Tales and Legends of the Norse Gods - Including Odin's Sacrifice, Thor's Journey in Jötunheim, the Doom of the Gods and Many More

By Katherine F. Boult

The legends of Norse mythology are famous for including Odin, Thor and Loki and the battles they fought and the adventures they enjoyed. Here are collected some of the finest examples of Norse story telling. Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pomona Press are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Jun 6, 2013
• ISBN: 9781473381445

Book preview

Gods

OF THE CHIEF GODS

THE chief gods were these:

Odin (German, Wotan; English, Woden), chief of the Æsir and father of Time, has many names; Valfödr, father of the chosen, or slain, because to him belong the freemen (Einherjar) killed in battle; Sigfödr, father of Victory; All-Father; Long Beard; Vegtam, or the Wanderer; the Raven’s God, from the two ravens, Hugin and Mugin, that fly daily through the world and return to perch on his shoulder and croak of all that they have seen and heard; and God of the Hanged, since once for nine days and nights, for the sake of men, he hung over Niflheim.

He is a tall long-bearded man with one eye. In Asgard he is clad in golden armour with a gleaming helm, he carries a white shield and a lightning-darting spear, Gungnir, and on his arm is the great gold ring, Draupnir, that every ninth night drops eight gold rings as precious as itself. Fair warrior-maidens attend him when he rides forth to battle—the Valkyrjar, Chosers of the Slain—on white cloud horses. He never eats, but lives on wine alone; the food set before him he gives to his wolves, Freki and Geri. His palace is Gladsheim and he rides the swift eight-legged horse, Sleipnir.

On earth Odin becomes a traveller in a broad hat and a long blue or grey cloak; then he eats and drinks as mortals do. His sons are Thor, Baldur, Tŷr, Hödr, the blind god; Hermödr, who goes on earth-journeys with his father and does his errands; Vidr and Vali, who are to avenge Baldur and Odin.

Frigga, his wife, chief of the Asynjar (goddesses), is a gracious and beautiful lady who, with her maidens, Fulla, Gna, and Hlyn, watches over the people of earth as she sits in her palace, Fensalir, spinning threads of gold—for she is skilled in all matters of the household. She knows the destiny of all men, but her lips are closed, and not even to Odin does she speak of her knowledge. One of her most cherished treasures is a dress of falcons’ feathers, in which she can fly over the world.

Thor, also called Ving-Thor, Hlorridi, or the Fire-Rider, strongest of the gods, is powerfully built and red-bearded; he wears a crown of twelve stars and is the protector of peasants and workers in the fields. His is the noble and arduous task of saving gods and men from the onslaughts of the giant race. Ever on the watch, he needs the help of his three dwarf-wrought possessions, Miölnir, an enchanted mace or club, that returns to his hand no matter how far it is flung, and that will shrink until it fits into his pouch; gloves of iron, needed to grasp Miölnir; and Megingjardr, a belt that doubles his strength.

Thor rides in a chariot drawn by two goats, and is more often found in company with Loki than any other of the gods.

Baldur, the Shining One, giver of all good, is wise and perfect in judgment, bringing peace and happiness wherever he passes. He is married to the lovely Nanna, and their son is Forseti, the wise judge and lawgiver who dwells in Glitnir. Baldur’s palace is Breidablik—Broad-View—on whose walls are engraved runes that bring the dead to life and wherein no evil thing may enter.

Tŷr, the great god of war, is tall, slender, and noble of aspect. The old poem says that he is wise, fair, and radiant with gold; brave is he also beyond all other gods. In the story of Fenrisulf we shall see that this is true. It was the custom to engrave his name on sword-blades to ensure victory.

Vidr, the Silent One, lives in the midst of trackless forests far from the haunts of men, in Landvidi. He it is who, in the last great battle, shall avenge his father Odin’s death. He can walk on air or water and is said by some to be shod with iron; others say that his shoes are of all the leather shreds thrown away by the shoemakers of earth.

