Norse mythology; or, The religion of our forefathers, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpretedAnderson, Rasmus Björn
Religion
Norse mythology; or, The religion of our forefathers, containing all the myths of the Eddas, systematized and interpreted
Anderson, Rasmus Björn
Mythology, Norse; Northmen -- Religion; Old Norse literature; Tales, Medieval
Loke very willingly gave his oath to bring about this, and went
back in a piteous plight to his companions.
On his return to Asgard, Loke told Idun that in a forest not very far
from the celestial residence he had found apples growing, which he
thought were of a much better quality than her own, and that at all
events it was worth while to make a comparison between them. Idun,
deceived by his words, took her apples and went with him into the
forest, but they had no sooner entered it than Thjasse, clad in his
eagle-plumage, flew rapidly toward them, and, catching up Idun, carried
her and her treasure off with him to Jotunheim. The gods being thus
deprived of their renovating apples, soon became wrinkled and gray, old
age was creeping fast upon them when they discovered that Loke had been,
as usual, the contriver of all the mischief that had befallen them.
Inquiry was made about Idun in the assembly which was called, and the
last anybody knew about her was that she had been seen going out of
Asgard in company with Loke. They therefore threatened him with torture
and death if he did not instantly hit upon some expedient for bringing
back Idun and her apples to Asgard. This threat terrified Loke, and he
promised to bring her back from Jotunheim if Freyja would lend him her
falcon-plumage. He got the falcon-plumage of Freyja, flew in it to
Jotunheim, and finding that Thjasse was out at sea fishing, he lost no
time in transforming Idun into a nut and flying off with her in his
claws. But when Thjasse returned and became aware of what had happened,
he put on his eagle-plumage and flew after them. When the gods saw Loke
approach, holding Idun changed into a nut between his claws, and Thjasse
with his outspread eagle-wings ready to overtake him, they placed on the
walls of Asgard bundles of chips, which they set fire to the instant
Loke had flown over them; and as Thjasse could not stop his flight, the
fire caught his plumage, and he thus fell into the power of the gods,
who slew him within the portals of the celestial residence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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