The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian MythologyKeary, Annie
General
The Heroes of Asgard: Tales from Scandinavian Mythology
Keary, Annie
Mythology, Norse -- Juvenile literature
The Thralls are described with "shrivelled skin, knotty knuckles,
thick fingers, hideous faces, curved backs and protruding heels, they
are made to erect fences, manure fields, tend swine, keep goats and
dig turf." The Karls' children are said to be clothed in linen, to be
ruddy headed and have twinkling eyes, and they grow up to "tame oxen,
make ploughs, build houses, make carts and farm;" but the favoured,
useless Jarls, "Light of hair, bright cheeks, eyes piercing as a
serpent's," grow up to "shake the shield, to brandish spears,
"Horses to ride,
Dogs to slip,
Swords to draw,
Swimming to practise."
Heimdall keeps the bridge alike from thunder god and frost giants,
but at Ragnarök, the swarthy god Surtur, who lives on the borders of
Muspellheim, will ride over it and shatter it to pieces. Heimdall's
horn is mentioned,--this is supposed to mean the crescent moon, and
Mimer's drinking horn also means the moon. Later, when the stories of
the gods had dwindled down into weird, unholy legends, and Odin had
sunk into the wild Huntsman, the crescent moon was his horn. One of
Heimdall's names was Irmin, and this means "Shining." The milky way
is called Irmin strasse or Irmin's way, and the wild hunt was
supposed to go over the milky way, which is also called Waldemar's
way in Denmark, and Waldemar is a common name of hunters.
Loki and his children in these myths are evidently the destructive
principle, either physically, or morally, or both. Jörmungand and
Fenrir are much alike. Jörmungand means "the universal Wolf," and of
Fenrir it is said "he goes about revengeful, with open jaws devouring
all things." Hela had originally another side to her character, but
here as Loki's daughter she has only the nature of his other
children.
The myth about Loki finding the half-burnt heart of a woman is said
to be a very young one; and so perhaps it is not worth considering
the meaning of.
The god about whom, next to Odin, most stories are told, is Thor. In
some parts of the north he was a more prominent object of worship
even than Odin, Norway and Iceland being especially devoted to his
service.
* * * * *
Let us now hear how Thor went to Jötunheim.
CHAPTER II.
HOW THOR WENT TO JÖTUNHEIM.
PART I. FROM ASGARD TO UTGARD.
Once on a time, Asa Thor and Loki set out on a journey from Asgard to
Jötunheim. They travelled in Thor's chariot, drawn by two milk-white
goats. It was a somewhat cumbrous iron chariot, and the wheels made a
rumbling noise as it moved, which sometimes startled the ladies of
Asgard, and made them tremble; but Thor liked it, thought the noise
sweeter than any music, and was never so happy as when he was
journeying in it from one place to another.
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.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account