurd . to t She went Gunn ar, her husband, and she old him that she was so deeply shamed that she could never be glad in hi s Hall

in in i aga that never would he see her dr k ng wine, nor embroider

n i i g w th golden threads, and never would he hear her speaking i hi words Of kindness . And when she sa d t s to him she rent the web i she was weav ng, and she wept aloud so that all in the hall a heard her, and all marvelled to he r the proud Queen cry .

i r Then S gu d came to her, and he off ered in atonement the

o r whole b a d of Fafni r . And he told her how forgetfulness of THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 73

her had come upon him , and he begged her to forgive him for “ i i in w nn ng her falseness . But she answered hi m : TOO late ' i thou hast come to me, S gurd . Now I have only a great anger ” in my heart .

n o him When Gu nar came she t ld she would forgive him , and

hi m not m love as she had loved hi before , if he would slay Sigu rd .

’ nn not But Gu ar would slay him , although Brynhild s passion him i moved greatly , s nce Sig urd was a sworn brother of his .

to i hi m i Then she went Hogn and asked to slay S gurd , tell

’ in g him that the whole Of Fafnir s hoard would belong to the i if i i . h m N belungs S gurd were sla n But HOgni would not slay i , i i s nce S gurd and he were sworn brothers .

There was one who had not sworn brotherhood with Sigurd . ’ ’ Guttorm un n ar s H ni s - i He was , G and Og half brother . Brynh ld

uttorm . i i went to G He would not slay S gurd , but Brynh ld found of i that he was inﬁr m will and unsteady Of thought . W th Gut

f r i f i i torm , then, she would work o the slay ng o S gurd . Her m nd f was fixed that he and she would n o longer be in the world o men . ’ She made a di sh of madness for Gu ttorm serpent s venom ’ and wolf s flesh mixed and when he had eaten it Guttorm ’ i to hi . was crazed . Then did he l sten Bryn ld s words And she commanded hi m to g o into the chamber where Sigurd slept and stab him through the body with a sword . i hi s i Thi s Guttorm did. But S gurd , before he gasped out l fe, u it Guttorm hi m took Gram, hi s great sword, and fl ng at and cut in twain .

r 2 74 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i And Brynhild,knowing what deed was done, went w thout and ’ i i u r s i . came to where Gran , S g d proud horse , was stand ng She ’ stayed there with her arms across Grani s neck, the Valkyrie

’ leaning across the horse that was born of Odi n s horse . And Grani stood listening for some sound . He heard the cries Of Gudrun

hi s di . over Sigurd, and then heart burst and he ed They bore Sigurd out of the Hall and Brynhild went beside where they placed hi m . She took a sword and put it thr ough her who own heart . Thus died Brynhild had been made a mortal i wi f woman for her disobed ence to the ll O Odin , and who was ’ won to be a mortal s wife by a falseness .

i hi s They took S gurd and horse Grani , and hi s helmet and his

- golden war gear and they left all on a great painted ship . They i could not but leave Brynhi ld bes de him , Brynhild with her wondrous hair and her stern and beautiful face . They left the two together and launched the shi p on the sea . And when the ship was on the water they fired it, and Brynhfld once again lay in the flames . And so Sig urd and Brynt went together to join Baldur and ’ Nanna in Hela s habitation . UNNAR and Hogni came to dread the evil that was

in the hoard . They took the gleaming and gli tter ing mass and they brought it to the river along

which , ages before, Hreidmar had hi s sm ithy and

the Dwarf An dvari his cave . From a rock in the river they cast the gold and jewels into the

2 76 CHILDREN OF ODIN

NOW fell on the four quarters of the world ; icy winds blew from every side ; the sun and the

moon were hidden by storms . It was the Fim bul Winter no spring came and no summer ' no

autumn brought harvest or fruit, and wm ter i a i grew nto winter ga n . ’ r was h ‘ The e t ree years winter . The ﬁrst was called the Winter Of Winds : storms blew and sn ows drove down an d frosts were i i f m ghty . The ch ldren O men might hardly keep alive in that dread winter . THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 277

