The Children of Odin: The Book of Northern MythsColum, Padraic
General
The Children of Odin: The Book of Northern Myths
Colum, Padraic
Mythology, Norse -- Juvenile literature
Healing things were done in Baldur's Stead. Tyr's wrist was healed of
the wounds that Fenrir's fangs had made. And there Frey's mind became
less troubled with the foreboding that Loki had filled it with when he
railed at him about the bartering of his sword.
Now after Fenrir had been bound to the rock in the faraway island the
Æsir and the Vanir knew a while of contentment. They passed bright days
in Baldur's Stead, listening to the birds that made music there. And it
was there that Bragi the Poet wove into his never-ending story the tale
of Thor's adventures amongst the Giants.
But even into Baldur's Stead foreboding came. One day little Hnossa, the
child of Freya and the lost Odur, was brought there in such sorrow that
no one outside could comfort her. Nanna, Baldur's gentle wife, took the
child upon her lap and found ways of soothing her. Then Hnossa told of
a dream that had filled her with fright.
She had dreamt of Hela, the Queen that is half living woman and half
corpse. In her dream Hela had come into Asgard saying, "A lord of the
Æsir I must have to dwell with me in my realm beneath the earth." Hnossa
had such fear from this dream that she had fallen into a deep sorrow.
A silence fell upon all when the dream of Hnossa was told. Nanna looked
wistfully at Odin All-Father. And Odin, looking at Frigga, saw that a
fear had entered her breast.
He left the Peace Stead and went to his watchtower Hlidskjalf. He waited
there till Hugin and Munin should come to him. Every day his two ravens
flew through the world, and coming back to him told him of all that was
happening. And now they might tell him of happenings that would let him
guess if Hela had indeed turned her thoughts toward Asgard, or if she
had the power to draw one down to her dismal abode.
The ravens flew to him, and lighting one on each of his shoulders, told
him of things that were being said up and down Ygdrassil, the World
Tree. Ratatösk the Squirrel was saying them. And Ratatösk had heard them
from the brood of serpents that with Nidhögg, the great dragon, gnawed
ever at the root of Ygdrassil. He told it to the Eagle that sat ever on
the topmost bough, that in Hela's habitation a bed was spread and a
chair was left empty for some lordly comer.
And hearing this, Odin thought that it were better that Fenrir the Wolf
should range ravenously through Asgard than that Hela should win one
from amongst them to fill that chair and lie in that bed.
He mounted Sleipner, his eight-legged steed, and rode down toward the
abodes of the Dead. For three days and three nights of silence and
darkness he journeyed on. Once one of the hounds of Helheim broke loose
and bayed upon Sleipner's tracks. For a day and a night Garm, the hound,
pursued them, and Odin smelled the blood that dripped from his monstrous
jaws.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account