Conditions and Terms of Use Copyright © Heritage History 2010 Some rights reserved This text was produced and distributed by Heritage History, an organization dedicated to the preservation of classical juvenile history books, and to the promotion of the works of traditional history authors. REFACE The books which Heritage History republishes are in the public P domain and are no longer protected by the original copyright. They may therefore be reproduced within the United States without paying a royalty In preparing the Second Edition of this little volume of to the author. tales from the Northern Mythology for the press, the Authors The text and pictures used to produce this version of the work, have thought it advisable to omit the conversations at the however, are the property of Heritage History and are subject to certain beginning and end of the chapters, which had been objected to restrictions. 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Keary. 2 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS A GIANT—A COW—AND A HERO...................................... 4 AIR THRONE, THE DWARFS, AND THE LIGHT ELVES ........ 7 NIFLHEIM ............................................................................ 9 THE CHILDREN OF LOKI .................................................. 11 Bifrost, Urda, and the Norns ......................................... 12 Odhaerir .......................................................................... 15 FROM ASGARD TO UTGARD ............................................. 23 THE SERPENT AND THE KETTLE ...................................... 29 ON TIPTOE IN AIR THRONE ............................................. 34 THE GIFT .......................................................................... 35 FAIREST GERD .................................................................. 36 THE WOOD BARRI ............................................................ 38 THE NECKLACE BRISINGAMEN ........................................ 40 LOKI—THE IRON WOOD—A BOUNDLESS WASTE ......... 42 THE KING OF THE SEA AND HIS DAUGHTERS ................. 44 REFLECTIONS IN THE WATER .......................................... 46 THE WINGED-GIANT ........................................................ 48 HELA ................................................................................. 52 THROUGH FLOOD AND FIRE ............................................ 53 THE DREAM ...................................................................... 57 THE PEACESTEAD ............................................................. 59 BALDUR DEAD .................................................................. 61 HELHEIM .......................................................................... 62 WEEPING .......................................................................... 63 HE IGHT OF SGARD T M A ................................................... 65 HE ECRET OF VARTHEIM FREYJA IN THE DWARFS' CAVE. T S S ........................................... 68 HONOUR ............................................................................ 70 THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI .............................................. 71 RAGNAROK, OR THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS ............... 74 Original Copyright 1891 by A. & E. Keary. 3 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 until either he or Bur, the hero, should lie dead upon the ground. And he kept his vow; he did not cease fighting until CHAPTER I Bur had fallen beneath his cruel blows. I cannot tell how it could be that one so wicked should be able to conquer one so majestic and so beautiful; but so it was, and afterwards, when A GIANT—A COW—AND A HERO the sons of the hero began to grow up, the giant and his sons fought against them, too, and were very near conquering them In the beginning of ages there lived a cow, whose many times. breath was sweet, and whose milk was bitter. This cow was But there was of the sons of the heroes one of very called Audhumla, and she lived all by herself on a frosty, great strength and wisdom, called Odin, who, after many misty plain, where there was nothing to be seen but heaps of combats, did at last slay the great old giant, and pierced his snow and ice piled strangely over one another. Far away to the body through with his keen spear, so that the blood swelled north it was night, far away to the south it was day; but all forth in a mighty torrent, broad and deep, and all the hideous around where Audhumla lay a cold, grey twilight reigned. By- giant brood were drowned in it excepting one, who ran away and-by a giant came out of the dark north, and lay down upon panting and afraid. the ice near Audhumla. "You must let me drink of your milk," said the giant to the cow; and though her milk was bitter, he After this Odin called round him his sons, brothers, and liked it well, and for him it was certainly good enough. cousins, and spoke to them thus: "Heroes, we have won a great victory; our enemies are dead, or have run away from us. We After a little while the cow looked all round her for cannot stay any longer here, where there is nothing evil for us something to eat, and she saw a very few grains of salt to fight against." sprinkled over the ice; so she licked the salt, and breathed with her sweet breath, and then long golden locks rose out of the The heroes looked round them at the words of Odin. ice, and the southern day shone upon them, which made them North, south, east, and west there was no one to fight against look bright and glittering. them anywhere, and they called out with one voice, "It is well spoken, Odin; we follow you." The giant frowned when he saw the glitter of the golden hair; but Audhumla licked the pure salt again, and a "Southward," answered Odin, "heat lies, and northward head of a man rose out of the ice. The head was more night. From the dim east the sun begins his journey westward handsome than could be described, and a wonderful light home." beamed out of its clear blue eyes. The giant frowned still more "Westward home!" shouted they all; and westward when he saw the head; but Audhumla licked the salt a third they went. time, and then an entire man arose—a hero majestic in strength and marvellous in beauty. Odin rode in the midst of them, and they all paid to him reverence and homage as to a king and father. On his right Now, it happened that when the giant looked full in the hand rode Thor, Odin's strong, warlike, eldest son. On his left face of that beautiful man, he hated him with his whole heart, hand rode Baldur, the most beautiful and exalted of his and, what was still worse, he took a terrible oath, by all the children; for the very light of the sun itself shone forth from snows of Ginnungagap, that he would never cease fighting his pure and noble brow. After him came Tyr the Brave; the Original Copyright 1891 by A. & E. Keary. 4 Distributed by Heritage History 2010 Silent Vidar; Hodur, who, alas! was born blind; Hermod, the caves, from gorges, dropped from the tree tops, or rose out of Flying Word; Bragi, Hænir, and many more mighty lords and the grass—each wind-gust a separate Van. heroes; and then came a shell chariot, in which sat Frigga, the Then Niörd, their leader, stood forward from the rest of wife of Odin, with all her daughters, friends, and tirewomen. them, and said, "We know, O mighty Odin how you and your Eleven months they journeyed westward, enlivening company are truly the Æsir—that is to say, the lords of the the way with cheerful songs and conversation, and at the whole earth—since you slew the huge, wicked giant. We, too, twelfth new moon they pitched their tents upon a range of hills are lords, not of the earth, but of the sea and air, and we which stood near the borders of an inland sea. The greater part thought to have had glorious sport in fighting one against of one night they were disturbed by mysterious whisperings, another; but if such be not your pleasure, let us, instead of that, which appeared