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Thor goes fishing

ONCE on a time the gods went to take dinner with old Aegir, the king of the ocean. Down under the green waves they went to the coral palace where Aegir lived with his wife, Queen Ran, and his daughters, the Waves. But Aegir was not expecting so large a party to dinner, and he had not mead enough for them all to drink. "I must brew some more mead," he said to himself. But when he came to look for a kettle in which to make the brew, there was none in all the sea large enough for the purpose. At first Aegir did not know what to do; but at last he decided to consult the gods themselves, for he knew how wise and powerful his guests were, and he hoped that they might help him to a kettle.

Now when he told the gods his trouble they were much interested, for they were hungry and thirsty, and longed for some of Aegir's good mead. "Where can we find a kettle?" they said to one another. "Who has a kettle huge enough to hold mead for all the gods?"

Then Tyr the brave turned to Thor with a grand idea. "My father, the giant Hymir, has such a kettle," he said. "I have seen it often in his great palace near Elivâgar, the river of ice. This famous kettle is a mile deep, and surely that is large enough to brew all the mead we may need."

"Surely, surely it is large enough," laughed Aegir. "But how are we to get the kettle, my distinguished guests? Who will go to Giantland to fetch the kettle a mile deep?"

"That will I," said brave Thor. "I will go to Hymir's dwelling and bring thence the little kettle, if Tyr will go with me to show me the way."

So Thor and Tyr set out together for the land of snow and ice, where the giant Hymir lived. They traveled long and they traveled fast, and finally they came to the huge house which had once been Tyr's home, before he went to live with the good folk in Asgard.

Well Tyr knew the way to enter, and it was not long before they found themselves in the hall of Hymir's dwelling, peering about for some sign of the kettle which they had come so far to seek; and sure enough, presently they discovered eight huge kettles hanging in a row from one of the beams in the ceiling. While the two were wondering which kettle might be the one they sought, there came in Tyr's grandmother,—and a terrible grandmother she was. No wonder that Tyr had run away from home when he was very little; for this dreadful creature was a giantess with nine hundred heads, each more ugly than the others, and her temper was as bad as were her looks. She began to roar and bellow; and no one knows what this evil old person would have done to her grandson and his friend had not there come into the hall at this moment another woman, fair and sweet, and glittering with golden ornaments. This was Tyr's good mother, who loved him dearly, and who had mourned his absence during long years.
With a cry of joy she threw herself on her son's neck, bidding him welcome forty times over. She welcomed Thor also when she found out who he was; but she sent away the wicked old grandmother, that she might not hear, for Thor's name was not dear to the race of giants, to so many of whom he had brought dole and death.

"Why have you come, dear son, after so many years?" she cried. "I know that some great undertaking calls you and this noble fellow to your father's hall. Danger and death wait here for such as you and he; and only some quest with glory for its reward could have brought you to such risks. Tell me your secret, Tyr, and I will not betray it."

Then they told her how that they had come to carry away the giant kettle; and Tyr's mother promised that she would help them all she could. But she warned them that it would be dangerous indeed, for that Hymir had been in a terrible temper for many days, and that the very sight of a stranger made him wild with rage. Hastily she gave them meat and drink, for they were nearly famished after their long journey; and then she looked around to see where she should hide them against Hymir's return, who was now away at the hunt.

"Aha!" she cried. "The very thing! You shall bide in the great kettle itself; and if you escape Hymir's terrible eye, it may hap that you will find a way to make off with your hiding-place, which is what you want." So the kind creature helped them to climb into the great kettle where it hung from one of the rafters in a row with seven others; but this one was the biggest and the strongest of them all.

Hardly had they snuggled down out of sight when Tyr's mother began to tremble. "Hist!" she cried. "I hear him coming. Keep as still as ever you can, Tyr and Thor!" The floor also began to tremble, and the eight kettles to clatter against one another, as Hymir's giant footsteps approached the house. Outside they could hear the icebergs shaking with a sound like thunder; indeed, the whole earth quivered as if with fear when the terrible giant Hymir strode home from the hunt. He came into the hall puffing and blowing, and at once the air of the room grew chilly; for his beard was hung with icicles and his face was frosted hard, while his breath was a winter wind,—a freezing blast.

"Ho! wife," he growled, "what news, what news? For I see by the footprints in the snow outside that you have had visitors today."

Then indeed the poor woman trembled; but she tried not to look frightened as she answered, "Yes, you have a guest, Hymir!—a guest whom you have long wished to see. Your son Tyr has returned to visit his father's hall."

"Humph!" growled Hymir, with a terrible frown. "Whom has he brought here with him, the rascal? There are prints of two persons' feet in the snow. Come, wife, tell me all; for I shall soon find out the truth, whether or no."

"He has brought a friend of his,—a dear friend, Hymir!" faltered the mother. "Surely, our son's friends are welcome when he brings them to this our home, after so long an absence."

But Hymir howled with rage at the word "friend." "Where are they hidden?" he cried. "Friend, indeed! It is one of those bloody fellows from Asgard, I know,—one of those giant-killers whom my good mother taught me to hate with all my might. Let me get at him! Tell me instantly where he is hidden, or I will pull down the hall about your ears!"

Now when the wicked old giant spoke like this, his wife knew that he must be obeyed. Still she tried to put off the fateful moment of the discovery. "They are standing over there behind that pillar," she said. Instantly Hymir glared at the pillar towards which she pointed, and at his frosty glance—snick-snack!—the marble pillar cracked in two, and down crashed the great roof-beam which held the eight kettles. Smash! went the kettles; and there they lay shivered into little pieces at Hymir's feet,—all except one, the largest of them all, and that was the kettle in which Thor and Tyr lay hidden, scarcely daring to breathe, so that the giant should not guess where they were. Tyr's mother screamed when she saw the big kettle fall with the others: but when she found that this one, alone of them all, lay on its side unbroken, because it was so tough and strong, she held her breath to see what would happen next.

And what happened was this: out stepped Thor and Tyr, and making low bows to Hymir, they stood side by side, smiling and looking as unconcerned as if they really enjoyed all this hubbub; and I dare say that they did indeed, being Tyr the bold and Thor the thunderer, who had been in Giantland many times ere this.

Hymir gave scarcely a glance at his son, but he eyed Thor with a frown of hatred and suspicion, for he knew that this was one of Father Odin's brave family, though he could not tell which one. However, he thought best to be civil, now that Thor was actually before him. So with gruff politeness he invited the two guests to supper.
Now Thor was a valiant fellow at the table as well as in war, as you reMember; and at sight of the good things on the board his eyes sparkled. Three roast oxen there were on the giant's table, and Thor fell to with a will and finished two of them himself! You should have seen the giant stare.


"Truly, friend, you have a goodly appetite," he said. "You have eaten all the meat that I have in my larder; and if you dine with us tomorrow, I must insist that you catch your own dinner of fish. I can't undertake to provide food for such an appetite!"

Now this was not hospitable of Hymir, but Thor did not mind. "I like well to fish, good Hymir," he laughed; "and when you fare forth with your boat in the morning, I will go with you and see what I can find for my dinner at the bottom of the sea."

When the morning came, the giant made ready for the fishing, and Thor rose early to go with him.
"Ho, Hymir," exclaimed Thor, "have you bait enough for us both?"

Hymir answered gruffly, "You must dig your own bait when you go fishing with me. I have no time to waste on you, sirrah."

Then Thor looked about to see what he could use for bait; and presently he spied a herd of Hymir's oxen feeding in the meadow. "Aha! just the thing!" he cried; and seizing the hugest ox of all, he trotted down to the shore with it under his arm, as easily as you would carry a handful of clams for bait. When Hymir saw this, he was very angry. He pushed the boat off from shore and began to row away as fast as he could, so that Thor might not have a chance to come aboard. But Thor made one long step and planted himself snugly in the stern of the boat.

"No, no, brother Hymir," he said, laughing. "You invited me to go fishing, and a-fishing I will go; for I have my bait, and my hope is high that great luck I shall see this day." So he took an oar and rowed mightily in the stern, while Hymir the giant rowed mightily at the prow; and no one ever saw boat skip over the water so fast as this one did on the day when these two big fellows went fishing together.

Far and fast they rowed, till they came to a spot where Hymir cried, "Hold! Let us anchor here and fish; this is the place where I have best fortune."

"And what sort of little fish do you catch here, Hymir?" asked Thor.

"Whales!" answered the giant proudly. "I fish for nothing smaller than whales."

"Pooh!" cried Thor. "Who would fish for such small fry! Whales, indeed; let us row out further, where we can find something really worth catching," and he began to pull even faster than before.

"Stop! stop!" roared the giant. "You do not know what you are doing. These are the haunts of the dreadful Midgard serpent, and it is not safe to fish in these waters."

"Oho! The Midgard serpent!" said Thor, delighted. "That is the very fish I am after. Let us drop in our lines here."

Thor baited his great hook with the whole head of the ox which he had brought, and cast his line, big round as a man's arm, over the side of the boat. Hymir also cast his line, for he did not wish Thor to think him a coward; but his hand trembled as he waited for a bite, and he glanced down into the blue depths with eyes rounded as big as dinner-plates through fear of the horrible creature who lived down below those waves.

"Look! You have a bite!" cried Thor, so suddenly that Hymir started and nearly tumbled out of the boat. Hand over hand he pulled in his line, and lo! he had caught two whales—two great flopping whales—on his one hook! That was a catch indeed.
Hymir smiled proudly, forgetting his fear as he said, "How is that, my friend? Let us see you beat this catch in your morning's fishing."

Lo, just at that moment Thor also had a bite—such a bite! The boat rocked to and fro, and seemed ready to capsize every minute. Then the waves began to roll high and to be lashed into foam for yards and yards about the boat, as if some huge creature were struggling hard below the water.

"I have him!" shouted Thor; "I have the old serpent, the brother of the Fenris wolf! Pull, pull, monster! But you shall not escape me now!"
Sure enough, the Midgard serpent had Thor's hook fixed in his jaw, and struggle as he might, there was no freeing himself from the line; for the harder he pulled the stronger grew Thor. In his gods-might Thor waxed so huge and so forceful that his legs went straight through the bottom of the boat and his feet stood on the bottom of the sea. With firm bottom as a brace for his strength, Thor pulled and pulled, and at last up came the head of the Midgard serpent, up to the side of the boat, where it thrust out of the water mountain high, dreadful to behold; his monstrous red eyes were rolling fiercely, his nostrils spouted fire, and from his terrible sharp teeth dripped poison, that sizzled as it fell into the sea. Angrily they glared at each other, Thor and the serpent, while the water streamed into the boat, and the giant turned pale with fear at the danger threatening him on all sides.

