Mythology : Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

["Then\tBrynhild\tlaughed, Only\tonce,\twith\tall\ther\theart, When\tshe\theard\tthe\twail\tof\tGudrun. But\t although,\t or\t because,\t she\t brought\t about\t his\t death,\t she\t will\t not\t live\t when Sigurd\tis\tdead.\tShe\tsays\tto\ther\thusband:\u2014 One\talone\tof\tall\tI\tloved. I\tnever\thad\ta\tchanging\theart. She\ttells\thim\tthat\tSigurd\thad\tnot\tbeen\tfalse\tto\this\toath\twhen\the\trode\tthrough the\tfiery\tring\tto\twin\ther\tfor\tGunnar. In\tone\tbed\ttogether\twe\tslept As\tif\the\thad\tbeen\tmy\tbrother. Ever\twith\tgrief\tand\tall\ttoo\tlong Are\tmen\tand\twomen\tborn\tin\tthe\tworld\u2014 She\tkills\therself,\tpraying\tthat\ther\tbody\tshall\tbe\tlaid\ton\tthe\tfuneral\tpyre\twith Sigurd\u2019s. Beside\this\tbody\tGudrun\tsits\tin\tsilence.\tShe\tcannot\tspeak;\tshe\tcannot\tweep. They\tfear\tthat\ther\theart\twill\tbreak\tunless\tshe\tcan\tfind\trelief,\tand\tone\tby\tone\tthe women\ttell\ther\tof\ttheir\town\tgrief, The\tbitterest\tpain\teach\thad\tever\tborne. Husband,\tdaughters,\tsisters,\tbrothers\u2014one\tsays\u2014all\twere\ttaken\tfrom\tme,\tand still\tI\tlive.","Yet\tfor\ther\tgrief\tGudrun\tcould\tnot\tweep. So\thard\twas\ther\theart\tby\tthe\thero\u2019s\tbody. My\tseven\tsons\tfell\tin\tthe\tsouthern\tland,\tanother\tsays,\tand\tmy\thusband\ttoo, all\teight\tin\tbattle.\tI\tdecked\twith\tmy\town\thands\tthe\tbodies\tfor\tthe\tgrave.\tOne half-year\tbrought\tme\tthis\tto\tbear.\tAnd\tno\tone\tcame\tto\tcomfort\tme. Yet\tfor\ther\tgrief\tGudrun\tcould\tnot\tweep. So\thard\twas\ther\theart\tby\tthe\thero\u2019s\tbody. Then\tone\twiser\tthan\tthe\trest\tlifts\tthe\tshroud\tfrom\tthe\tdead. \u2026\tShe\tlaid His\twell-loved\thead\ton\tthe\tknees\tof\this\twife. \u201cLook\ton\thim\tthou\tloved\tand\tpress\tthy\tlips To\this\tas\tif\the\tstill\twere\tliving.\u201d Only\tonce\tdid\tGudrun\tlook.","She\tsaw\this\thair\tall\tclotted\twith\tblood, His\tblinded\teyes\tthat\thad\tbeen\tso\tbright, Then\tshe\tbent\tand\tbowed\ther\thead, And\ther\ttears\tran\tdown\tlike\tdrops\tof\train. Such\tare\tthe\tearly\tNorse\tstories.\tMan\tis\tborn\tto\tsorrow\tas\tthe\tsparks\tfly\tupward. To\tlive\tis\tto\tsuffer\tand\tthe\tonly\tsolution\tof\tthe\tproblem\tof\tlife\tis\tto\tsuffer\twith","courage.\tSigurd,\ton\this\tway\tto\tBrynhild\tthe\tfirst\ttime,\tmeets\ta\twise\tman\tand asks\thim\twhat\this\tfate\tshall\tbe, Hide\tnothing\tfrom\tme\thowever\thard. The\twise\tman\tanswers:\u2014 Thou\tknowest\tthat\tI\twill\tnot\tlie. Never\tshalt\tthou\tbe\tstained\tby\tbaseness. Yet\ta\tday\tof\tdoom\tshall\tcome\tupon\tthee, A\tday\tof\twrath\tand\ta\tday\tof\tanguish. But\tever\tremember,\truler\tof\tmen, That\tfortune\tlies\tin\tthe\thero\u2019s\tlife. And\ta\tnobler\tman\tshall\tnever\tlive Beneath\tthe\tsun\tthan\tSigurd.","II No\t god\t of\t Greece\t could\t be\t heroic.