The Junior Classics, Volume 2: Folk Tales and Myths
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 2: Folk Tales and Myths
Children's literature; Mythology -- Juvenile literature; Tales -- Juvenile literature
The next thing was to give light to the new-made world. So the gods
caught sparks from the Home of Fire and set them in the sky for stars;
and they took the living flame and made of it the sun and moon, which
they placed in chariots of gold, and harnessed to them beautiful horses,
with flowing manes of gold and silver. Before the horses of the sun they
placed a mighty shield to protect them from its hot rays; but the swift
moon steeds needed no such protection from its gentle heat.
And now all was ready save that there was no one to drive the horses of
the sun and moon. This task was given to Mani and Sol, the beautiful son
and daughter of a giant; and these fair charioteers drive their fleet
steeds along the paths marked out by the gods, and not only give light to
the earth but mark out months and days for the sons of men.
Then All-Father Odin called forth Night, the gloomy daughter of the
cold-hearted giant folk, and set her to drive the dark chariot drawn by
the black horse, Frosty-Mane, from whose long wavy hair the drops of dew
and hoar-frost fall upon the earth below. After her drove her radiant
son, Day, with his white steed Shining-Mane, from whom the bright beams
of daylight shine forth to gladden the hearts of men.
But the wicked giants were very angry when they saw all these good
things; and they set in the sky two hungry wolves, that the fierce, gray
creatures might forever pursue the sun and moon, and devour them, and so
bring all things to an end. Sometimes, indeed, or so say the men of the
North, the gray wolves almost succeed in swallowing sun or moon; and then
the earth children make such an uproar that the fierce beasts drop their
prey in fear. And the sun and moon flee more rapidly than before, still
pursued by the hungry monsters.
One day, so runs the tale, as Mani, the Man in the Moon, was hastening
on his course, he gazed upon the earth and saw two beautiful little
children, a boy and a girl, carrying between them a pail of water.
They looked very tired and sleepy, and indeed they were, for a cruel
giant made them fetch and carry water all night long, when they should
have been in bed. So Mani put out a long, long arm and snatched up the
children and set them in the moon, pail and all; and there you can see
them on any moonlight night for yourself.
But that happened a long time after the beginning of things; for as yet
there was no man or woman or child upon the earth.
And now that this pleasant Midgard was made, the gods determined
to satisfy their desire for a home where they might rest and enjoy
themselves in their hours of ease.
They chose a suitable place far above the earth, on the other side of the
great river which flowed from the Home of Mist where the giants dwelt,
and here they made for their abode Asgard, wherein they dwelt in peace
and happiness, and from whence they could look down upon the sons of men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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