Thor seized his hammer, preparing to smite the creature's head; but even as he swung Mjolner high for the fatal blow, Hymir cut the fish-line with his knife, and down into the depths of ocean sank the Midgard serpent amid a whirlpool of eddies. But the hammer had sped from Thor's iron fingers. It crushed the serpent's head as he sank downward to his lair on the sandy bottom; it crushed, but did not kill him, thanks to the giant's treachery. Terrible was the disturbance it caused beneath the waves. It burst the rocks and made the caverns of the ocean shiver into bits. It wrecked the coral groves, and tore loose the draperies of sea-weed. The fishes scurried about in every direction, and the sea-monsters wildly sought new places to hide themselves when they found their homes destroyed. The sea itself was stirred to its lowest depths, and the waves ran trembling into one another's arms. The earth, too, shrank and shivered. Hymir, cowering low in the boat, was glad of one thing, which was that the terrible Midgard serpent had vanished out of sight. And that was the last that was ever seen of him, though he still lived, wounded and sore from the shock of Thor's hammer.

Now it was time to return home. Silently and sulkily the giant swam back to land; Thor, bearing the boat on his shoulders, filled with water and weighted as it was with the great whales which Hymir had caught, waded ashore, and brought his burden to the giant's hall. Here Hymir met him crossly enough, for he was ashamed of the whole morning's work, in which Thor had appeared so much more of a hero than he. Indeed, he was tired of even pretending hospitality towards this unwelcome guest, and was resolved to be rid of him; but first he would put Thor to shame.

"You are a strong fellow," he said, "good at the oar and at the fishing; most wondrously good at the hammer, by which I know that you are Thor. But there is one thing which you can't do, I warrant,—you can't break this little cup of mine, hard though you may try."

"That I shall see for myself," answered Thor; and he took the cup in his hand. Now this was a magic cup, and there was but one way of breaking it, but one thing hard enough to shatter its mightiness. Thor threw it with all his force against a stone of the flooring; but instead of breaking the cup, the stone itself was cracked into splinters. Then Thor grew angry, for the giant and all his servants were laughing as if this were the greatest joke ever played.

"Ho, ho! Try again, Thor!" cried Hymir, nearly bursting with delight; for he thought that now he should prove how much mightier he was than the visitor from Asgard. Thor clutched the cup more firmly and hurled it against one of the iron pillars of the hall; but like a rubber ball the magic cup merely bounded back straight into Hymir's hand. At this second failure the giants were full of merriment and danced about, making all manner of fun at the expense of Thor. You can fancy how well Thor the mighty enjoyed this! His brow grew black, and the glance of his eye was terrible. He knew there was some magic in the trick, but he knew not how to meet it. Just then he felt the soft touch of a woman's hand on his arm, and the voice of Tyr's mother whispered in his ear,—
"Cast the cup against Hymir's own forehead, which is the hardest substance in the world." No one except Thor heard the woman say these words, for all the giant folk were doubled up with mirth over their famous joke. But Thor dropped on one knee, and seizing the cup fiercely, whirled it about his head, then dashed it with all his might straight at Hymir's forehead. Smash! Crash! What had happened? Thor looked eagerly to see. There stood the giant, looking surprised and a little dazed; but his forehead showed not even a scratch, while the strong cup was shivered into little pieces.

"Well done!" exclaimed Hymir hastily, when he had recovered a little from his surprise. But he was mortified at Thor's success, and set about to think up a new task to try his strength. "That was very well," he remarked patronizingly; "now you must perform a harder task. Let us see you carry the mead kettle out of the hall. Do that, my fine fellow, and I shall say you are strong indeed."

The mead kettle! The very thing Thor had come to get! He glanced at Tyr; he shot a look at Tyr's mother; and both of them caught the sparkle, which was very like a wink. To himself Thor muttered, "I must not fail in this! I must not, will not fail!"

"First let me try," cried Tyr; for he wanted to give Thor time for a resting-spell. Twice Tyr the mighty strained at the great kettle, but he could not so much as stir one leg of it from the floor where it rested. He tugged and heaved in vain, growing red in the face, till his mother begged him to give over, for it was quite useless.

Then Thor stepped forth on the floor. He grasped the rim of the kettle, and stamped his feet through the stone of the flooring as he braced himself to lift. One, two, three! Thor straightened himself, and up swung the giant kettle to his head, while the iron handle clattered about his feet. It was a mighty burden, and Thor staggered as he started for the door; but Tyr was close beside him, and they had covered long leagues of ground on their way home before the astonished giants had recovered sufficiently to follow them. When Thor and Tyr looked back, however, they saw a vast crowd of horrible giants, some of them with a hundred heads, swarming out of the caverns in Hymir's land, howling and prowling on their track.

"You must stop them, Thor, or they will never let us get away with their precious kettle,—they take such long strides!" cried Tyr. So Thor set down the kettle, and from his pocket drew out Mjolner, his wondrous hammer. Terribly it flashed in the air as he swung it over his head; then forth it flew towards Jotunheim; and before it returned to Thor's hand it had crushed all the heads of those many-headed giants, Hymir's ugly mother and Hymir himself among them. The only one who escaped was the good and beautiful mother of Tyr. And you may be sure she lived happily ever after in the palace which Hymir and his wicked old mother had formerly made so wretched a home for her.
Now Tyr and Thor had the giant kettle which they had gone so far and had met so many dangers to obtain. They took it to Aegir's sea-palace, where the banquet was still going on, and where the gods were still waiting patiently for their mead; for time does not go so fast below the quiet waves as on shore. Now that King Aegir had the great kettle, he could brew all the mead they needed. So every one thanked Tyr and congratulated Thor on the success of their adventure.

"I was sure that Thor would bring the kettle," said fair Sif, smiling on her brave husband.

"What Thor sets out to do, that he always accomplishes," said Father Odin gravely. And that was praise enough, you could say.

A well-practiced mythic sensibility; is it your own work?

No... I only collect them... didn't mean to have people think I wrote that.

Just thought I'd post some, seeing as the game we play is based on Norse mythology... though I don't know if people are interested at all?

That is a rather great story, though I must say that I feel bad for the giants. Also that was Tyr's father and he cared none. See what mead can do to a mans heart. Hehe. thanks for taking the time to post that Yellowhair. it must have taken you awhile.

Again, I have to admit... nope, didn't really take me much time. I didn't write these, I didn't copy them out of a book for the most part... I cheated and get them off the internet. Wonderful thing, that...

With some of these that I collect, I do edit a bit, make it more readable, or merge two versions of a myth into one to make a better story. Some of the myths are written in a very basic, childish fasion, and I try to find a more detailed variation when possible.

But basically, I'm not trying to impress you with my hard work, I'm just posting good stories.



How the Pride of Thor was Brought Low

From the sunny heights of Asgard, the Asa folk were wont to look down upon the earth and to take pleasure in its welfare and the happiness of its people. But all too often they saw with dismay that the Frost Giants from their cold Northern home of ice and snow sent cruel blasts which nipped the buds, withered the flowers of spring, and saddened the hearts of men. So one day that mighty Asa who is called Thor determined to go forth and teach these Giant folk how to behave themselves better. Calling for his chariot of brass, which was drawn by two might goats from whose teeth and hoofs sparks continually flew, he was about to drive away when Red Loki came running up and asked to be taken too.

To this Thor agreed, for he had rather a liking to Loki in spite of his mischievous tricks, and in a few minutes they were hurtling through the air at a great rate.

All day they rode; and when evening came they stopped at a little house on the edge of a forest, where lived a poor peasant with his wife, his son, and daughter.

"May we rest here for the night, friend?" asked Thor; and noting their poverty, he added, "We bring our own supper, and ask but a bed to sleep in." So the peasant was glad to have them stay. Then Thor, who knew what he was about, killed and cooked his two goats, and invited the family of peasants to sup with him and Loki; but when the meal was ended, he bade them carefully save all the bones and throw them into the goatskins which he had laid beside the hearth. Then Thor and Loki lay down to sleep.

In the morning, very early, before the rest were awake, Thor rose, and taking his hammer, Mjolner, went into the kitchen, where were the remains of his faithful goats. Now the magic hammer was skillful, not only to slay, but to restore, when Thor's hand wielded it. He touched with it the two heaps of skin and bones, and lo! up sprang the goats, alive and well, and as good as new. No, not quite as good as new. What was this? Thor roared with anger, for one of the goats was lame in one of his legs, and limped sorely. "Someone has meddled with the bones!" he cried. "Who has touched the bones that I bade be kept so carefully?"

Tjalve, the peasant's son, had broken one of the thigh-bones in order to get at the sweet marrow, and this Thor soon discovered by the lad's guilty face; then Thor was angry indeed. His knuckles grew white as he clenched the handle of Mjolner, ready to hurl it and destroy the whole unlucky house and family; but the peasant and the other three fell on their knees, trembling with fear, and begged him to spare them. They offered him all that they owned,—they offered even to become his slaves,—if he would but spare their wretched lives.

They looked so miserable that Thor was sorry for them, and resolved at last to punish them only by taking away Tjalve, the son, and Röskva, the daughter, tfrom now on to be his servants. And this was not so bad a bargain for Thor, for Tjalve was the swiftest of foot of any man in the whole world.

So he left the goats behind, and fared forth with his three attendants straight towards the east and Jotunheim. Tjalve carried Thor's wallet with their scanty store of food. They crossed the sea and came at last to a great forest, through which they tramped all day, till once more it was night; and now they must find a place in which all could sleep safely till morning. They wandered about here and there, looking for some sign of a dwelling, and at last they came to a big, queer-shaped house. Very queer indeed it was; for the door at one end was as broad as the house itself! They entered, and lay down to sleep; but at midnight Thor was wakened by a terrible noise. The ground shook under them like an earthquake, and the house trembled as if it would fall to pieces. Thor arose and called to his companions that there was danger about, and that they must be on guard. Groping in the dark, they found a long, narrow chamber on the right, where Loki and the two peasants hid trembling, while Thor guarded the doorway, hammer in hand. All night long the terrible noises continued, and Thor's attendants were frightened almost to death; but early in the morning Thor stole forth to find out what it all meant. And lo! close at hand in the forest lay an enormous giant, sound asleep and snoring loudly. Then Thor understood from where all their night's terror had proceeded, for the giant was so huge that his snoring shook even the trees of the forest, and made the mountains tremble. So much the better! Here at last was a giant for Thor to tackle. He buckled his belt of power more tightly to increase his strength, and laid hold of Mjolner to hurl it at the giant's forehead; but just at that moment the giant waked, rose slowly to his feet, and stood staring mildly at Thor. He did not seem a fierce giant, so Thor did not kill him at once. "Who are you?" asked Thor sturdily.
"I am the giant Skrymir, little fellow," answered the stranger, "and well I know who you are, Thor of Asgard. But what have you been doing with my glove?"