\t All\t the\t Olympians\t were\t immortal\t and invincible.\t They\t could\t never\t feel\t the\t glow\t of\t courage;\t they\t could\t never\t defy danger.\t When\t they\t fought\t they\t were\t sure\t of\t victory\t and\t no\t harm\t could\t ever come\t near\t them.\t It\t was\t different\t in\t Asgard.\t The\t Giants,\t whose\t city\t was J\u00f6tunheim,\t were\t the\t active,\t persistent\t enemies\t of\t the\t Aesir,\t as\t the\t gods\t were called,\tand\tthey\tnot\tonly\twere\tan\tever-present\tdanger,\tbut\tknew\tthat\tin\tthe\tend complete\tvictory\twas\tassured\tto\tthem. This\tknowledge\twas\theavy\ton\tthe\thearts\tof\tall\tthe\tdwellers\tin\tAsgard,\tbut\tit weighed\t heaviest\t on\t their\t chief\t and\t ruler,\t odin.\t Like\t Zeus,\t Odin\t was\t the\t sky- father, Clad\tin\ta\tcloud-gray\tkirtle\tand\ta\thood\tas\tblue\tas\tthe\tsky. But\t there\t the\t resemblance\t ends.\t It\t would\t be\t hard\t to\t conceive\t anything\t less like\t the\t Zeus\t of\t Homer\t than\t Odin.\t He\t is\t a\t strange\t and\t solemn\t figure,\t always aloof.\t Even\t when\t he\t sits\t at\t the\t feasts\t of\t the\t gods\t in\t his\t golden\t palace, Gladsheim,\t or\t with\t the\t heroes\t in\t Valhalla,\t he\t eats\t nothing.\t The\t food\t set\t before him\t he\t gives\t to\t the\t two\t wolves\t who\t crouch\t at\t his\t feet.\t On\t his\t shoulders\t perch two\travens,\twho\tfly\teach\tday\tthrough\tthe\tworld\tand\tbring\thim\tback\tnews\tof\tall that\tmen\tdo.\tThe\tname\tof\tthe\tone\tis\tThought\t(Hugin)\tand\tof\tthe\tother\tMemory (Munin).","While\t the\t other\t gods\t feasted,\t Odin\t pondered\t on\t what\t Thought\t and\t Memory taught\thim. He\thad\tthe\tresponsibility\tmore\tthan\tall\tthe\tother\tgods\ttogether\tof\tpostponing as\tlong\tas\tpossible\tthe\tday\tof\tdoom,\tRagnarok,\twhen\theaven\tand\tearth\twould\tbe destroyed.\tHe\twas\tthe\tAll-father,\tsupreme\tamong\tgods\tand\tmen,\tyet\teven\tso\the constantly\t sought\t for\t more\t wisdom.\t He\t went\t down\t to\t the\t Well\t of\t Wisdom guarded\t by\t Mimir\t the\t wise,\t to\t beg\t for\t a\t draught\t from\t it,\t and\t when\t Mimir answered\t that\t he\t must\t pay\t for\t it\t with\t one\t of\t his\t eyes,\t he\t consented\t to\t lose\t the eye.\t He\t won\t the\t knowledge\t of\t the\t Runes,\t too,\t by\t suffering.\t The\t Runes\t were magical\t inscriptions,\t immensely\t powerful\t for\t him\t who\t could\t inscribe\t them\t on anything\u2014wood,\tmetal,\tstone.\tOdin\tlearned\tthem\tat\tthe\tcost\tof\tmysterious\tpain. He\tsays\tin\tthe\tElder\tEdda\tthat\the\thung Nine\twhole\tnights\ton\ta\twind-rocked\ttree, Wounded\twith\ta\tspear. I\twas\toffered\tto\tOdin,\tmyself\tto\tmyself, On\tthat\ttree\tof\twhich\tno\tman\tknows. He\t passed\t the\t hard-won\t knowledge\t on\t to\t men.