The second winter was called the Winter of the Sword : those who were left alive amongst men robbed and slew for what was on l left to feed ; brother fel on brother and slew him , and over all i the world there were m ghty battles . i i And the th rd w nter was called the Win ter of the Wolf . Then

i t i who i in am vi the anc en w tch l ved J d, the Iron Wood, fed the Wolf Man agarm on unburied men and on the corpses of those who in fell battle . Mightily grew and ﬂourished the Wolf was of i that to be the devourer Man , the Moon . The Champions in Valhalla would ﬁn d their seats splashed with the blood that Man agarm dashed from his jaws thi s was a sign to the Gods that the ti was me of the last battle approachi ng . COCK crew ; far down in the bowels of the earth ’ he was an d beside Hela s habitation : the rusty ] red cock of He crew, and his crowing made a stir

in the lower worlds . In Jotunheim a cock crew,

Fialar rim s i , the c son cock, and at hi crow ng the

i i in G ants aroused themselves . H gh up Asgard

ulli am ir s win a cock crew, the golden cock G nk b , and at hi cro g i the Champ ons in Valhalla bestirred themselves . A dog barked ; deep down in the earth a dog barked It was

in Gni a . Garm , the hound with bloody mouth, barking p s Cave

The Dwarfs who heard groaned before their doors of stone . The di tree Ygdrassil moaned in all its branches . There was a ren ng noise as the Giants moved their ship ; there was a trampling sound as the hosts of Muspelheim gathered their horses . 2 78 CHILDREN OF ODIN

But Jotunheim and Muspelheim and He] waited tremblingly ; it might be that Fenrir the Wolf might not burst the bonds where

m i his i with the Gods had bound hi . W thout be ng loosed the Gods

d di O f might n ot be destroyed . An then was heard the ren ng the

For i rock as Fenrir broke loose . the second t me the Hound ’ in ui Garm barked G pa s Cave . Then was heard the galloping Of the horses Of the riders of Muspelheim ; then was heard the laughter Of Loki ; then was ’ heard the blowin g Of Heirndall s horn ; then was heard the open

’ in v r i d g of Valhalla s ﬁ e hund ed and forty doors, as e ght hun red

Champions made ready to pass through each door .

’ i s Odin took counc l with Mimi r s head . Up from the water of i it of of the Well W sdom he drew ,and by the power the runes i he knew he made the head speak to him . Where best m ght the

sir i t Einher ar ho ZE and the Van r and he j , w were the Champions O i ho i f M dgard, meet, and w best m ght they strive with the forces of Muspelheim and Jotunheim and He] The head Of Mimi r counselled Odin to meet them on Vigard Plain and to wage there O i f such war that the powers f ev l would be destroyed or ever ,

hi s own u even though world sho ld be destroyed with them .

he i O i i i o T r ders f Muspelhe m reached B frost , the Ra nb w Bridge . i O it Now would they storm the C ty f the Gods and ﬁll with ﬂame . i i O i of But B frost broke under the we ght f the r ders Muspelheim, a to i O and they c me not the C ty f the Gods .

Orm u n an d i a J g , the serpent that enc rcles the world, re red itself up from the sea . The waters ﬂooded the lands , and the remnant

2 80 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i Hrasvelg ur screamed on the edge Of heaven . Then the sk es