Then the giant stooped and picked up—what do you think?—the queer house in which Thor and his three companions had spent the night! Loki and the two others had run out of their chamber in affright when they felt it lifted; and their chamber was the thumb of the giant's glove. That was a giant indeed, and Thor felt sure that they must be well on their way to Giantland.

When Skrymir learned where they were going, he asked if he might not wend with them, and Thor said that he was willing. Now Skrymir untied his wallet and sat down under a tree to eat his breakfast, while Thor and his party chose another place, not far away, for their picnic. When all had finished, the giant said, "Let us put our provisions together in one bag, my friends, and I will carry it for you." This seemed fair enough, for Thor had so little food left that he was not afraid to risk losing it; so he agreed, and Skrymir tied all the provisions in his bag and strode on before them with enormous strides, so fast that even Tjalve could scarcely keep up with him.

The day passed, and late in the evening Skrymir halted under a great oak-tree, say- ing, "Let us rest here. I must have a nap, and you must have your dinner. Here is the wallet,—open it and help yourselves." Then he lay down on the moss, and was soon snoring lustily.

Thor tried to open the wallet, in vain; he could not loosen a single knot of the huge thongs that fastened it. He strained and tugged, growing angrier and redder after every useless attempt. This was too much; the giant was making him appear absurd before his servants. He seized his hammer, and bracing his feet with all his might, struck Skrymir a blow on his head. Skrymir stirred lazily, yawned, opened one eye, and asked whether a leaf had fallen on his forehead, and whether his companions had dined yet. Thor bit his lip with vexation, but he answered that they were ready for bed; so he and his three followers retired to rest under another oak.

But Thor did not sleep that night. He lay thinking how he had been put to shame, and how Loki had snickered at the sight of Thor's vain struggles with the giant's wallet, and he resolved that it should not hap- pen again. At about midnight, once more he heard the giant's snore resounding like thunder through the forest. Thor arose, clenching Mjolner tight, and stole over to the tree where Skrymir slept; then with all his might he hurled the hammer and struck the giant on the crown of his head, so hard that the hammer sank deep into his skull. At this the giant awoke with a start, exclaiming, "What is that? Did an acorn fall on my head? What are you doing there, Thor?"

Thor stepped back quickly, answering that he had waked up, but that it was only midnight, so they might all sleep some hours longer. "If I can only give him one more blow before morning," he thought, "he will never see daylight again." So he lay watching till Skrymir had fallen asleep once more, which was near daybreak; then Thor arose as before, and going very softly to the giant's side, smote him on the temple so sore that the hammer sank into his skull up to the very handle. "Surely, he is killed now," thought Thor.

But Skrymir only raised himself on his elbow, stroked his chin, and said, "There are birds above me in the tree. Methinks that just now a feather fell on my head. What, Thor! are you awake? I am afraid you slept but poorly this night. Come, now, it is high time to rise and make ready for the day. You are not far from our giant city,—Utgard we call it. Aha! I have heard you whispering together. You think that I am big ; but you will see fellows taller still when you come to Utgard. And now I have a piece of advice to give you. Do not pride yourselves overmuch on your importance. The followers of Utgard's king think little of such manikins as you, and will not bear any nonsense, I assure you. Be advised; return homeward before it is too late. If you will go on, however, your way lies there to the eastward. Yonder is my path, over the mountains to the north."

So saying, Skrymir hoisted his wallet on his shoulders, and turning back on the path that led into the forest, left them staring after him and hoping that they might never see his big bulk again.

Thor and his companions journeyed on till noon, when they saw in the distance a great city, on a lofty plain. As they came nearer, they found the buildings so high that the travelers had to bend back their necks in order to see the tops. "This must be Utgard, the giant city," said Thor. And Utgard indeed it was. At the entrance was a great barred gate, locked so that no one might enter. It was useless to try to force a passage in; even Thor's great strength could not move it on its hinges. But it was a giant gate, and the bars were made to keep out other giants, with no thought of folk so small as these who now were bent on finding entrance by one way or another. It was not dignified, and noble Thor disliked the idea. Yet it was their only way; so one by one they squeezed and wriggled between the bars, till they stood in a row inside. In front of them was a wonderful great hall with the door wide open. Thor and the three entered, and found themselves in the midst of a company of giants, the very hugest of their kind. At the end of the hall sat the king on an enormous throne. Thor, who had been in giant companies ere now, went straight up to the throne and greeted the king with civil words. But the giant merely glanced at him with a disagreeable smile, and said,—
"It is wearying to ask travelers about their journey. Such little fellows as you four can scarcely have had any adventures worth mentioning. Stay, now! Do I guess aright? Is this manikin Thor of Asgard, or no? Ah, no! I have heard of Thor's might. You can't really be he, unless you are taller than you seem, and stronger too. Let us see what feats you and your companions can perform to amuse us. No one is allowed here who can't excel others in some way or another. What can you do best?"

At this word, Loki, who had entered last, spoke up readily: "There is one thing that I can do,—I can eat faster than any man." For Loki was famished with hunger, and thought he saw a way to win a good meal.

Then the king answered, "Truly, that is a noble accomplishment of yours, if you can prove your words true. Let us make the test." So he called forth from among his men Logi,—whose name means "fire,"—and bade him match his powers with the stranger.

Now a trough full of meat was set on the floor, with Loki at one end of it and the giant Logi at the other. Each began to gobble the meat as fast as he could, and it was not a pretty sight to see them. Midway in the trough they met, and at first it would seem as if neither had beaten the other. Loki had indeed done wondrous well in eating the meat from the bones so fast; but Logi, the giant, had in the same time eaten not only meat but bones also, and had swallowed his half of the trough into the bargain. Loki was vanquished at his own game, and retired looking much ashamed and disgusted.

The king then pointed at Tjalve, and asked what that young man could best do. Tjalve answered that of all men he was the swiftest runner, and that he was not afraid to race with anyone whom the king might select.

"That is a goodly craft," said the king, smiling; "but you must be a swift runner indeed if you can win a race from my Hugi. Let us go to the racing-ground."

They followed him out to the plain where Hugi, whose name means "thought," was ready to race with young Tjalve. In the first run Hugi came in so far ahead that when he reached the goal he turned about and went back to meet Tjalve. "You must do better than that, Tjalve, if you hope to win," said the king, laughing, "though I must allow that no one ever before came here who could run so fast as you."

They ran a second race; and this time when Hugi reached the goal there was a long bow-shot between him and Tjalve.

"You are truly a good runner," exclaimed the king. "I doubt not that no man can race like you; but you can't win from my giant lad, I think. The last time shall show." Then they ran for the third time, and Tjalve put forth all his strength, speeding like the wind; but all his skill was in vain. Hardly had he reached the middle of the course when he heard the shouts of the giants announcing that Hugi had won the goal. Tjalve, too, was beaten at his own game, and he withdrew, as Loki had done, shamefaced and sulky.
There remained now only Thor to redeem the honor of his party, for Röskva the maiden was useless here. Thor had watched the result of these trials with surprise and anger, though he knew it was no fault of Loki or of Tjalve that they had been worsted by the giants. And Thor was resolved to better even his own former great deeds. The king called to Thor, and asked him what he thought he could best do to prove himself as mighty as the stories told of him. Thor answered that he would undertake to drink more mead than anyone of the king's men. At this proposal the king laughed aloud, as if it were a giant joke. He summoned his cup-bearer to fetch his horn of punishment, out of which the giants were wont to drink in turn. And when they returned to the hall, the great vessel was brought to the king.

"When anyone empties this horn at one draught, we call him a famous drinker," said the king. "Some of my men empty it in two trials; but no one is so poor a manikin that he can't empty it in three. Take the horn, Thor, and see what you can do with it."

Now Thor was very thirsty, so he seized the horn eagerly. It did not seem to him so very large, for he had drunk from other mighty vessels ere now. But indeed, it was deep. He raised it to his lips and took a long pull, saying to himself, "There! I have emptied it already, I know." Yet when he set the horn down to see how well he had done, he found that he seemed scarcely to have drained a drop; the horn was brimming as before. The king chuckled.

"Well, you have drunk but little," he said. "I would never have believed that famous Thor would lower the horn so soon. But doubtless you will finish all at a second draught."

Instead of answering, Thor raised the horn once more to his lips, resolved to do better than before. But for some reason the tip of the horn seemed hard to raise, and when he set the vessel down again his heart sank, for he feared that he had drunk even less than at his first trial. Yet he had really done better, for now it was easy to carry the horn with- out spilling. The king smiled grimly. "How now, Thor!" he cried. "You have left too much for your third trial. I fear you will never be able to empty the little horn in three draughts, as the least of my men can do. Ho, ho! You will not be thought so great a hero here as the folk deem you in Asgard, if you can't play some other game more skillfully than you do this one."

At this speech Thor grew very angry. He raised the horn to his mouth and drank lustily, as long as he was able. But when he looked into the horn, he found that some drops still remained. He had not been able to empty it in three draughts. Angrily he flung down the horn, and said that he would have no more of it.

"Ah, Master Thor," taunted the king, "it is now plain that you are not so mighty as we thought you. Are you inclined to try some other feats? For indeed, you are easily beaten at this one."
"I will try whatever you like," said Thor; "but your horn is a wondrous one, and among the gods such a draught as mine would be called far from little. Come, now, —what game do you next propose, King?"

The king thought a moment, then answered carelessly, "There is a little game with which my youngsters amuse themselves, though it is so simple as to be almost childish. It is merely the exercise of lifting my cat from the ground. I should never have dared suggest such a feat as this to you, Thor of Asgard, had I not seen that great tasks are beyond your skill. It may be that you will find this hard enough." So he spoke, smiling slyly, and at that moment there came stalking into the hall a monstrous gray cat, with eyes of yellow fire.

"Ho! Is this the creature I am to lift?" queried Thor. And when they said that it was, he seized the cat around its gray, huge body and tugged with all his might to lift it from the floor. Then the wretched cat, lengthening and lengthening, arched its back like the span of a bridge; and though Thor tugged and heaved his best, he could manage to lift but one of its huge feet off the floor. The other three remained as firmly planted as iron pillars.

"Oho, oho!" laughed the king, delighted at this sight. "It is just as I thought it would be. Poor little Thor! My cat is too big for him."

"Little I may seem in this land of monsters," cried Thor wrathfully, "but now let him who dares come hither and try a hug with me."

"Nay, little Thor," said the king, seeking to make him yet more angry, "there is not one of my men who would wrestle with you. Why, they would call it child's play, my little fellow. But, for the joke of it, call in my old foster-mother, Elli. She has wrestled with and worsted many a man who seemed no weaker than you, Thor. She shall try a fall with you."