\t They,\t too,\t were\t able\t to\t use\t the Runes\t to\t protect\t themselves.\t He\t imperiled\t his\t life\t again\t to\t take\t away\t from\t the Giants\tthe\tskaldic\tmead,\twhich\tmade\tanyone\twho\ttasted\tit\ta\tpoet.\tThis\tgood\tgift he\tbestowed\tupon\tmen\tas\twell\tas\tupon\tthe\tgods.\tIn\tall\tways\the\twas\tmankind\u2019s benefactor.","Maidens\t were\t his\t attendants,\t the\t VALKYRIES.\t They\t waited\t on\t the\t table\t in Asgard\t and\t kept\t the\t drinking\t horns\t full,\t but\t their\t chief\t task\t was\t to\t go\t to\t the battlefield\tand\tdecide\tat\tOdin\u2019s\tbidding\twho\tshould\twin\tand\twho\tshould\tdie,\tand carry\t the\t brave\t dead\t to\t Odin.\t Val\t means\t \u201cslain,\u201d\t and\t the\t Valkyries\t were\t the Choosers\t of\t the\t Slain;\t and\t the\t place\t to\t which\t they\t brought\t the\t heroes\t was\t the Hall\tof\tthe\tSlain,\tValhalla.\tIn\tbattle,\tthe\thero\tdoomed\tto\tdie\twould\tsee Maidens\texcellent\tin\tbeauty, Riding\ttheir\tsteeds\tin\tshining\tarmor, Solemn\tand\tdeep\tin\tthought, With\ttheir\twhite\thands\tbeckoning. Wednesday\tis\tof\tcourse\tOdin\u2019s\tday.\tThe\tSouthern\tform\tof\this\tname\twas\tWoden. Of\t the\t other\t gods,\t only\t five\t were\t important:\t BALDER,\t THOR,\t FREYR,","HEIMDALL,\tand\tTYR. BALDER\twas\tthe\tmost\tbeloved\tof\tthe\tgods,\ton\tearth\tas\tin\theaven.\tHis\tdeath\twas the\t first\t of\t the\t disasters\t which\t fell\t upon\t the\t gods.\t One\t night\t he\t was\t troubled with\t dreams\t which\t seemed\t to\t foretell\t some\t great\t danger\t to\t him.\t When\t his mother,\tFRIGGA,\tthe\twife\tof\tOdin,\theard\tthis\tshe\tdetermined\tto\tprotect\thim\tfrom the\tleast\tchance\tof\tdanger.\tShe\twent\tthrough\tthe\tworld\tand\texacted\tan\toath\tfrom everything,\tall\tthings\twith\tlife\tand\twithout\tlife,\tnever\tto\tdo\thim\tharm.\tBut\tOdin still\t feared.\t He\t rode\t down\t to\t NIFLHEIM,\t the\t world\t of\t the\t dead,\t where\t he\t found the\t dwelling\t of\t HELA,\t or\t HEL,\t the\t Goddess\t of\t the\t Dead,\t all\t decked\t out\t in\t festal array.\tA\tWise\tWoman\ttold\thim\tfor\twhom\tthe\thouse\thad\tbeen\tmade\tready:\u2014 The\tmead\thas\tbeen\tbrewed\tfor\tBalder. The\thope\tof\tthe\thigh\tgods\thas\tgone. Odin\tknew\tthen\tthat\tBalder\tmust\tdie,\tbut\tthe\tother\tgods\tbelieved\tthat\tFrigga had\t made\t him\t safe.\t They\t played\t a\t game\t accordingly\t which\t gave\t them\t much pleasure.\tThey\twould\ttry\tto\thit\tBalder,\tto\tthrow\ta\tstone\tat\thim\tor\thurl\ta\tdart\tor shoot\tan\tarrow\tor\tstrike\thim\twith\ta\tsword,\tbut\talways\tthe\tweapons\tfell\tshort\tof him\t or\t rolled\t harmlessly\t away.\t Nothing\t would\t hurt\t Balder.\t He\t seemed\t raised above\t them\t by\t this\t strange\t exemption\t and\t all\t honored\t him\t for\t it,\t except\t one only,\t LOKI.