Then there are strong, blind Hödr, the innocent slayer of Baldur; Vali, who grew to manhood in one day to avenge his brother; Bragi the poet, called long-bearded son of Odin, to whom vows were made over the wine-cup; and, lastly, there is Loki.

Loki, the Fire God, perhaps the most interesting of all from the strange change in his nature as the story goes on, is not an Ase (god) at all. He is constantly called Utgard (stranger) Loki and is probably a Van, since the Wind Giant was his father. At first he was pleasant and helpful, doing good among men in his own freakish way, like a sprite; while to Odin and the gods he was so useful—helping them through many perils by his ready wit—that All-Father swore with him blood-brotherhood and would never begin a banquet unless Loki were present. He was very handsome, lithe, and graceful, and while he lived with his gentle wife, Sigyn, he spread abroad the soft warmth of fire, to be of service to gods and men. But as time went on—just as fire is a good servant but a bad master—he grew in power and in evil, and, in the end, became the bane of the gods, taking, with his three terrible children, a large part in the destruction of the gods.

Besides the Æsir there was another race living in friendship with them in Asgard, thought to be the gods of an older time; they were called Vanir. Their part was to rule the light-elves, the dwarfs, or swart-elves, and the fairies and sprites.

The difference between Æsir and Vanir is that the Æsir cared for and helped the dwellers in Midgard—the children of men—while the Vanir, except their king who protected seafarers, took no heed of men but ruled the spirits of air and earth, the insects, and the flowers.

Niördr, their king, was very tall and stately, matched in beauty by Baldur alone. He governed the peaceful winds and waves, watched over sailors and fishermen, bringing them prosperity and riches. He lived in a glorious palace near the sea; his children were Frey and Freyja.

To Frey fell the special duty of ruling the rain-clouds and the light-elves; therefore his palace (Elfheim) was not in Asgard, but was set in the sun. He rode in a chariot drawn by the hog, Gyllinbursti (Gold-Bristle), and owned the wonder-ship, Skidbladnir, that would sail to any place desired and would fold up when not needed. He married a lovely giantess named Gerd, and his feast was held at mid-winter, when a boar’s head was served in honour of Gold-Bristle, and this is why we still have boar’s head at Christmas-tide.

Freyja, his sister, was the wife of Odr, one of the gods. About her there is much uncertainty, as she is often mixed up with Frigga. It is clear, however, that she was a Vana and the goddess of springtime, her work being to care for the flowers and grasses and protect the green things of earth. She rode in a chariot drawn by two cats.

Heimdal, most mysterious of the gods, is counted among the Vanir, although he is sometimes called a son of Odin. He had nine mothers, the giant daughters of the clouds, and was nourished by the strength of the earth and the cold sea. He was made the warder of the heavenly rainbow bridge, Bifröst, for he was ever sleepless, could see a hundred miles round by night or day and had ears so keen that he could hear the grass grow. His horn, Gjöllar, was hidden under Yggdrasil and, when he blew it, the sound was heard to the far ends of the earth. His palace was Himinbjörg, among the mist-clouds, there he lived and drank sweet mead.

There were many other gods and goddesses, but they played but a small part in the life of Asgard. There were also some of the better giantesses living on the green sea-shores of Jötunheim, who being milder than their kinsfolk, married both Æsir and Vanir.

OF KING GYLFI AND THE BEGINNING OF THE WORLD

IN the morning of the northern world, before history was, there dwelt in Sweden a king named Gylfi, who was wise above all men so that his people dwelt in peace and prosperity far beyond all other nations.

From the stars he learnt the magic of runes whereby he might call the dead from their sleep, might rid his kingdom of noxious beasts, and might change his own shape at will. So wise was he, indeed, that he was ever searching, by means of his skalds, for new truths that might help him in the service of his people.

Now it came about one day that, when he met his nobles for the weekly feast, no skalds were there.

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