Now in came the old crone, Elli, whose very name meant "age." She was wrinkled and gray, and her back was bent nearly double with the weight of the years which she carried, but she chuckled when she saw Thor standing with bared arm in the middle of the floor. "Come and be thrown, dearie," she cried in her cracked voice, grinning horribly.

"I will not wrestle with a woman!" exclaimed Thor, eyeing her with pity and disgust, for she was an ugly creature to behold. But the old woman taunted him to his face and the giants clapped their hands, howling that he was "afraid." So there was no way but that Thor must grapple with the hag.

The game began. Thor rushed at the old woman and gripped her tightly in his iron arms, thinking that as soon as she screamed with the pain of his mighty hug, be would give over. But the crone seemed not to mind it at all. Indeed, the more he crushed her old ribs together the firmer and stronger she stood. Now in her turn the witch attempted to trip up Thor's heels, and it was wonderful to see her power and agility. Thor soon began to totter, great Thor, in the hands of a poor old woman! He struggled hard, he braced himself, he turned and twisted. It was no use; the old woman's arms were as strong as knotted oak. In a few moments Thor sank on one knee, and that was a sign that he was beaten. The king signaled for them to stop. "You need wrestle no more, Thor," he said, with a curl to his lip, "we see what sort of fellow you are. I thought that old Elli would have no difficulty in bringing to his knees him who could not lift my cat. But come, now, night is almost here. We will think no more of contests. You and your companions shall sup with us as welcome guests and bide here till the morrow."

Now as soon as the king had pleased himself in proving how small and weak were these strangers who had come to the giant city, he became very gracious and kind. But you can fancy whether or no Thor and the others had a good appetite for the banquet where all the giants ate so merrily. You can fancy whether or no they were happy when they went to bed after the day of defeats, and you can guess what sweet dreams they had.
The next morning at daybreak the four guests arose and made ready to steal back to Asgard without attracting any more attention. For this adventure alone of all those in which Thor had taken part had been a disgraceful failure. Silently and with bowed heads they were slipping away from the hall when the king himself came to them and begged them to stay.

"You shall not leave Utgard without breakfast," he said kindly, "nor would I have you depart feeling unfriendly to me."

Then he ordered a goodly breakfast for the travelers, with store of choicest dainties for them to eat and drink. When the four had broken fast, he escorted them to the city gate where they were to say farewell. But at the last moment he turned to Thor with a sly, strange smile and asked,—

"Tell me now truly, brother Thor; what think you of your visit to the giant city? Do you feel as mighty a fellow as you did before you entered our gates, or are you satisfied that there are folk even sturdier than yourself?"

At this question Thor flushed scarlet, and the lightning flashed angrily in his eye. Briefly enough he answered that he must confess to small pride in his last adventure, for that his visit to the king had been full of shame to the hero of Asgard. "My name will become a joke among your people," quoth he. "You will call me Thor the puny little fellow, which vexes me more than anything; for I have not been wont to blush at my name."

Then the king looked at him frankly, pleased with the humble manner of Thor's speech. "Nay," he said slowly, "hang not your head so shamedly, brave Thor. You have not done so ill as you think. Listen, I have somewhat to tell you, now that you are outside Utgard,—which, if I live, you shall never enter again. Indeed, you should not have entered at all had I guessed what noble strength was really yours,— strength which very nearly brought me and my whole city to destruction."

To these words Thor and his companions listened with open-mouthed astonishment. What could the king mean, they wondered? The giant went on:—
"By magic alone were you beaten, Thor. Of magic alone were my triumphs,—not real, but seeming to be so. Do you reMember the giant Skrymir whom you found sleeping and snoring in the forest? That was I. I learned your errand and resolved to lower your pride. When you vainly strove to untie my wallet, you did not know that I had fastened it with invisible iron wire, in order that you might be baffled by the knots. Thrice you struck me with your hammer,—ah! what mighty blows were those! The least one would have killed me, had it fallen on my head as you deemed it did, but I slipped aside and your blows fell on the mountain, where you will find three glens, one of them remarkably deep. These are the dints made by your mallet. Ha, ha! It was a pretty jest."
Now Thor's brow was growing black at this tale of the giant's trickery, but at the same time he held up his head and seemed less ashamed of his weakness, knowing now that it had been no weakness, but lack of guile. He listened frowningly for the rest of the tale. The king went on:—

"When you came to my city, still it was magic that worsted your party at every turn. Loki was certainly the hungriest fellow I ever saw, and his deeds at the trencher were marvellous to behold. But the Logi who ate with him was Fire, and easily enough fire can consume your meat, bones, and wood itself. Tjalve, my boy, you are a runner swift as the wind. Never before saw I such a race as yours. But the Hugi who ran with you was Thought, my thought. And who can keep pace with the speed of winged thought? Next, Thor, it was your turn to show your might. Bravely indeed you strove. My heart is sick with envy of your strength and skill. But they availed you naught against my magic. When you drank from the long horn, thinking you had done so ill, in truth you had performed a miracle,—never thought I to behold the like. You guessed not that the end of the horn was out in the ocean, which no one might drain dry. Yet, mighty one, the draughts you swallowed have lowered the tide on the shore. From now on at certain times the sea will ebb; and this is by great Thor's drinking. The cat also which you almost lifted,—it was no cat, but the great Midgard serpent himself who encircles the whole world. He had barely length enough for his head and tail to touch in a circle about the sea. But you raised him so high that he almost touched heaven. How terrified we were when we saw you heave one of his mighty feet from the ground! For who could tell what horror might happen had you raised him bodily. Ah, and your wrestling with old Elli! That was the most marvellous act of all. You had nearly overthrown Age itself; yet there has never lived one, nor will such ever be found, whom Elli, old age, will not cast to earth at last. So you were beaten, Thor, but by a mere trick. Ha, ha! How angry you looked,—I shall never forget! But now we must part, and I think you see that it will be best for both of us that we should not meet again. As I have done once, so can I always protect my city by magic spells. Yes, should you come again to visit us, even better prepared than now, yet you could never do us serious harm. Yet the wear and tear on the nerves of both of us is something not lightly forgotten."

He ceased, smiling pleasantly, but with a threatening look in his eye. Thor's wrath had been slowly rising during this tedious, grim speech, and he could control it no longer.
"Cheat and trickster!" he cried, "your wiles shall avail you nothing now that I know your true self. You have put me to shame, now my hammer shall shame you beyond all reckoning!" and he raised Mjolner to smite the giant deathfully. But at that moment the king faded before his very eyes. And when he turned to look for the giant city that he might destroy it,—as he had so many giant dwellings,—there was in the place where it had been but a broad, fair plain, with no sign of any palace, wall, or gate. Utgard had vanished. The king had kept one trick of magic for the last.
Then Thor and his three companions wended their way back to Asgard. But they were slower than usual about answering questions concerning their last adventure, their wondrous visit to the giant city. Truth to tell, magic or no magic, Thor and Loki had showed but a poor figure that day. For the first time in all their meeting with Thor the giants had not come off any the worse for the encounter. Perhaps it was a lesson that he sorely needed. I am afraid that he was rather inclined to think well of himself. But then, he had reason, had he not?

lol,

ok.

Wow those were hella cool !

The Binding of the Fenris Wolf


FAIR as were the meads of Asgard, we have seen that the Asa folk were fond of
wandering far afield in other regions. Most restless of all was Red Loki, that cunning
fellow who was always bringing trouble upon himself or upon his kindred.
And because he loved trouble, he would often betake himself to the gloomy halls of
Giantland and mingle with the wicked folk of that region.

Now one day he met a hideous giantess named Angur-Boda. This creature had
a heart of ice, but she had a great attraction for him, and in the end he married her and they lived together in a horrible cave in Giantland.

Three children were born to Loki and Angur-Boda in this dread abode, and they
were even more terrible in appearance than their mother. The first was an
immense wolf called Fenris, with a huge mouth filled with long white teeth which
he was constantly gnashing together. The second was a wicked-looking serpent
with a fiery-red tongue lolling from its mouth. The third was a hideous giantess,
partly skeletal and partly flesh, whose name was Hel.

No sooner were these three terrible children born than all the wise men of the
earth began to foretell the misery they would bring upon the Asa folk. In vain did
Loki try to keep them hidden within the cave wherein their mother dwelt. They
soon grew so immense in size that no dwelling would contain them, and all the
world began to talk of their frightful appearance.

It was not long before All-Father Odin, from his high seat in Asgard, heard of the
children of Loki. He said to the Asas:
"Much evil will come upon us, O my children, from this giant brood if we defend
not ourselves against them. For their mother will teach them wickedness and still
more quickly will they learn the cunning wiles of their father. Fetch me them
here, therefore, that I may deal with them forthwith."

So, after somewhat of a struggle, the Asas captured the three giant children and
brought them before Odin's judgment seat.

Then Odin looked first at Hel, and when he saw her gloomy eyes full of misery
and despair he was sorry, and dealt kindly with her, saying: "Thou art the bringer
of Pain to man and Asgard is no place for such as thou. But I will make thee
ruler of the Mist Home, and there shalt thou rule over that unlighted world, the
Region of the Dead."

Forthwith he sent her away over rough roads to the cold, dark region of the
North called the Mist Home. And there did Hel rule over a grim crew, for all
those who had done wickedness in the world above were imprisoned by her in
those gloomy regions. To her came also all those who had died not on the battlefield
but of old age or disease. And though these were treated kindly enough,
theirs was a joyless life in comparison with that of the dead warriors who were
feasting and fighting in the halls of Valhalla, under the kindly rule of All-Father
Odin.

Having thus disposed of Hel, Odin next turned his attention to the serpent. And
when he saw his evil tongue and cunning, wicked eyes, he said: "Thou art he
who bringest Sin into the world of men therefore the ocean shall be thy home
forever."

Then he threw that horrid serpent into the deep sea which surrounds all lands,
and there the creature grew so fast that when he stretched himself one day he
encircled all the earth and held his own tail fast in his mouth. And sometimes he
grew angry to think that he, the son of a god, had thus been cast out; and at
those times he would writhe with his huge body and lash his tail till the sea
spouted up to the sky. And when that happened the men of the North said that a
great tempest was raging. But it was only the Serpent-son of Loki writhing in his
wrath.

Then Odin turned to the third child. And behold! the Fenris Wolf was so
appalling to look upon that Odin feared to cast him forth, and he decided to
endeavor to tame him by kindness so that he should not wish them ill.