\t He\t was\t not\t a\t god,\t but\t the\t son\t of\t a\t Giant,\t and\t wherever\t he\t came trouble\t followed.\t He\t continually\t involved\t the\t gods\t in\t difficulties\t and\t dangers, but\t he\t was\t allowed\t to\t come\t freely\t to\t Asgard\t because\t for\t some\t reason\t never explained\tOdin\thad\tsworn\tbrotherhood\twith\thim.\tHe\talways\thated\tthe\tgood,\tand he\t was\t jealous\t of\t Balder.\t He\t determined\t to\t do\t his\t best\t to\t find\t some\t way\t of injuring\thim.\tHe\twent\tto\tFrigga\tdisguised\tas\ta\twoman\tand\tentered\tinto\ttalk\twith her.\tFrigga\ttold\thim\tof\ther\tjourney\tto\tensure\tBalder\u2019s\tsafety\tand\thow\teverything had\tsworn\tto\tdo\thim\tno\tharm.\tExcept\tfor\tone\tlittle\tshrub,\tshe\tsaid,\tthe\tmistletoe, so\tinsignificant\tshe\thad\tpassed\tit\tby. That\twas\tenough\tfor\tLoki.\tHe\tgot\tthe\tmistletoe\tand\twent\twith\tit\tto\twhere\tthe gods\t were\t amusing\t themselves.\t HODER,\t Balder\u2019s\t brother,\t who\t was\t blind,\t sat apart.\t \u201cWhy\t not\t join\t in\t the\t game?\u201d\t asked\t Loki.\t \u201cBlind\t as\t I\t am?\u201d\t said\t Hoder. \u201cAnd\t with\t nothing\t to\t throw\t at\t Balder,\t either?\u201d\t \u201cOh,\t do\t your\t part,\u201d\t Loki\t said. \u201cHere\t is\t a\t twig.\t Throw\t it\t and\t I\t will\t direct\t your\t aim.\u201d\t Hoder\t took\t the\t mistletoe and\t hurled\t it\t with\t all\t his\t strength.\t Under\t Loki\u2019s\t guidance\t it\t sped\t to\t Balder\t and","pierced\this\theart.\tBalder\tfell\tto\tthe\tground\tdead. His\tmother\trefused\teven\tthen\tto\tgive\tup\thope.\tFrigga\tcried\tout\tto\tthe\tgods\tfor a\t volunteer\t to\t go\t down\t to\t Hela\t and\t try\t to\t ransom\t Balder.\t Hermod,\t one\t of\t her sons,\t offered\t himself.\t Odin\t gave\t him\t his\t horse\t Sleipnir\t and\t he\t sped\t down\t to Niflheim. The\t others\t prepared\t the\t funeral.\t They\t built\t a\t lofty\t pyre\t on\t a\t great\t ship,\t and there\t they\t laid\t Balder\u2019s\t body.\t Nanna,\t his\t wife,\t went\t to\t look\t at\t it\t for\t the\t last time;\ther\theart\tbroke\tand\tshe\tfell\tto\tthe\tdeck\tdead.\tHer\tbody\twas\tplaced\tbeside his.\tThen\tthe\tpyre\twas\tkindled\tand\tthe\tship\tpushed\tfrom\tthe\tshore.\tAs\tit\tsailed out\tto\tsea,\tthe\tflames\tleaped\tup\tand\twrapped\tit\tin\tfire. When\t Hermod\t reached\t Hela\t with\t the\t gods\u2019\t petition,\t she\t answered\t that\t she would\tgive\tBalder\tback\tif\tit\twere\tproved\tto\ther\tthat\tall\teverywhere\tmourned\tfor him.\t But\t if\t one\t thing\t or\t one\t living\t creature\t refused\t to\t weep\t for\t him\t she\t would keep\t him.\t The\t gods\t dispatched\t messengers\t everywhere\t to\t ask\t all\t creation\t to shed\t tears\t so\t that\t Balder\t could\t be\t redeemed\t from\t death.\t They\t met\t with\t no refusal.\tHeaven\tand\tearth\tand\teverything\ttherein\twept\twillingly\tfor\tthe\tbeloved god.