Mythology of Germany, Great Britain, and Scandinavia--Scandinavian Gods, Giants, and Elves--The world Niflheim--The world Muspelheim--How Ymir was created--The cow Aedhumla--Ymir's Offspring--Odin, the chief God--Odin's Seat and Ravens--Valhalla--Queen Frigga--How the Seas, Waters, Mountains, and Heavens were made--Chariots and Horses in Heaven--Night and Day--What a Wolf is to do--Three beautiful but evil-disposed Maidens--Creation of New Beings--Bridge between Midgard and Asgard--Sacred Fountain--Roots of the ash Yggdrasil--Baldur's Dreams and sad End--Loki, the Evil Spirit--Hel and her Brothers--Ignorance of Giants, and Cunning of Dwarfs--Worship of Scandinavian Gods--Norsemen and their Ancient Gods and Goddesses--The Volsung Tale--Odin, Loki, and Hænir's Wanderings--The Sword Gram--Sigurd's Exploits--What the Worshippers of Odin believed--Frodi's Maidens and Quern--Thor, and Subordinate Gods of the Laplanders--Belief and Worship of the Laplanders--Drums as Implements of Superstition--Sale of Winds--Power of Demons--Lucky and Unlucky Days--Other Superstitions. The mythology of Germany, Great Britain, Scandinavia, and the other northern nations is as extraordinary as that of Greece and Rome. Every race and nation under the heavens were at one time steeped in superstition to such an extent as to make people, living in enlightened ages, wonder that creatures endowed with reasoning powers should ever have given themselves over to such vile delusions as some of our forefathers seem to have done. The adventures of the Scandinavian gods, giants, and elves were not behind those of the gods and supernatural beings in the south and east. In the beginning of time, we are informed, a world existed in the north called Niflheim, in the centre of which was a well from which sprang twelve rivers. In the south was another world, Muspelheim--a light, warm, radiant world, the boundary of which was guarded by Surt with a flaming sword. From Niflheim flowed cold streams called Elivaager, which, hardening into ice, formed one icy layer upon the other, within the abyss of abysses that faced the north. From the south there streamed forth the sparkling heat of Muspelheim; and as the heat and cold met, the melting ice-drops became possessed of life, and produced, through the power of him who had sent forth heat, Ymir, the sire of the frost giants. Ymir obtained his nourishment from four milky streams that escaped from the udders of the cow Aedhumla--a creature formed from the melting frost. From Ymir there came forth offspring while he slept, viz. a man and woman, who emerged from under his left arm, and sons from his feet. Thus was produced the race of the frost giants. Meantime, as the cow Aedhumla licked the frost-covered stones, there came forth the first day a man's hair, a head the second day, and a