But when he bade them carry food to the Fenris Wolf, not one of the Asas would
do so for they feared a snap from his great jaws. Only the brave Tyr had courage
enough to feed him, and the wolf ate so much and so fast that the business took
him all his time. Mean time, too, the Fenris grew so rapidly and became so fierce
that the gods were compelled to take counsel and consider how they should get
rid of him. They remembered that it would make their peaceful halls unholy if
they were to slay him, and so they resolved instead to bind him fast that he
should be unable to do them harm.

So those of the Asa folk who were clever smiths set to work and made a very
strong, thick chain; and when it was finished they carried it out to the yard where
the wolf dwelt, and said to him as though in jest: "Here is a fine proof of thy
boasted strength, O Fenris. Let us bind this chain about thee, that we may see if
thou canst break it asunder."

Then the wolf gave a great grin with his wide jaws, and came and stood still that
they might bind the chain about him; for he knew what he could do. And it came
to pass that directly they had fastened the chain, and had slipped aside from
him, the great beast gave himself a shake and the chain fell about him in little bits.

At this the Asas were much annoyed, but they tried not to show it and praised
him for his strength.

Then they set to work again upon a chain much stronger than the last, and
brought it to the Fenris Wolf, saying:
"Great will be thy renown, O Fenris, if thou canst break this chain as thou didst
the last."

But the wolf looked at them askance, for the chain they brought was very much
thicker than the one he had already broken. He reflected, however, that he himself
had grown stronger and bigger and moreover that one must risk something
in order to win renown.

So he let them put the chain upon him, and when the Asas said that all was
ready he gave a good shake and stretched himself a few times, and again the
fetters lay in fragments on the ground

Then the gods began to fear that they would never hold the wolf in bonds; and it
was All-Father Odin who persuaded them to make one more attempt.
So they sent a messenger to Dwarfland bidding him ask the Little Men to make
a chain which nothing could possibly destroy.

Setting at once to work, the clever little smiths soon fashioned a slender silken
rope, and gave it to the messenger, saying that no strength could break it and
that the more it was strained the stronger it would become.

It was made of the most mysterious things-the sound of a cat's footsteps, the
roots of a mountain, the sinews of a bear, the breath of fishes, and other such
strange materials which only the dwarfs knew how to use.

With this chain the messenger hastened back over the Rainbow Bridge to
Asgard.

By this time the Fenris Wolf had grown too big for his yard, so he lived on a
rocky island in the middle of the lake that lies in the midst of Asgard. And here
the Asas now betook themselves with their chain, and began to play their part
with wily words.

"See," they cried, "O Fenris! Here is a cord so soft and thin that none would
think of it binding such strength as shine."

And they laughed great laughs, and handed it to one another, and tried its
strength by pulling at it with all their might, but it did not break. Then they came
nearer and used more wiles, saying:

"We cannot break the cord, for 'tis stronger than it looks, but thou, O mighty one,
wilt be able to snap it in a moment."

But the wolf tossed his head in scorn, and said: "Small renown would there be
to me, O Asa folk, if I were to break yon slender string. Save therefore your
breath, and leave me now alone."

"Aha!" cried the Asas. "Thou fearest the might of the silken cord, thou false one,
and that is why thou wilt not let us bind thee!"

"Not I," said the Fenris Wolf, growing rather suspicious, "but if it is made with
craft and guile it shall never come near my feet."

"But," said the Asas, "thou wilt surely be able to break this silken cord with ease,
since that hast already broken the great iron fetters."

To this the wolf made no answer, pretending not to hear.

"Come!" said the Asas again, "why shouldst thou fear? For even if thou couldst
not break the cord we would immediately let thee free again. To refuse is a coward's
piece of work."

Then the wolf gnashed his teeth at them in anger and said:
"Well I know you, Asas! For if you bind me so fast that I can not get loose you
will skulk away, and it will be long before I get any help from you; and therefore
am I loath to let this band be laid upon me."

But still the Asas continued to persuade him and to twit him with cowardice, until
at length the Fenris Wolf said with a sullen growl:

"Have it your own way then. But, as a pledge that this is done without deceit, let
one of you lay his hand in my mouth while you are binding me and afterwards
while I try to break the bonds."

Then the Asa folk looked at one another in dismay, for they knew very well what
this would mean. And while they consulted together the wolf stood gnashing his
teeth at them with a horrid grin.

At length Tyr the Brave hesitated no longer. Boldly he stalked up to the wolf and
thrust his arm into his enormous mouth, bidding the Asas bind fast the beast.
Scarce had they done so when the wolf began to strain and pull, but the more
he did so the tighter and stiffer the rope became.

The gods shouted and laughed with glee when they saw how all his efforts were
in vain. But Tyr did not join them in their mirth, for the wolf in his rage snapped
his great teeth together and bit off his hand at the wrist.

Now when the Asas discovered that the animal was fast bound they took the
chain which was fixed to the rope and drew it through a huge rock, and fastened
this rope deep down in the earth so that it could never be moved. And this they
fastened to another great rock which was driven still deeper into the ground.
When the Fenris Wolf found that he had been thus secured he opened his
mouth terribly wide, and twisted himself right and left and tried his best to bite
the Asa folk. He uttered, moreover, such terrible howls that at length the gods
could bear it no longer. So they took a sword and thrust it into his mouth so that
the hilt rested on his lower, and the point against his upper jaw. And there he
was doomed to remain until the end of All Things shall come, when he
"Freed from the Chain
Shall range the Earth."

Something I forgot... credit to the sites I got these from:

Thor goes Fishing - http://oaks.nvg.org/an6ra15.html

Pride of Thor - http://oaks.nvg.org/an6ra15.html

Binding of Fenris - http://www.sacredspiral.com/kids/ancient/vikings/fenris.pdf



Loki

Loki was the god of the hearth fire, the spirit of life, and lightning. Not to be confused with the horrible giant Utgard-Loki, the Loki of Asgard was a trickster, whose favor for the gods and personal amusement would waver continuously.

Loki was present in many Norse myths, and usually accompanied or was doing a deed for Thor. The companionship of these two is no mistake. Loki, who is a symbol of recreation, accompanies Thor, who works hard and earnestly. Also, Loki was identified with lightning, as Thor is identified with thunder. The Norse realized that both of these (recreation and hard work)were needed for mankind's welfare.


The giant god always does evil in an ever seductive form, and this also is symbolic of how evil is always guised behind a vial of beauty. In fact, the gods of Asgard were fooled by this, and they welcomed Loki as one of themselves. His advice was the most honored in the god's council. Sometimes, however, this was unfortunate. This is because usually the plan that Loki has made is carried out, only to further dismay of the gods.


Loki was in a number of the Norse myths, usually accompanying Thor, who went questing for his hammer in Jotun-heim, became in the confines of Utgard-Loki's castle, and who went to the giant Geirrod's house. Loki was the prankster behind the stealing of Freya's necklace, the cutting of Sif's golden hair, and the betraying of Idun to Thiassi, the great eagle.


Loki had married the giantess Glut, whose bore him two daughters. This matrimony and family made him patron god of the hearth fire, and when a fire crackled the logs the Norse children would say that Loki was beating his children. Loki also wedded with a Jotun-heim giantess Angur-boda (the anguish-boding). This marriage spawned the monsters Hel, goddess of death, Iormungandr, the Midgard Serpent, and Fenris wolf. Loki's third and most loyal wife was Sigyn, who bore him two sons; Narve and Vali.


Loki was the beacon of evil and the Norse did nought but fear him. In this regard, no temples were devoted to him, no sacrifices made in his name, and only the most nasty weeds were dubbed with the name Loki. The god was forgiven for most all of his crimes, but not for his part in the death of Odin's prized son, Balder. The death of the god of light, and Loki's influence in the failure of his resurrection, proved to the Asgard gods that Loki was nothing but pure evil. However, in a banquet hosted by god of the sea, Aegir, Loki committed his last crime. Jealous of the praise given to Aegir's servant, he turned upon him and slew him wantonly. After this and a pursuit of the escaping mischief-maker, he was condemned to the bowels of the earth, where a serpent's poison dripped on him. His faithful wife Sigyn held a bowl to collect the venom, and when she had to empty it the poison fell upon the god, and he writhed in pain. This writhing is said to be producer of earthquakes.

(http://aom.heavengames.com/gameinfo/articles/norse-god-loki)



Ragnarok

In the pagan mythology of the Vikings of the early medieval times, Ragnarok was the day of the end, the Twilight of the Gods. It was said to be the greatest battle ever, when the gods and Giants dueled to the death on the vast plain of Vigard. It is the battle when the forces of evil and good risk eveything and destroy the world, and as the Norse god's were non-immortal, and the gods themselves.

Ragnarok will begin with a fierce war on Midgard (earth), when the humans will constantly destroy each other, brothers slaying brothers. The gods and giants will more frequently skirmish, and eventualy the Earth will freeze, killing all but humanity Lif & Lifthrasir, a couple who'll hide in the world tree Yggdrasil's branches. Then the real war will begin.

Loki the evil trickster, and his demon wolf son Fenrir will break the magic chains that bind them, and Jormungand the world serpent will haul his massive body onto land, causing the nine worlds to shudder. Hel, the goddess of the underworld and daughter of Loki, will summon the spirits who died of disease and natural causes to her aid from the frozen hell of Niflheim, and the demonic guard dog of that place Garm will join her. Surt, leader of the fire Giants, will gather his followers from Muspell (the realm of flames) and with Hel and Garm, will join Loki, Fenrir, and Jormungand to assault Asgard, the kingdom of the gods.

Heimdall, the guardian of Asgard, will sound his horn and gather the gods and their allies to ready for Loki's horde. With the aid of the Giants of Utgard, Loki and his minions will gather at the great plain of Vigard, as will the forces of good. At the sound of another blow from Heimdall's horn the battle will begin. Fenrir will knock Odin, king of the gods, to the ground and devour him. Odin's son Vidar will take revenge on the wolf and slay him. Thor the thunder god will be bitten by Jormungand and crush the great serpent's skull with his hammer, only to die once the bite takes effect. Garm will rip open the noble god of law Tyr's throat just as he pierces the wolf's heart, and Loki and Heimdall will duel and kill each other. The plain of Vigard will be awash with blood as the remaining gods and evil creatures battle it to the finish.

Surt the fire master will fling his blade into the sky, causing a rain of fire and ice. The nine worlds will crumble, and Niddhogr the dragon of the underworld will chew on Yggdrasil's root, before the beach of corpses Nastrond where he lives will be destroyed. The remains of the frozen earth will sink into the ocean, and a pair of giant wolves will eat the sun and moon. This is Ragnarok, the twilight of the Norse gods.