\tThe\tmessengers\trejoicing\tstarted\tback\tto\tcarry\tthe\tnews\tto\tthe\tgods.\tThen, almost\t at\t the\t end\t of\t their\t journey,\t they\t came\t upon\t a\t Giantess\u2014and\t all\t the sorrow\t of\t the\t world\t was\t turned\t to\t futility,\t for\t she\t refused\t to\t weep.\t \u201cOnly\t dry tears\t will\t you\t get\t from\t me,\u201d\t she\t said\t mockingly.\t \u201cI\t had\t no\t good\t from\t Balder, nor\twill\tI\tgive\thim\tgood.\u201d\tSo\tHela\tkept\ther\tdead. Loki\t was\t punished.\t The\t gods\t seized\t him\t and\t bound\t him\t in\t a\t deep\t cavern. Above\this\thead\ta\tserpent\twas\tplaced\tso\tthat\tits\tvenom\tfell\tupon\this\tface,\tcausing him\tunutterable\tpain.\tBut\this\twife,\tSigyn,\tcame\tto\thelp\thim.\tShe\ttook\ther\tplace at\this\tside\tand\tcaught\tthe\tvenom\tin\ta\tcup.\tEven\tso,\twhenever\tshe\thad\tto\tempty the\t cup\t and\t the\t poison\t fell\t on\t him,\t though\t but\t for\t a\t moment,\t his\t agony\t was\t so intense\tthat\this\tconvulsions\tshook\tthe\tearth. Of\t the\t three\t other\t great\t gods,\t THOR\t was\t the\t Thunder-god,\t for\t whom Thursday\t is\t named,\t the\t strongest\t of\t the\t Aesir;\t FREYR\t cared\t for\t the\t fruits\t of\t the earth;\t HEIMDALL\t was\t the\t warder\t of\t Bifr\u00f6st,\t the\t rainbow\t bridge\t which\t led\t to Asgard;\t TYR\t was\t the\t God\t of\t War,\t for\t whom\t Tuesday,\t once\t Tyr\u2019s\t day,\t was named. In\tAsgard\tgoddesses\twere\tnot\tas\timportant\tas\tthey\twere\tin\tOlympus.\tNo\tone among\t the\t Norse\t goddesses\t is\t comparable\t to\t Athena,\t and\t only\t two\t are\t really notable.\t Frigga,\t Odin\u2019s\t wife,\t for\t whom\t some\t say\t Friday\t is\t named,\t was\t reputed to\tbe\tvery\twise,\tbut\tshe\twas\talso\tvery\tsilent\tand\tshe\ttold\tno\tone,\tnot\teven\tOdin, what\t she\t knew.\t She\t is\t a\t vague\t figure,\t oftenest\t depicted\t at\t her\t spinning-wheel,","where\tthe\tthreads\tshe\tspins\tare\tof\tgold,\tbut\twhat\tshe\tspins\tthem\tfor\tis\ta\tsecret. FREYA\twas\tthe\tGoddess\tof\tLove\tand\tBeauty,\tbut,\tstrangely\tto\tour\tideas,\thalf of\t those\t slain\t in\t battle\t were\t hers.\t Odin\u2019s\t Valkyries\t could\t carry\t only\t half\t to Valhalla.\tFreya\therself\trode\tto\tthe\tbattlefield\tand\tclaimed\ther\tshare\tof\tthe\tdead, and\t to\t the\t Norse\t poets\t that\t was\t a\t natural\t and\t fitting\t office\t for\t the\t Goddess\t of Love.\tFriday\tis\tgenerally\theld\tto\thave\tbeen\tnamed\tfor\ther. But\t there\t was\t one\t realm\t which\t was\t handed\t over\t to\t the\t solid\t rule\t of\t a goddess.\tThe\tKingdom\tof\tDeath\twas\tHela\u2019s.\tNo\tgod\thad\tany\tauthority\tthere,\tnot Odin,\t even.