Y assil in its . were cloven,and the tree gdr was shaken all roots To the place where the Gods had drai vn up their ranks came

ri the shi p of Jotunheim and the ship of Hel, came the ders of

r i hi s . Muspelheim , and Ga m , the hound w th blood upon jaws And ou t of the sea that n ow surrounded the plain of Vigard the serpent Jorm u ngan d came . What said Odin to the Gods and to the Champions who sur “ rounded him We will give our lives and let ou r world be t i i destroyed, but we will battle so that hese ev l powers w ll not ” ’ Hi s O i ri . live after us . Out f Hel s sh p sprang Fen r the Wolf

hi s mouth gaped ; hi s lower jaw hung against the earth , and

i i - upper jaw scraped the sky . Aga nst the Wolf Od n All Father

m i aid him for n ow en fought . Thor ght not , Thor had to

r . counter ]O m un g an d, the monstrous serpent

By Fenrir the Wolf Odin was slain . But the younger Gods i i God were n ow advancing to the battle ; and V dar , the S lent , ’ i hi s on f came face to face with Fenrir . He la d foot the Wol s

on all lower jaw, that foot that had the sandal made of the scraps

i for i his of leather that shoemakers had la d by him , and w th

iz hi s hands he se ed the upper jaw and tore gullet . Thus died f i th all m i O . Fenr r, e ﬁercest of the ene es the Gods

n n Jorm u g a d,the monstrous serpent ,would have overwhelmed i all w th the venom he was ready to pour forth . But Thor sprang

r hi m i O hi s i forward and c ushed w th a stroke f hammer M olnir .

Then Thor stepped back nine paces . But the serpent blew his THE SWORD OF THE VOLSUNGS 2 81

him li venom over ,and b nded and choked and burnt, Thor , the ’ i World s Defender, per shed . i hi Lok sprang from s ship and strove with Heim dall, the of Warder the Rai nbow Bridge and the Watcher for the Gods .

i i i him Lok slew He mdall and was sla n by . hi Bravely fought Tyr , the God who had sacriﬁced s sword

for in i Of hand the b d ng the Wolf . Bravely he fought, and many

Of O f the powers evil perished by hi s strong left hand . But wi Garm , the hound th bloody jaws , slew Tyr .

And n ow the riders of Muspelheim came down on the ﬁeld .

Bright and gleaming were all their weapons . Before them and

i Su rtur fire behind them went wast ng fires . cast upon the earth ; the tree Ygdrassil took fir e and burned in all its great branches ;

ul ﬁre the World Tree was wasted in the blaze . But the fearf that

Surtu r brought on the earth destroyed him and all his h ost .

t e The Wolf Hati caught up on Sol, h Sun ; the Wolf

arm iz i Man ag se ed on Man , the Moon ; they devoured them ;

w on . stars fell , and darkness came do n the world HE seas ﬂowed over the burnt and wasted earth

for and the ski es were dark above the sea, Sol

and Mani were no more . But at last the seas

in drew back and earth appeared aga , green and

n ew beautiful . A new Sun and a Moon appeared

n of S01 in the heavens ,o e a daughter and the other

O i in i . a daughter f Mani . No gr m wolves kept them pursu t ’ Four O f the younger Gods stood on the hi ghest Of the world s 2 82 CHILDREN OF ODIN

i O in peaks ; they were Vidar and Val , the sons f Od , and Modi i i i f . i and Magni , the sons o Thor Mod and Magn found M oln r, ’ i ” i Thor s hammer, and with t they slew the monsters that st ll raged through the world, the Hound Garm and the Wolf Mana garm . Vidar and Vali found in the grass the golden tablets on whi ch were inscribed the runes of wisdom of the elder Gods . The f of i i runes told them o a heaven that was above Asgard, G ml , ’ i u rtu r s re . ili Ve that was untouched by S ﬁ V and , W ll and ’

in i . Holiness , ruled t Baldur and Hodur came from Hela s

i i on hab tat on, and the Gods sat the peak together and held wi to i S speech th each other, calling m nd the ecrets and the i wili happen ngs they had known before Ragnarok, the T ght Of the

Gods . Deep in a wood two of human kind were left ; the ﬁre Of

Su rtur did n ot touch them ; they slept , and when they wakened two on the world was green an dbeautiful again . These fed the of i a if dews the morn ng ; woman and a man they were , L and

in if hr sir . L t a They walked abroad the world , and from them and from their children came the men and women who spread themselves over the earth .

Pri ntedin the Un ited States of Am en ca.