However, hope will be at hand after Ragnarok. Despite heaven and hell being destroyed along with the gods and giants, Midgard will arise from the ocean. The couple who hid in Yggdrasil, Lif and Lifthrasir, will descend to the new world and renew the human race. Odin's sons Vidar and Vali will survive, along with Thor's children Modi and Magni. Balder, Nanna, Hod and Honir, all gods who died before Ragnarok will awake from the dead and become the new gods. Peace will survive forever after the bloody war that is Ragnarok.

(http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm335513.html)

HOW ALL-FATHER ODIN BECAME WISE

By E. M. WILMOT-BUXTON


ON the highest hill of Asgard, upon a great chair, sat All-Father Odin watching
from thence all that was happening on and above and under the earth.

The Father of Asas and of men had long gray locks and thick curling beard, and
he wore a great blue coat flecked with gray like unto the sky when the fleecy
clouds scud across it. In his hand he carried a spear so sacred that, if anyone swore an oath upon its point, that oath could never be broken.
On his head he wore, when sitting upon his watchtower throne, a helmet shaped
like an eagle; but when he wandered as he loved to do about the earth, he wore
a large broad-brimmed hat drawn low over his forehead.

Perched on his broad shoulders sat two inky-black ravens, Hugin and Munin,
whom every morning he sent to wing their flight about the world to see what
was going on. Every evening when they returned, they whispered all that they
had seen and heard in his ears.

At Odin's feet crouched two great wolves whom he fed from the meat set before
him; for he himself cared not to eat flesh food, and preferred rather to drink the
sacred mead provided by the goat who fed upon the leaves of the Tree of Life.

Sometimes Odin left his watchtower throne for the great Council Hall where the
twelve Asas sat and took counsel together; but his favorite seat of all was in his
own palace of Valhalla, or the Hall of the Chosen Slain.

This palace stood in the midst of a wonderful grove of trees, whose leaves were
all of red gold, rustling and shimmering in the breeze. Five and forty doors
opened into it, each wide enough to allow eight hundred warriors to enter
abreast, and over the chief entrance was a boar's head and a great eagle,
whose keen gaze looked forth over all the world. The walls of the palace were
built of spears of polished steel so bright that they lighted the whole building;
and the roof was made of golden shields.

"And wondrous gleamed Valhalla on the heights-
Her walls shone bright as rows of glittering spears;
The roof resplendent like great golden shields;
Hundreds of open gates and welcoming doors
For myriad warriors from the fields of earth-
The chosen heroes of the future years,
To be great Odin's mighty bodyguard
Against the awful prophecies of doom."

From end to end of the great hall stood long tables and benches loaded with
armor, ready prepared for the fortunate guests. And this was the manner of their
selection. Whenever a great battle was about to be fought on the earth, Odin
sent forth the nine Valkyrs, or Battle Maidens, his especial attendants, to watch
the progress of the fight and to choose from the fallen warriors half of their number.

These the Battle Maidens carried on their swift steeds over the Rainbow
Bridge into the great hall of Valhalla, where they were welcomed by the sons of
Odin and taken to the All-Father's throne to receive his greeting. But if one had
shown himself especially heroic in the fight, Odin would descend from his throne
and advance to the door to bid him welcome.
And now, seated at the long tables loaded with great beakers of mead and dishes
of boar flesh, the warriors feasted merrily, tended by the fair Battle Maidens,

"The blazing roof resounds
The genial uproar of those shades who fall
In desperate fight, or by some brave attempt."

When they had eaten all they could, the warriors would call for their weapons,
ride out into the great courtyard, and there wage desperate fights in the course
of which many a man would be sorely wounded. But this mattered little, for at
the sound of the dinner horn all wounds were healed.

"And all day long they there are hacked and hewn
'Mid dust, and groans, and limbs lopped off, and blood,
But all at night return to Odin's hall
Woundless and fresh; such lot is theirs in heaven."

These warriors were Odin's special joy and delight, and he was never weary of
watching them at feast or in the combat. Sometimes, indeed, when some battle
on earth was impending, he would appear riding upon his eight-footed gray
horse and with white shield on arm would fling his glittering spear into the ranks
of the warriors as signal for the fight to begin, and would rush into the fray with
his war cry, "Odin has you all!"

Now, though all this shows very clearly that All-Father Odin was a warlike Asa
and delighted in battles, there was another side to his character, for beyond all
the other Asas he cared for wisdom.

Very early in the morn of time All-Father Odin discovered that beneath the roots
of the Tree of Life, just where sky and ocean met, there was a marvelous spring
of water, "the fountain of all wit and wisdom." Looking into its crystal depths, all
that was going to happen in the future was revealed, and anyone drinking of it
received the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, and right judgment about all things.

Now this spring was guarded by the Giant Mimir, who prided himself upon being
wiser than any other giants or Asas could be, for he alone had the right to draw
water from the well; and every morning, dipping his glittering horn therein, he
drank a long draught, and with every draught he grew wiser, till he knew everything
that was past and present and is to come.
When Odin became aware of the marvelous properties of the spring, he was
eager to drink of it, "for," said he, "it is not fitting that a giant should know more
than the Father of Asas and men."

So early one morn he entered a dark grove of trees, where amidst great arching
roots fantastically intertwined bubbled the spring; and keeping watch beside it
sat Giant Mimir, his long gray beard sweeping over his knees and his great
piercing eyes shining with fierce light as the newcomer approached.

What do you want here?" he demanded, in a voice that sounded like the muttering
of thunder before a storm.

"I want a drink of yon water from your glittering horn, good Mimir," said Odin.

But Giant Mimir sunk his great head upon his chest, and looking from under his
shaggy eyebrows, growled again:

"Begone, I tell you. I give no man drink from my well."

Then Odin drew himself up to his full height, and in a voice that was more thunderous
than that of the giant himself, cried:
"No man am I, O Mimir, but Odin, Father of Asas and men. Refuse not to me the
gift of wisdom; for though I can see all things that happen in heaven and earth, I
cannot see what lies beneath the deep nor can I see what shall happen in the
future. Give, me, therefore, the draught of wisdom and I will pay you whatsoever
you demand."

But Mimir still refused. "We giants are of elder race than ye Asas be," he said,
"and all the wisdom in the world is in our hands. If I give you to drink of this
water you will become wise even as we are, and an enemy more dangerous
than ever."

"Nevertheless," replied Odin firmly, "you must give me the water, and I will pay
you whatsoever you may ask."

Then Mimir, feeling sure that such a payment would be refused, said, "I will give
you the magic draught in return for one of your eyes."

But to his amazement, for the god was very proud of his keen vision, Odin at
once plucked forth an eye and handed it to him, saying: "No price is too high to
pay for wisdom."

So Mimir was obliged to hand him the horn filled with precious water, and Odin
drank a full draught, caring not at all that hence forth he was to have but one
eye, for he knew that he had gained the precious gift of wisdom beyond any in
the world save Mimir himself.

Meantime, Mimir dropped the eye of the Asa into the well, where it shines bright
as the moon reflected in still waters; and he bade Odin depart, saying heavily,
"This day is the beginning of trouble betwixt your race and mine."

Happy to see that somebody else love that much as I do.
Sorry I already know these stories and I look foward for your next post I surrely dont know all of your knowledge about the Aesir and the Asynjor so post again about it I really like that stuff.

Well, I figure that even if people do know them all, there's generally enough variation in different versions, to make it a good read... though I must say, a lot of these myths are rather strange...


HOW ODIN BROUGHT THE MEAD TO ASGARD

BY HAMILTON WRIGHT MABIE

BESIDES the gods who lived in Asgard and ruled over Midgard, the world of
men, there were the Vans, who ruled the seas and the air. The greatest of these
was Njord, who kept the winds in the hollow of his hand and vexed the seas
with storms or spread over them the peace of a great calm. His son Frey sent
rain and sunshine upon the earth and cared for the harvests, while his daughter
Freyja was so full of love that she made the whole world beautiful with
tenderness, and filled the hearts of men with the sweetest joys they ever knew.

It happened almost at the beginning that the gods and the Vans went to war with
each other, and long and fierce was the struggle between them. When peace
was made at last, Njord, Frey, and Freyja found homes for themselves in
Asgard, and henceforth they were all as one family.

While the council at which peace was made was being held, a great jar stood in
the open space between the two parties, and when the meeting was over the
gods were so glad to be rid of the troublesome war that they resolved to create
something that should always remind them of the council. So they took the great
jar and out of it they moulded the form of a man, and called him Kvaser.

Kvaser was grown up when he was born, and a wonderful man he was too. In
all the world there was nobody so wise as he; ask him any question, and he
could answer it. He knew how the gods lived, how the world was made, and
what sort of places heaven and hell were. Kvaser was good, too, as all really
wise men are. He was a great traveller, always going from place to place, and
always welcome, because wherever he went he made men wiser and better.

People sometimes think poets rather useless sort of men; but that was not the
opinion of the gods, for when they made the first poet they made the very best
man they could think of.

But poets cannot keep out of trouble any easier than other men, and sometimes
not half so well. One night as Kvaser was travelling along through one of those
deep valleys that run down to the sea in that country, he came to the house of
two dwarfs with very queer names, Galar and Fjalar. They were not only little in
size, but small and mean in nature, and like all other people of little nature, they
were very envious and cruel, and they hated Kvaser because he was so much
nobler than they. Galar had a dark, ugly face, which looked still uglier when he
saw Kvaser coming towards the house.

"Fjalar! Fjalar!" he called out, "here comes the wise man who always talks in
rhymes, and thinks he knows so much more than anybody else."

And when Fjalar saw the poet walking across the fields, a black shadow came
over his face like a thunder-cloud. "Galar," he whispered, looking around to see
that nobody could hear, "we've got him alone; let's kill him, and see how much
good his wisdom will do him."

Meanwhile Kvaser was slowly approaching the house, and the sea, as it dashed
against the rocks, was making a song in his mind. If you had heard him sing it,
you would have heard the voices of the waves as they toss their white caps and
chase each other foaming and roaring and tumbling on the beach. When Kvaser
came up to the dwarfs they pretended to be very glad to see him, and told him
he was the one person above all others they had wanted to see, because they
had a question they had been waiting a long time to ask him. Kvaser was so
noble himself that he never thought evil of any one, and when they asked him to
go with them into a very dark and lonely part of the valley, so that nobody could
hear their talk, he had no suspicion that they meant any harm; but no sooner
had they come to the place than they struck him down from behind. Having
killed him, they caught his blood in two jars and a kettle, and mixed it with
honey, and so the wonderful mead as made. It took not only sweetness but life
to make true poetry.