\t Asgard\t the\t Golden\t belonged\t to\t the\t gods;\t glorious\t Valhalla\t to\t the heroes;\t Midgard\t was\t the\t battlefield\t for\t men,\t not\t the\t business\t of\t women. Gudrun,\tin\tthe\tElder\tEdda,\tsays, The\tfierceness\tof\tmen\trules\tthe\tfate\tof\twomen. The\t cold\t pale\t world\t of\t the\t shadowy\t dead\t was\t woman\u2019s\t sphere\t in\t Norse mythology.","THE\tCREATION In\tthe\tElder\tEdda\ta\tWise\tWoman\tsays:\u2014 Of\told\tthere\twas\tnothing, Nor\tsand,\tnor\tsea,\tnor\tcool\twaves. No\tearth,\tno\theaven\tabove. Only\tthe\tyawning\tchasm. The\tsun\tknew\tnot\ther\tdwelling, Nor\tthe\tmoon\this\trealm. The\tstars\thad\tnot\ttheir\tplaces. But\tthe\tchasm,\ttremendous\tthough\tit\twas,\tdid\tnot\textend\teverywhere.\tFar\tto the\tnorth\twas\tNiflheim,\tthe\tcold\trealm\tof\tdeath,\tand\tfar\tto\tthe\tsouth\twas MUSPELHEIM,\tthe\tland\tof\tfire.\tFrom\tNiflheim\ttwelve\trivers\tpoured\twhich\tflowed into\tthe\tchasm\tand\tfreezing\tthere\tfilled\tit\tslowly\tup\twith\tice.\tFrom\tMuspelheim came\tfiery\tclouds\tthat\tturned\tthe\tice\tto\tmist.\tDrops\tof\twater\tfell\tfrom\tthe\tmist and\tout\tof\tthem\tthere\twere\tformed\tthe\tfrost\tmaidens\tand\tYMIR,\tthe\tfirst\tGiant. His\tson\twas\tOdin\u2019s\tfather,\twhose\tmother\tand\twife\twere\tfrost\tmaidens. Odin\tand\this\ttwo\tbrothers\tkilled\tYmir.\tThey\tmade\tthe\tearth\tand\tsky\tfrom him,\tthe\tsea\tfrom\this\tblood,\tthe\tearth\tfrom\this\tbody,\tthe\theavens\tfrom\this\tskull. They\ttook\tsparks\tfrom\tMuspelheim\tand\tplaced\tthem\tin\tthe\tsky\tas\tthe\tsun,\tmoon, and\tstars.\tThe\tearth\twas\tround\tand\tencircled\tby\tthe\tsea.\tA\tgreat\twall\twhich\tthe gods\tbuilt\tout\tof\tYmir\u2019s\teyebrows\tdefended\tthe\tplace\twhere\tmankind\twas\tto live.\tThe\tspace\twithin\twas\tcalled\tMidgard.\tHere\tthe\tfirst\tman\tand\twoman\twere created\tfrom\ttrees,\tthe\tman\tfrom\tan\tash,\tthe\twoman\tfrom\tan\telm.\tThey\twere\tthe parents\tof\tall\tmankind.\tIn\tthe\tworld\twere\talso\tDWARFS\u2014ugly\tcreatures,\tbut masterly\tcraftsmen,\twho\tlived\tunder\tthe\tearth;\tand\tELVES,\tlovely\tsprites,\twho tended\tthe\tflowers\tand\tstreams. A\twondrous\tash-tree,\tYGGDRASIL,\tsupported\tthe\tuniverse.\tIt\tstruck\tits\troots through\tthe\tworlds. Three\troots\tthere\tare\tto\tYggdrasil Hel\tlives\tbeneath\tthe\tfirst. Beneath\tthe\tsecond\tthe\tfrost-giants, And\tmen\tbeneath\tthe\tthird.","","PLATE\tX The\tdeath\tof\tYmir\tand\tthe\tcreation\tof\tthe\tworld","It\tis\talso\tsaid\tthat\t\u201cone\tof\tthe\troots\tgoes\tup\tto\tAsgard.\u201d\tBeside\tthis\troot\twas\ta well\tof\twhite\twater,\tURDA\u2019S\tWELL,\tso\tholy\tthat\tnone\tmight\tdrink\tof\tit.\tThe\tthree NORNS\tguarded\tit,\twho Allot\ttheir\tlives\tto\tthe\tsons\tof\tmen, And\tassign\tto\tthem\ttheir\tfate. The\tthree\twere\tURDA\t(the\tPast),\tVERDANDI\t(the\tPresent),\tand\tSKULD\t(the\tFuture). Here\teach\tday\tthe\tgods\tcame,\tpassing\tover\tthe\tquivering\trainbow\tbridge\tto\tsit beside\tthe\twell\tand\tpass\tjudgment\ton\tthe\tdeeds\tof\tmen.