In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales

Name: In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales
Author: Brown, Abbie Farwell

Brown, Abbie Farwell

Mythology, Norse -- Juvenile literature

"She cannot help being so strong," they whispered. "She meant to do
well. She did not realize how hard she was pulling. This is no time for
anger, brother Thor." So Thor spared her life, as indeed he ought, for
her kindness.

Then Balder's body was borne out to the ship and laid upon a pile of
beautiful silks, and furs, and cloth-of-gold, and woven sunbeams which
the dwarfs had wrought. So that his funeral pyre was more grand than
anything which had ever been seen. But when Nanna, Balder's gentle
wife, saw them ready to kindle the flames under this gorgeous bed, she
could bear her grief no longer. Her loving heart broke, and they laid
her beside him, that they might comfort each other on their journey
to Hela. Thor touched the pile gently with his hammer that makes
the lightning, and the flames burst forth, lighting up the faces of
Balder and Nanna with a glory. Then they cast upon the fire Balder's
war-horse, to serve his master in the dark country to which he was
about to go. The horse was decked with a harness all of gold, with
jewels studding the bridle and headstall. Last of all Odin laid upon
the pyre his gift to Balder, Draupnir, the precious ring of gold which
the dwarf had made, from which every ninth night there dropped eight
other rings as large and brightly golden.

"Take this with you, dear son, to Hela's palace," said Odin. "And do
not forget the friends you leave behind in the now lonely halls of
Asgard."

Then Hyrrockin pushed the great boat out to sea, with its bonfire of
precious things. And on the beach stood all the Æsir watching it out
of sight, all the Æsir and many besides. For there came to Balder's
funeral great crowds of little dwarfs and multitudes of huge frost
giants, all mourning for Balder the beautiful. For this one time
they were all friends together, forgetting their quarrels of so many
centuries. All of them loved Balder, and were united to do him honor.

The great ship moved slowly out to sea, sending up a red fire to color
all the heavens. At last it slid below the horizon softly, as you have
often seen the sun set upon the water, leaving a brightness behind to
lighten the dark world for a little while.

This indeed was the sunset for Asgard. The darkness of sorrow came in
earnest after the passing of Balder the beautiful.

But the punishment of Loki was a terrible thing. And that came soon and
sore.




THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse TalesBrown, Abbie Farwell

General

In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales

Brown, Abbie Farwell

Mythology, Norse -- Juvenile literature

"She cannot help being so strong," they whispered. "She meant to do
well. She did not realize how hard she was pulling. This is no time for
anger, brother Thor." So Thor spared her life, as indeed he ought, for
her kindness.

Then Balder's body was borne out to the ship and laid upon a pile of
beautiful silks, and furs, and cloth-of-gold, and woven sunbeams which
the dwarfs had wrought. So that his funeral pyre was more grand than
anything which had ever been seen. But when Nanna, Balder's gentle
wife, saw them ready to kindle the flames under this gorgeous bed, she
could bear her grief no longer. Her loving heart broke, and they laid
her beside him, that they might comfort each other on their journey
to Hela. Thor touched the pile gently with his hammer that makes
the lightning, and the flames burst forth, lighting up the faces of
Balder and Nanna with a glory. Then they cast upon the fire Balder's
war-horse, to serve his master in the dark country to which he was
about to go. The horse was decked with a harness all of gold, with
jewels studding the bridle and headstall. Last of all Odin laid upon
the pyre his gift to Balder, Draupnir, the precious ring of gold which
the dwarf had made, from which every ninth night there dropped eight
other rings as large and brightly golden.

"Take this with you, dear son, to Hela's palace," said Odin. "And do
not forget the friends you leave behind in the now lonely halls of
Asgard."

Then Hyrrockin pushed the great boat out to sea, with its bonfire of
precious things. And on the beach stood all the Æsir watching it out
of sight, all the Æsir and many besides. For there came to Balder's
funeral great crowds of little dwarfs and multitudes of huge frost
giants, all mourning for Balder the beautiful. For this one time
they were all friends together, forgetting their quarrels of so many
centuries. All of them loved Balder, and were united to do him honor.

The great ship moved slowly out to sea, sending up a red fire to color
all the heavens. At last it slid below the horizon softly, as you have
often seen the sun set upon the water, leaving a brightness behind to
lighten the dark world for a little while.

This indeed was the sunset for Asgard. The darkness of sorrow came in
earnest after the passing of Balder the beautiful.

But the punishment of Loki was a terrible thing. And that came soon and
sore.




THE PUNISHMENT OF LOKI

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales

In the Days of Giants: A Book of Norse Tales

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