Not long after this Galar and Fjalar killed a giant named Gilling, and were
punished for it too; for the giant's son, Suttung, when he discovered how his
father had been put to death, took the dwarfs out to sea and put them on a little
rocky island where they would certainly be drowned when the tide came in, and
rowed off to leave them; but the rascals begged so hard to be taken off, he
finally promised to let them live if they would give him the mead. Then Suttung
took the mead home and put it in his cellar, and told his daughter Gunlad to
watch it day and night, for he knew what a precious drink it was. So the mead
passed out of the dwarfs' hands into the keeping of a giant.

Now the gods were very fond of Kvaser, and when a long time had passed
without any word from him, they asked Galar and Fjalar if they knew anything
about him, and the dwarfs said he had been choked by his own wisdom; but
Odin knew that this was a false story. He kept his own counsel, and said nothing
about what he was going to do, but one day the gods missed him, and knew he
had gone on one of his long journeys. As he walked along nobody took him for a
god; he looked like a very handsome labourer, and in fact that is what he really
was. He had pretty much the whole world in his charge, and he had to work very
hard to keep it in any kind of order.Words could hardly describe the beautiful country in which Odin took his way,—its deep, quiet green valleys, with the sparkling cold streams rushing through them; its steep mountains, crowned with
fir and pine; its great crags standing out into the sea; and its fjords breaking the
coast into numberless bays. Odin enjoyed it all, for the gods love beauty, but he
was thinking all the time how he should get the mead out of the giant's cellar. He
knew perfectly well that Suttung would never give it up willingly, and that he
must get it either by force or by stratagem. Suttung was very strong, and the
cellar was cut out of the solid rock; and the more Odin thought about it the
harder it seemed to him. If he had been a man he would have given up, but that
was not his way; besides, he had loved Kvaser, and the mead was his blood,
and he meant to bring it to heaven.

Now Suttung had a brother named Bauge, who was a farmer, and one
afternoon, as his nine thralls were mowing in the fields, they saw a stranger
coming towards them. It was a very uncommon thing to see a stranger in that
out-of-the-way place, and the men all stopped work to watch him. He was a farm
labourer like themselves, but he was very large in stature, and had a very noble
face and manner.

"A fine meadow of grass," he said in a deep musical voice as he joined them,
"but you find it hard work; your scythes are dull."

They certainly did look tired and overworked.
"Hand me your scythes and I will whet them for you," continued the stranger.

The thralls were very glad to have anybody do that for them, so they gave him
their scythes without saying a word. In a moment the valley rang with the quick
strokes of the stone on the hard metal, and the sparks flew in showers around
them. The men had never seen such a whetting of scythes before, and their
astonishment grew greater still when they found that the grass seemed to fall
like magic before them. The mowing, which had been so hard, was now the
easiest thing in the world.

"Sell us the whetstone," they shouted, crowding around the stranger.

"Well," said he very coolly, "I will sell it, but I must have a good price for it."
Then each demanded it for himself, and while they were quarrelling as to which
should have it, the stranger threw it high into the air, and bade them fight for it,
which they did so fiercely that each slew his fellow with his scythe, and the
stranger was left alone in the field. He threw the whetstone away, walked off,
and as the sun was going down, came to the giant's house and asked if he might stay all night. Bauge was willing, as people were in those days, to give
supper and a bed to the stranger, and asked him in.

After supper they talked together, and Bauge told the stranger that his nine
thralls had been fighting in the field and had killed each other, and that he was
in great trouble because he did not know where to get men to do his work.

"I'll do it," said the stranger.

"Yes," said Bauge, "but you are only one.

"That is true," he answered, "but try me and I'll do the work of all nine."
Bauge looked as if he didn't believe it, but it was one good man gained, at least,
and that was something.

"What shall I pay you?" continued Bauge, determined to finish the bargain
before the man had time to change his mind. The stranger thought a few
moments as if he were uncertain what pay he wanted.

"I'll do the work," he said slowly, at last, "if you will give me a drink of the mead
in your brother's cellar."

Bauge was very much surprised; he could not
understand how the man knew anything about the mead. He was very sure,
however, that Suttung would not give him a drop of it, and he thought it was a
good chance to get his work done for nothing. "Well," said he, "I can't promise
you that, for Suttung takes precious good care of the mead, but I will do what I
can to help you get it."

So the bargain was made, and the next morning the stranger was at work; and
all summer, early and late, he was in the fields doing the work of nine men.
Bauge often wondered what kind of a man his new farm-hand was; but so long
as the work was done he cared for nothing more, and he asked no questions.
The stranger once said his name was Bolverk, and that was all he ever said
about himself. The months went by, winter came, the work was all done, and
Bolverk demanded his pay.

"We'll go and ask my brother for it," said Bauge; so they both went to Suttung.

Bauge told his brother the bargain he had made with his workman, and asked
for a little of the mead.

"No" said Suttung very crossly, looking suspiciously at Bolverk; "it's no bargain
of mine, and not a drop shall you have."

Bolverk seemed not at all surprised at his ill fortune, and Bauge thought that he
had gotten his work done for nothing; but after they had gone a little way
together and were hidden from the house by the trees, Bolverk drew out an
auger from under his clothing.

"Bauge," said he, "you promised to help me get that mead. I am going into
Suttung's cellar for it."

Bauge smiled at the idea of cutting through a thick rock and getting into the
cellar with that auger, but when it was handed to him he took it without saying a
word and began to bore. It was an astonishing auger, for no sooner had he
pressed it against the rock than it began to fly around with wonderful rapidity,
the chips of stone fairly making a cloud about him. Once he stopped, for he was
afraid he really would get into the cellar, and told Bolverk he had bored through,
but Bolverk knew that couldn't be true, because the chips still flew out, so he
told Bauge to go on. In a little time the auger slipped through. Bauge looked
around, but there was no Bolverk, and while he stared in every direction a large
worm crept up the rock and into the hole. When Bauge caught sight of it he
thrust the auger hastily into the hole, but Bolverk's voice answered back from
the cellar, "Too late, Bauge; you needn't bore any longer."

Then Bauge suspected that a man who had done the work of nine men
summer, and suddenly changed himself into a worm, must be somebody more
than common. Bolverk was actually in Suttung's house, but how was he to get
out again with the mead?

Gunlad, the young lady who had been charged by her father to watch the
precious drink day and night, was sitting quietly beside it, when she was
suddenly surprised, and not a little frightened, by the apparition of a young and
beautiful man standing before her. What the handsome young man said to her
nobody knows, but he probably told her he was very much exhausted, and
hinted that she was very lovely; that he had never seen any one he admired so
much before. At any rate, he persuaded her to let him drink three draughts of
the mead, only three. They were certainly the most astonishing draughts
anybody ever heard of, for with the first he emptied one jar, with the second he
emptied the other jar, and with the third he finished the kettle.

And now another wonderful change took place. Bolverk had entered as a worm,
but no sooner had he drunk the mead than in an instant he be- came an eagle,
and before Gunlad knew what had happened, with splendid wings outspread he
was rising upward in broad, easy flight. Through the still air, faster and faster, higher and higher, in wide circles that swept far round the summits of the
mountains, in swift majestic flight he rose until the earth had vanished out of
sight, and his mighty pinions beat against the gates of Asgard.

Here's a new one for you, Ulfhednar, though it's not the traditional kind... it's also rather silly, but oh well...



THE STORY OF SIGURD


ONCE upon a time there was a King in the North who had won
many wars, but now he was old. Yet he took a new wife, and
then another Prince, who wanted to have married her, came up
against him with a great army. The old King went out and fought
bravely, but at last his sword broke, and he was wounded and his men
fled. But in the night, when the battle was over, his young wife came
out and searched for him among the slain, and at last she found
him, and asked whether he might be healed. But he said `No,' his
luck was gone, his sword was broken, and he must die. And he
told her that she would have a son, and that son would be a great
warrior, and would avenge him on the other King, his enemy. And
he bade her keep the broken pieces of the sword, to make a new sword
for his son, and that blade should be called Gram.

Then he died. And his wife called her maid to her and said,
`Let us change clothes, and you shall be called by my name, and I
by yours, lest the enemy finds us.'

So this was done, and they hid in a wood, but there some strangers
met them and carried them off in a ship to Denmark. And when
they were brought before the King, he thought the maid looked like
a Queen, and the Queen like a maid. So he asked the maid, `How
do you know in the dark of night whether the hours are wearing to
the morning?'

And she said:

`I know because, when I was younger, I used to have to rise
and light the fires, and still I waken at the same time.'

`A strange Queen to light the fires,' thought the King.

Then he asked the real Queen, who was dressed like a maid, `How
do you know in the dark of night whether the hours are wearing
near the dawn?'

`My father gave me a gold ring,' said she, `and always, ere the
dawning, it grows cold on my finger.'

`A rich house where the maids wore gold,' said the King. `Truly
you are no maid, but a King's daughter.'

So he treated her royally, and as time went on she had a son
called Sigurd, a beautiful boy and very strong. He had a tutor to
be with him, and once the tutor bade him go to the King and ask
for a horse.

`Choose a horse for yourself,' said the King; and Sigurd went to
the wood, and there he met an old man with a white beard, and
said, `Come! help me in horse-choosing.'

Then the old man said, `Drive all the horses into the river, and
choose the one that swims across.'

So Sigurd drove them, and only one swam across. Sigurd chose
him: his name was Grani, and he came of Sleipnir's breed, and was
the best horse in the world. For Sleipnir was the horse of Odin, the
God of the North, and was as swift as the wind.

But a day or two later his tutor said to Sigurd, `There is a great
treasure of gold hidden not far from here, and it would become you
to win it.'

But Sigurd answered, `I have heard stories of that treasure, and
I know that the dragon Fafnir guards it, and he is so huge and
wicked that no man dares to go near him.'

`He is no bigger than other dragons,' said the tutor, `and if you
were as brave as your father you would not fear him.'

`I am no coward,' says Sigurd; `why do you want me to fight
with this dragon?'

Then his tutor, whose name was Regin, told him that all this
great hoard of red gold had once belonged to his own father. And
his father had three sons--the first was Fafnir, the Dragon; the next
was Otter, who could put on the shape of an otter when he liked;
and the next was himself, Regin, and he was a great smith and
maker of swords.

Now there was at that time a dwarf called Andvari, who lived in
a pool beneath a waterfall, and there he had hidden a great hoard of
gold. And one day Otter had been fishing there, and had killed a
salmon and eaten it, and was sleeping, like an otter, on a stone.
Then someone came by, and threw a stone at the otter and killed it,
and flayed off the skin, and took it to the house of Otter's father.
Then he knew his son was dead, and to punish the person who had
killed him he said he must have the Otter's skin filled with gold,
and covered all over with red gold, or it should go worse with him.
Then the person who had killed Otter went down and caught the
Dwarf who owned all the treasure and took it from him.