\tAnother\twell\tbeneath another\troot\twas\tthe\tWELL\tOF\tKNOWLEDGE,\tguarded\tby\tMIMIR\tthe\tWise. Over\tYggdrasil,\tas\tover\tAsgard,\thung\tthe\tthreat\tof\tdestruction.\tLike\tthe\tgods it\twas\tdoomed\tto\tdie.\tA\tserpent\tand\this\tbrood\tgnawed\tcontinually\tat\tthe\troot beside\tNiflheim,\tHel\u2019s\thome.\tSome\tday\tthey\twould\tsucceed\tin\tkilling\tthe\ttree, and\tthe\tuniverse\twould\tcome\tcrashing\tdown. The\tFrost\tGiants\tand\tthe\tMountain\tGiants\twho\tlived\tin\tJ\u00f6tunheim\twere\tthe enemies\tof\tall\tthat\tis\tgood.\tThey\twere\tthe\tbrutal\tpowers\tof\tearth,\tand\tin\tthe inevitable\tcontest\tbetween\tthem\tand\tthe\tdivine\tpowers\tof\theaven,\tbrute\tforce would\tconquer. The\tgods\tare\tdoomed\tand\tthe\tend\tis\tdeath. But\tsuch\ta\tbelief\tis\tcontrary\tto\tthe\tdeepest\tconviction\tof\tthe\thuman\tspirit, that\tgood\tis\tstronger\tthan\tevil.\tEven\tthese\tsternly\thopeless\tNorsemen,\twhose daily\tlife\tin\ttheir\ticy\tland\tthrough\tthe\tblack\twinters\twas\ta\tperpetual\tchallenge\tto heroism,\tsaw\ta\tfar-away\tlight\tbreak\tthrough\tthe\tdarkness.\tThere\tis\ta\tprophecy\tin the\tElder\tEdda,\tsingularly\tlike\tthe\tBook\tof\tRevelation,\tthat\tafter\tthe\tdefeat\tof the\tgods\u2014when The\tsun\tturns\tblack,\tearth\tsinks\tin\tthe\tsea, The\thot\tstars\tfall\tfrom\tthe\tsky, And\tfire\tleaps\thigh\tabout\theaven\titself \u2014there\twould\tbe\ta\tnew\theaven\tand\ta\tnew\tearth, In\twondrous\tbeauty\tonce\tagain. The\tdwellings\troofed\twith\tgold. The\tfields\tunsowed\tbear\tripened\tfruit In\thappiness\tforevermore.","Then\twould\tcome\tthe\treign\tof\tOne\twho\twas\thigher\teven\tthan\tOdin\tand\tbeyond the\treach\tof\tevil\u2014 A\tgreater\tthan\tall. But\tI\tdare\tnot\tever\tto\tspeak\this\tname. And\tthere\tare\tfew\twho\tcan\tsee\tbeyond The\tmoment\twhen\tOdin\tfalls. This\tvision\tof\ta\thappiness\tinfinitely\tremote\tseems\ta\tthin\tsustenance\tagainst despair,\tbut\tit\twas\tthe\tonly\thope\tthe\tEddas\tafforded.","THE\tNORSE\tWISDOM Another\tview\tof\tthe\tNorse\tcharacter,\toddly\tunlike\tits\theroic\taspect,\tis\talso\tgiven prominence\t in\t the\t Elder\t Edda.\t There\t are\t several\t collections\t of\t wise\t sayings which\t not\t only\t do\t not\t reflect\t heroism\t at\t all,\t but\t give\t a\t view\t of\t life\t which dispenses\t with\t it.\t This\t Norse\t wisdom-literature\t is\t far\t less\t profound\t than\t the Hebrew\t Book\t of\t Proverbs;\t indeed\t it\t rarely\t deserves\t to\t have\t the\t great\t word \u201cwisdom\u201d\tapplied\tto\tit,\tbut\tthe\tNorsemen\twho\tcreated\tit\thad\tat\tany\trate\ta\tlarge store\tof\tgood\tsense,\ta\tstriking\tcontrast\tto\tthe\tuncompromising\tspirit\tof\tthe\thero. Like\t the\t writers\t of\t Proverbs\t the\t authors\t seem\t old;\t they\t are\t men\t of\t experience who\t have\t meditated\t on\t human\t affairs.