Myths Of Northern Lands Narrated With Special Reference To Literature And Art

MYTHS WdB NARRATED WITH SPEj DEFERENCE TO LITERATURE AND ART BY R A. GUERBER AUTHOR OF MYTHS OF GREECE AND ROME Wake agaijt, Teutonic Fath6r ages, Speak again t bdomdprimtRval creeds Flash ancestral spirit from your age t Wakt the greedy aft iff noble deeds CHARLES KINGSLEY AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY NEW YORK CINCINNATI CHICAGO ODIN. Copyright, 1895, by AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY. Copyright, 1923, by H. A. GUERBER MYTHS OF NORTHERN LANDS, 1 V 647056 DEDICATED TO MY PARENTS. PREFACE. TpHE aim of this handbook of Northern mythology is to - L familiarize the English student of letters with the religion of his heathen ancestors, and to set forth, as clearly as possible, the various myths which have exercised an influence over our customs, arts, and literature, As Norwegians, Danes, Swedes, Icelanders, Germans, English, and French all came originally from the same stock and worshiped the same gods, so these tales formed the basis not only of their religious belief, but also of their first attempts at poetry. They are the classics of the North, and deserve as much attention at our hands as the more graceful and idyllic mythology of the South. The most distinctive traits of the Northern mythology are a peculiar grim humor which is found in the religion of no other race, and a dark thread of tragedy which runs throughout the whole woof. These two characteristics, touching both extremes of the scale, have colored Northern thought, and have left their indelible imprint upon all our writings even to this day. The mythology of Greece and Rome, growing as spontaneous and luxuriant as the tropical vegetation, came to its full fruition and began to decay before the introduction of Christianity. But Northernmythology, of slower growth, was arrested in mid career before it had attained its complete development. 5 6 PREFACE. A glossary, and complete index have been added to adapt this book for general use in libraries and public schools. Author and publishers sincerely trust that this little work will be as kindly received and as well appreciated as has been the case with its predecessor, Myths of Greece and Rome, the first volume of this series. CONTENTS. I. THE BEGINNING OF ALL THINGS 9 II. ODIN 23 III. FRIGGA 46 IV, THOR 61 V. TYR 84 VI. BRAGI 93 VII. IDUN ... 100 VIII. NIORD 107 IX. FREY 112 X. FREYA 124-XI. ULLER 131 XII. FORSETI 134 XIII. HEIMDALL 137 XIV. HERMOD 144 XV. VIDAR 147 XVI. VALI 150 XVII. THE NORNS 154 XVIII. THE VALKYRS 160 XIX. HEL 166 XX. EGIR 171 XXI. BALDER 182 XXII. LOKI 198 XXIII. THE GIANTS 210 XXIV. THE DWARFS 217 XXV. THE ELVES 221 XXVI. THE SIGURD SAGA 225 XXVII. THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS 263 XXVIII. GREEK AND NORTHERN MYTHOLOGIES A COMPARISON.. 274 INDEX TO POETICAL QUOTATIONS 293 INDEX AND GLOSSARY 295 7 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. ODIN Frontispiece NORTH CAPE AND THE MIDNIGHT SUN To face page 9 VALHALLA Hoffmann 2 5 THE PIED PIPER OF HAMELIN H. Kaulbach 32 FRIGGA 4 s EASTRE, OR OSTARA 57 THOR 6 9 FREY II2 FREYA 4 THE WITCHES DANCE VALPURGISNACHT Von Kreling. 129 VALKYRS RIDING TO BATTLE P. N. Arbo . 160 LORELEI AND THE FISHERMAN Paul Thumann 180 BALDER 188 LOKI AND SlGYN Carl Gebhardt 200 NORWEGIAN WATERFALL 208 TORGHATTEN, NORWAY 213 DANCE OF THE WILL-O-THE-WISPS W. Kray 221 OLD HOUSES WITH CARVED DOORPOSTS, NORWAY 224 THE BRANSTOCK Hoffmann 229 SIGURD AND THE DRAGON K. Dielitz 345 BRUNHILDS AWAKENING Th. Pixis 249 GUDRUN GIVING THE MAGIC DRINK TO SlGURD Th. Pixis252 BRUNHILD Th, Pixis 250 H6GNI THROWING THE TREASURE INTO THE RHINE Julius Schriorr, 260 8