Only one ring was left, which the Dwarf wore, and even that
was taken from him.

Then the poor Dwarf was very angry, and he prayed that the
gold might never bring any but bad luck to all the men who might
own it, for ever.

Then the otter skin was filled with gold and covered with gold,
all but one hair, and that was covered with the poor Dwarf's last
ring.

But it brought good luck to nobody. First Fafnir, the Dragon,
killed his own father, and then he went and wallowed on the
gold, and would let his brother have none, and no man dared go
near it.

When Sigurd heard the story he said to Regin:

`Make me a good sword that I may kill this Dragon.'

So Regin made a sword, and Sigurd tried it with a blow on a
lump of iron, and the sword broke.

Another sword he made, and Sigurd broke that too.

Then Sigurd went to his mother, and asked for the broken pieces
of his father's blade, and gave them to Regin. And he hammered
and wrought them into a new sword, so sharp that fire seemed to
burn along its edges.

Sigurd tried this blade on the lump of iron, and it did not break,
but split the iron in two. Then he threw a lock of wool into the
river, and when it floated down against the sword it was cut into
two pieces. So Sigurd said that sword would do. But before he
went against the Dragon he led an army to fight the men who had
killed his father, and he slew their King, and took all his wealth,
and went home.

When he had been at home a few days, he rode out with Regin
one morning to the heath where the Dragon used to lie. Then he
saw the track which the Dragon made when he went to a cliff to
drink, and the track was as if a great river had rolled along and
left a deep valley.

Then Sigurd went down into that deep place, and dug many pits
in it, and in one of the pits he lay hidden with his sword drawn.
There he waited, and presently the earth began to shake with the
weight of the Dragon as he crawled to the water. And a cloud of
venom flew before him as he snorted and roared, so that it would
have been death to stand before him.

But Sigurd waited till half of him had crawled over the pit, and
then he thrust the sword Gram right into his very heart.

Then the Dragon lashed with his tail till stones broke and trees
crashed about him.

Then he spoke, as he died, and said:

`Whoever thou art that hast slain me this gold shall be thy ruin,
and the ruin of all who own it.'

Sigurd said:

`I would touch none of it if by losing it I should never die. But
all men die, and no brave man lets death frighten him from his
desire. Die thou, Fafnir,' and then Fafnir died.

And after that Sigurd was called Fafnir's Bane, and Dragonslayer.

Then Sigurd rode back, and met Regin, and Regin asked him to
roast Fafnir's heart and let him taste of it.

So Sigurd put the heart of Fafnir on a stake, and roasted it. But
it chanced that he touched it with his finger, and it burned him. Then
he put his finger in his mouth, and so tasted the heart of Fafnir.

Then immediately he understood the language of birds, and he
heard the Woodpeckers say:

`There is Sigurd roasting Fafnir's heart for another, when he
should taste of it himself and learn all wisdom.'

The next bird said:

`There lies Regin, ready to betray Sigurd, who trusts him.'

The third bird said:

`Let him cut off Regin's head, and keep all the gold to himself.'

The fourth bird said:

`That let him do, and then ride over Hindfell, to the place where
Brynhild sleeps.'

When Sigurd heard all this, and how Regin was plotting to
betray him, he cut off Regin's head with one blow of the sword
Gram.

Then all 'he birds broke out singing:

`We know a fair maid,
A fair maiden sleeping;
Sigurd, be not afraid,
Sigurd, win thou the maid
Fortune is keeping.

`High over Hindfell
Red fire is flaming,
There doth the maiden dwell
She that should love thee well,
Meet for thy taming.

`There must she sleep till thou
Comest for her waking
Rise up and ride, for now
Sure she will swear the vow
Fearless of breaking.'


Then Sigurd remembered how the story went that somewhere,
far away, there was a beautiful lady enchanted. She was under a
spell, so that she must always sleep in a castle surrounded by flaming
fire; there she must sleep for ever till there came a knight who
would ride through the fire and waken her. There he determined
to go, but first he rode right down the horrible trail of Fafnir. And
Fafnir had lived in a cave with iron doors, a cave dug deep down
in the earth, and full of gold bracelets, and crowns, and rings; and
there, too, Sigurd found the Helm of Dread, a golden helmet, and
whoever wears it is invisible. All these he piled on the back of the
good horse Grani, and then he rode south to Hindfell.

Now it was night, and on the crest of the hill Sigurd saw a red
fire blazing up into the sky, and within the flame a castle, and a
banner on the topmost tower. Then he set the horse Grani at the
fire, and he leaped through it lightly, as if it had been through the
heather. So Sigurd went within the castle door, and there he saw
someone sleeping, clad all in armour. Then he took the helmet off
the head of the sleeper, and behold, she was a most beautiful lady.
And she wakened and said, `Ah! is it Sigurd, Sigmund's son, who
has broken the curse, and comes here to waken me at last?'

This curse came upon her when the thorn of the tree of sleep
ran into her hand long ago as a punishment because she had
displeased Odin the God. Long ago, too, she had vowed never to
marry a man who knew fear, and dared not ride through the fence
of flaming fire. For she was a warrior maid herself, and went
armed into the battle like a man. But now she and Sigurd loved
each other, and promised to be true to each other, and he gave her
a ring, and it was the last ring taken from the dwarf Andvari.
Then Sigurd rode away, and he came to the house of a King who
had a fair daughter. Her name was Gudrun, and her mother was a
witch. Now Gudrun fell in love with Sigurd, but he was always
talking of Brynhild, how beautiful she was and how dear. So one
day Gudrun's witch mother put poppy and forgetful drugs in a
magical cup, and bade Sigurd drink to her health, and he drank, and
instantly he forgot poor Brynhild and he loved Gudrun, and they
were married with great rejoicings.

Now the witch, the mother of Gudrun, wanted her son Gunnar
to marry Brynhild, and she bade him ride out with Sigurd and go
and woo her. So forth they rode to her father's house, for Brynhild
had quite gone out of Sigurd's mind by reason of the witch's wine,
but she remembered him and loved him still. Then Brynhild's
father told Gunnar that she would marry none but him who could
ride the flame in front of her enchanted tower, and thither they rode,
and Gunnar set his horse at the flame, but he would not face it.
Then Gunnar tried Sigurd's horse Grani, but he would not move
with Gunnar on his back. Then Gunnar remembered witchcraft
that his mother had taught him, and by his magic he made Sigurd
look exactly like himself, and he looked exactly like Gunnar. Then
Sigurd, in the shape of Gunnar and in his mail, mounted on Grani,
and Grani leaped the fence of fire, and Sigurd went in and found
Brynhild, but he did not remember her yet, because of the forgetful
medicine in the cup of the witch's wine.

Now Brynhild had no help but to promise she would be his wife,
the wife of Gunnar as she supposed, for Sigurd wore Gunnar's shape,
and she had sworn to wed whoever should ride the flames. And he
gave her a ring, and she gave him back the ring he had given her
before in his own shape as Sigurd, and it was the last ring of that
poor dwarf Andvari. Then he rode out again, and he and Gunnar
changed shapes, and each was himself again, and they went
home to the witch Queen's, and Sigurd gave the dwarf's ring to
his wife, Gudrun. And Brynhild went to her father, and said
that a King had come called Gunnar, and had ridden the fire,
and she must marry him. `Yet I thought,' she said, `that no
man could have done this deed but Sigurd, Fafnir's bane, who was
my true love. But he has forgotten me, and my promise I must
keep.'

So Gunnar and Brynhild were married, though it was not Gunnar
but Sigurd in Gunnar's shape, that had ridden the fire.

And when the wedding was over and all the feast, then the magic
of the witch's wine went out of Sigurd's brain, and he remembered
all. He remembered how he had freed Brynhild from the spell,
and how she was his own true love, and how he had forgotten and
had married another woman, and won Brynhild to be the wife of
another man.

But he was brave, and he spoke not a word of it to the others to
make them unhappy. Still he could not keep away the curse which
was to come on every one who owned the treasure of the dwarf
Andvari, and his fatal golden ring.

And the curse soon came upon all of them. For one day, when
Brynhild and Gudrun were bathing, Brynhild waded farthest out
into the river, and said she did that to show she was Guirun's
superior. For her husband, she said, had ridden through the flame
when no other man dared face it.

Then Gudrun was very angry, and said that it was Sigurd, not
Gunnar, who had ridden the flame, and had received from Brynhild
that fatal ring, the ring of the dwarf Andvari.

Then Brynhild saw the ring which Sigard had given to Gudrun,
and she knew it and knew all, and she turned as pale as a dead
woman, and went home. All that evening she never spoke. Next
day she told Gunnar, her husband, that he was a coward and a liar,
for he had never ridden the flame, but had sent Sigurd to do it for
him, and pretended that he had done it himself. And she said he
would never see her glad in his hall, never drinking wine, never
playing chess, never embroidering with the golden thread, never
speaking words of kindness. Then she rent all her needlework
asunder and wept aloud, so that everyone in the house heard her.
For her heart was broken, and her pride was broken in the same
hour. She had lost her true love, Sigurd, the slayer of Fafnir, and
she was married to a man who was a liar.

Then Sigurd came and tried to comfort her, but she would not
listen, and said she wished the sword stood fast in his heart.

`Not long to wait,' he said, `till the bitter sword stands fast in
my heart, and thou will not live long when I am dead. But, dear
Brynhild, live and be comforted, and love Gunnar thy husband, and
I will give thee all the gold, the treasure of the dragon Fafnir.'

Brynhild said:

`It is too late.'

Then Sigurd was so grieved and his heart so swelled in his breast
that it burst the steel rings of his shirt of mail.

Sigurd went out and Brynhild determined to slay him. She
mixed serpent's venom and wolf's flesh, and gave them in one dish
to her husband's younger brother, and when he had tasted them he
was mad, and he went into Sigurd's chamber while he slept and
pinned him to the bed with a sword. But Sigurd woke, and caught
the sword Gram into his hand, and threw it at the man as he fled,
and the sword cut him in twain. Thus died Sigurd, Fafnir's bane,
whom no ten men could have slain in fair fight. Then Gudrun
wakened and saw him dead, and she moaned aloud, and Brynhild
heard her and laughed; but the kind horse Grani lay down and died
of very grief. And then Brynhild fell a-weeping till her heart broke.
So they attired Sigurd in all his golden armour, and built a great
pile of wood on board his ship, and at night laid on it the dead Sigurd
and the dead Brynhild, and the good horse, Grani, and set fire to it,
and launched the ship. And the wind bore it blazing out to sea,
flaming into the dark. So there were Sigurd and Brynhild burned
together, and the curse of the dwarf Andvari was fulfilled.


~The Volsunga Saga~