\t Once,\t no\t doubt,\t they\t were\t heroes,\t but now\tthey\thave\tretired\tfrom\tbattlefields\tand\tthey\tsee\tthings\tfrom\ta\tdifferent\tpoint of\tview.\tSometimes\tthey\teven\tlook\tat\tlife\twith\ta\ttouch\tof\thumor:\u2014 There\tlies\tless\tgood\tthan\tmost\tbelieve In\tale\tfor\tmortal\tmen. A\tman\tknows\tnothing\tif\the\tknows\tnot That\twealth\toft\tbegets\tan\tape. A\tcoward\tthinks\the\twill\tlive\tforever If\tonly\the\tcan\tshun\twarfare. Tell\tone\tyour\tthoughts,\tbut\tbeware\tof\ttwo. All\tknow\twhat\tis\tknown\tto\tthree. A\tsilly\tman\tlies\tawake\tall\tnight, Thinking\tof\tmany\tthings. When\tthe\tmorning\tcomes\the\tis\tworn\twith\tcare, And\this\ttrouble\tis\tjust\tas\tit\twas. Some\tshow\ta\tshrewd\tknowledge\tof\thuman\tnature:\u2014 A\tpaltry\tman\tand\tpoor\tof\tmind","Is\the\twho\tmocks\tat\tall\tthings. Brave\tmen\tcan\tlive\twell\tanywhere. A\tcoward\tdreads\tall\tthings. Now\tand\tthen\tthey\tare\tcheerful,\talmost\tlight-hearted:\u2014 I\tonce\twas\tyoung\tand\ttraveled\talone. I\tmet\tanother\tand\tthought\tmyself\trich. Man\tis\tthe\tjoy\tof\tman. Be\ta\tfriend\tto\tyour\tfriend. Give\thim\tlaughter\tfor\tlaughter. To\ta\tgood\tfriend\u2019s\thouse The\tpath\tis\tstraight Though\the\tis\tfar\taway. A\tsurprisingly\ttolerant\tspirit\tappears\toccasionally:\u2014 No\tman\thas\tnothing\tbut\tmisery,\tlet\thim\tbe\tnever\tso\tsick. To\tthis\tone\this\tsons\tare\ta\tjoy,\tand\tto\tthat His\tkin,\tto\tanother\this\twealth. And\tto\tyet\tanother\tthe\tgood\the\thas\tdone. In\ta\tmaiden\u2019s\twords\tlet\tno\tman\tplace\tfaith, Nor\tin\twhat\ta\twoman\tsays. But\tI\tknow\tmen\tand\twomen\tboth. Men\u2019s\tmind\tare\tunstable\ttoward\twomen. None\tso\tgood\tthat\the\thas\tno\tfaults, None\tso\twicked\tthat\the\tis\tworth\tnaught. There\tis\treal\tdepth\tof\tinsight\tsometimes:\u2014 Moderately\twise\teach\tone\tshould\tbe,","Not\toverwise,\tfor\ta\twise\tman\u2019s\theart Is\tseldom\tglad. Cattle\tdie\tand\tkindred\tdie.\tWe\talso\tdie. But\tI\tknow\tone\tthing\tthat\tnever\tdies, Judgment\ton\teach\tone\tdead. Two\tlines\tnear\tthe\tend\tof\tthe\tmost\timportant\tof\tthe\tcollections\tshow wisdom:\u2014 The\tmind\tknows\tonly What\tlies\tnear\tthe\theart. Along\twith\ttheir\ttruly\tawe-inspiring\theroism,\tthese\tmen\tof\tthe\tNorth\thad delightful\tcommon\tsense.\tThe\tcombination\tseems\timpossible,\tbut\tthe\tpoems\tare here\tto\tprove\tit.\tBy\trace\twe\tare\tconnected\twith\tthe\tNorse;\tour\tculture\tgoes\tback to\the\tGreeks.\tNorse\tmythology\tand\tGreek\tmythology\ttogether\tgive\ta\tclear picture\tof\twhat\tthe\tpeople\twere\tlike\tfrom\twhom\tcomes\ta\tmajor\tpart\tof\tour spiritual\tand\tintellectual\tinheritance.","Thank\tyou\tfor\tbuying\tthis\tebook,\tpublished\tby\tHachette\tDigital. 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